Alaska State Legislature

News From The Senate and House Majorities

Ken Freemen, House Majority Press Secretary
Phone: (907)465-3804
Wendy Lindskoog, Senate Majority Press Secretary
(907)465-4582
State Capitol
Juneau, AK 99801
Actuality line: 1-800-478-6540
http://www.akrepublicans.org

Alaska Legislators Travel To Washington D.C. To Influence National Energy Policy

For Immediate Release -- February 24, 1997

Juneau -- To influence the formation of federal energy and related environmental policy, an Alaska delegation will travel Friday to Washington, D.C., to participate in The Energy Council’s annual Federal Energy and Environmental Matters Conference March 1-4, 1997. Legislators from ten energy producing states and the Canadian province of Alberta will attend.

Senator Drue Pearce, Co-chair of the Alaska Senate Finance Committee and Vice Chair of The Energy Council’s Conference, said this meeting represents an important opportunity for energy producing states to promote dialogue with energy leaders at all levels of industry and government.

Member states of The Energy Council include Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, and Wyoming -- accounting for over 80 percent of U.S. oil and gas production.

"Alaska legislators need to capitalize on this opportunity to contribute to the formation of energy policy. We will also have an opportunity to inform and educate members of Congress and the Clinton Administration about Alaskan issues," Pearce said. "The direction taken on these issues will make or break our state’s long-term ability to provide jobs for Alaskans and fuel for our nation."

The Alaska Delegation will include Senators Drue Pearce, Loren Leman and Dave Donley and Representatives Gail Phillips, Joe Green and Scott Ogan.

"The 105th Congress is beginning deliberations on a number of high profile energy and environmental bills directly affecting our State such as the NPRA, wetlands regulations, ANWR and the gas pipeline," said Phillips. "We want to continue to press Alaska’s case to policymakers."

The Energy Council achieves its work primarily through four annual conferences and through extensive coalition-building efforts. The conferences include:

• The Federal Energy and Environmental Matters Conference -- Washington, D.C. in the spring.
• The State Trends in Energy and the Environment Conference -- June.
• The Annual Meeting -- September (planned this year in Alaska).
• The Global Energy and Environmental Matters Conference -- December.

Senate President Mike Miller noted that to accommodate conference dates and to give legislators the opportunity to return home to their constituents for town meetings, the Senate and House will not have session from February 28 through March 4.

"The legislature is now one-third of the way through session," Miller said. "As budgets are being formulated and finalized, it is important legislators actively pursue feedback from their constituents. I encourage Alaskans to take this opportunity to get involved with their government by bending the ear of their legislator."

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