Session: State Capitol, Room 403 Juneau, AK 99801-1182 Phone: (907) 465-4931 Fax: (907) 465-4316 Interim: 716 W 4th, Suite 600 Anchorage, AK 99501-2133 Phone: (907) 269-0123 Fax: (907) 269-0124

Legislators Represent Alaska at Energy Council
National Energy Bill, Natural Gasline, ANWR on Agenda in D.C.

(JUNEAU) - Several members of the House Republican Majority will travel to Washington, D.C. this weekend to represent the state's interests as a major oil and gas producer at the annual spring meeting of the Energy Council, and to help support oil exploration in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

"The Energy Council has always been an important forum for Alaska to represent our interests as one of the nation's top energy producing states," said Rep. Joe Green (R-Anchorage) head of the state's delegation, and a member of the Energy Council's executive committee. "With Congress debating a national energy policy that directly impacts the future of our oil and natural gas industries, it is critical for the Legislature to have a place at the table at this conference."

The Energy Council is a legislative organization of ten energy-producing states ranging from the Gulf of Mexico to the Arctic Ocean. The member states produce more than 80 per cent of United States oil and gas and include leading coal, uranium and renewable energy-producing states. Associate members include Venezuela and the Canadian provinces of Alberta and Newfoundland/Labrador.

Other members of the House Majority attending the Energy Council meeting include: Rep. Scott Ogan (R-Palmer), chair of the House Special Committee on Oil and Gas and a member of the Energy Council executive committee; Rep. John Harris (R-Valdez), member of the House Finance Committee; and Rep. Hugh Fate (R-Fairbanks) vice-chair of the House Resources Committee. Other legislators, including Rep Eldon Mulder (R-Anchorage), co-chair of the House Finance Committee, will accompany the Energy Council delegation with plans to visit members of the U.S. Senate to encourage them to support pending legislation to authorize oil exploration in ANWR.

"There is so much happening regarding energy right now that it's really in the best interest of the state to make our case clearly to any U.S. senators who still haven't seen the light on the importance of Alaska's energy to the nation's future," Green said.

The Energy Council's 2002 "Federal Energy and Environmental Matters Conference" starts Saturday and will continue through Tuesday. Among the items on the agenda are: increasing investment in the U.S. energy infrastructure; a status report on national energy legislation; forums on the impact of the national energy bill to the states; a roundtable on how the congressional committee process affects energy and environmental policy; and reviews of federal energy regulations and legislation.

State legislative sessions ordinarily scheduled for Friday and Monday will not be held, so some legislators may attend events in Washington, D.C., and other legislators may travel home to meet with constituents.

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