Sen. John Torgerson State Capitol, Room 427 Juneau, AK 99801-1182 Phone: (907) 465-2828 Fax: (907) 465-4779

Rep. Joe Green State Capitol, Room 403 Juneau, AK 99801-1182 Phone: (907) 465-4931 Fax: (907) 465-4316

Agenda
August 14 & 15, 2001

Fairbanks North Star Borough Chambers
Conference Room

Tuesday, August 14

• 1:30 p.m. - 1:35 p.m. - Call to Order and Introductions
  
  
• 1:35 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. - Department of Revenue
  
  

  SB 158 directs the Department of Revenue to analyze the state's role in financing a natural gas pipeline. Commissioner Condon and Bill Gardner with Petrie Perkman will present the Committee with an update on the status of this report.

• 2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. - Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission
  
  

  Commissioner Cammy Oechsli Taylor will discuss various issues related to the role of the AOGCC in the development and production of Alaska North Slope natural gas, i.e. current status of Conservation Orders, status of permit discussions with Prudhoe Bay lessees, findings of AOGCC consultant report to study effects of gas production on oil recovery, and funding for the report.

• 3:30 p.m. - 4:15 p.m. - Department of Law
  
  

  Jack Griffin, Assistant Attorney General, will address legal questions regarding overlifting, underlifting, lease termination, and Prudhoe Bay Unit amendments.

• 4:15 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. - Legislative Legal Counsel
  
  

  Jack Chenoweth, Legislative Legal Counsel, will address legal questions regarding overlifting, underlifting, lease termination, and Prudhoe Bay Unit amendments.

• 5:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. - Joint Pipeline Office
  
  

  Bill Britt, State Pipeline Coordinator, will present an update on JPO activities and the status of MOUs with producer groups.

• 5:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. - Public Testimony (limit 3 minutes per speaker)
  
  
• 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. - Reception
  
  

  Reception in the Faribanks News Miner Building sponsored by the Fairbanks North Star Borough and the Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce

Wednesday, August 15

• 9:00 a.m - 9:05 a.m. - Call to Order and Introductions
  
  
• 9:05 a.m. - 9:30a.m. - Congressional Report
  
  

  1. Congressional delegation staff will update the Committee on Congressional action regarding energy policy.

  2. Dyer, Ellis & Joseph, a Washington D.C. law firm under contract with the Legislature to monitor federal energy legislation, will also update the Committee on Congressional activity.

• 9:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. - John Katz, Director of State/Federal Relations and Special Counsel to the Governor
  
  

  Update on Canadian political actions regarding Alaska's natural gas, in particular, their reaction to the ban imposed by the U.S. Congress on the over-the-top route and Prime Minister Chretien's comments during the G-8 summit regarding Alaska's natural gas.

• 10:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. - Robert Loeffler, Attorney with Morrison & Forrester
  
  

  Robert Loeffler will comment on general FERC issues including state tariffs and prices, mid-route delivery points, regulation of an all-Alaska pipeline, regulation of common carriers, and general terms of regulations under NGA or ANGTA.

• 10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. - Regulatory Agencies
  
  
  1. 10:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. - Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (by teleconference or written testimony)
  2. 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. - Nan Thompson, Commissioner and Chair, Regulatory Commission of Alaska

  At the last meeting of the Joint Natural Gas Pipeline Committee, there were a lot of unanswered questions and confusion concerning the authority of FERC and our Regulatory Commission of Alaska. These issues include state tariffs and prices, mid-route delivery points, regulation of an all-Alaskan pipeline, regulation of common carriers, and general terms of regulations under NGA or ANGTA. FERC and RCA will discuss their respective jurisdictions over a natural gas pipeline, upstream access to the pipeline, and downstream access to a pipeline.

• 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. - Lunch Break
  
  
• 1:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. - Alaska Highway Natural Gas Policy Council
  
  

  An update on recent activities conducted by the Governor's Council.

• 1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. - Department of Revenue, tax issues
  
  

  Commissioner Condon will present information regarding Alaska's gas royalty and tax system.
  
  Update on market conditions by Cambridge Energy.

• 2:30 p.m. - 2:45 p.m. - Alaska Natural Gas to Liquids Company
  
  

  Richard Peterson, President and CEO, will give an overview of his company's natural gas to liquids project.

• 2:45 p.m. - 3:45 p.m. - Alaska Gasline Port Authority
  
  

  The port authority was created under Alaska statutes allowing separate port authorities to be formed by municipal governments. Voters in the City of Valdez, Fairbanks North Star Borough and North Slope Borough approved its creation in October 1999. The purposes of the port authority include creating jobs, providing gas to Alaskan communities and helping stabilize the state economy by helping commercialize stranded North Slope gas. The port authority plans to use tax-exempt public debt financing for a portion of the project to lower costs and dramatically increase the economic viability of a large gas project, and maximize benefits to both Alaska and the producer companies. Bill Walker, general counsel for the port authority, will describe the port authority and its activities to the committee.

• 3:45 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. - Producer Groups
  
  

  Representatives from the producer groups will provide an analysis of proposed federal legislation submitted to Alaska's Congressional Delegation and a general discussion on advalorem tax.

• 4:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. - Foothills Pipe Lines
  
  

  Representatives from Foothills Pipe Lines will provide an analysis of proposed federal legislation submitted by the producer groups to Alaska's Congressional Delegation and an update on the withdrawn partner issue.

• 5:00 p.m. - 5:15 p.m. - Joint Committee on Natural Gas Pipelines meeting (agenda to follow)
  
  
• 5:15 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. - Additional Testimony by Invitation of the Chair
  
  
• 5:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. - Public Testimony (limit to 3 minutes per speaker)
  
  

# # #

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