(ANCHORAGE) - The House Special Committee on Oil & Gas is holding a hearing, Monday, November 21, 2005 at the Anchorage LIO, Room 220. The hearing will take place from 1pm to 4pm.

The focus of the hearing will be independent oil and gas companies and how to attract and encourage them to do business in Alaska as well as how the Legislature can help. Testimony will be by invitation only.

"The legislature wants to do all it can to bring independent oil and gas companies to our State. This is a first step toward opening the exchange of information between industry and the legislature to see how we can work toward the common goal of more exploration and ultimately more production of our State's great resources," said Representative Vic Kohring (R-Wasilla/Mat-Su), Chair of the Committee.

This hearing will be teleconferenced to LIO's across Alaska.

# # #