News-Miner Editorial
We need help now
Rally can focus attention on Interior energy needs
Published Thursday, June 12, 2008
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Stumble It!The timing of today’s “We Need Energy Now” rally feels a little odd to some people. With members of the Legislature in town to talk about Gov. Sarah Palin’s Alaska Gasline Inducement Act and TransCanada’s gas pipeline proposal today through Saturday, there is a natural inclination to think this is a rally for gas now as opposed to the longer-term AGIA plan.
But that’s not the case. The message from the rally clearly is not, and should not be, anti-AGIA.
This rally is about a different set of issues — urgent energy needs. Perhaps, if legislators and Palin were to be in town prior to the expected second legislative special session to take up statewide energy solutions, the timing would be less confusing. But they’re here in town now for the AGIA special session.
The rally really does have a good purpose, and people need to get to the Carlson Center and show members of the Palin administration and the several dozen legislators in town today just how dire this energy situation is locally.
Frankly, a lot of folks are saying, “I don’t get it. What exactly are we rallying for?”
To be sure, the message behind this rally is nowhere near as clear as that connected to the Base Realignment and Closure Commission hearings a few years ago with the effort to save Eielson Air Force Base. Then, the BRAC mission was crystal clear and the ensuing “Save Eielson” rally made obvious sense.
Although he has stepped aside from the proceedings, the rally was chiefly spurred by Fairbanks Rep. Jay Ramras, who has advocated for development of a small-diameter gas line, or “bullet line,” that he believes could be in Fairbanks in five years or less. Some say bullet line advocacy is a waste of time because it is not economically feasible and that shouting about it won’t improve the economics.
So why go to the rally?
Because letting the state’s leaders hear first-hand how serious the situation is for people in the Interior is a good idea. It’s an opportunity to speak up and to show the level of local concern.
Many factors are lining up to make things even tougher for Fairbanks, which does not have a widespread natural gas supply or hydroelectric power like other Alaska communities. A deployment of thousands of Fort Wainwright troops is on the horizon. In two years, we could very well face another round of BRAC cuts. And Flint Hills is looking to sell the North Pole refinery or make major changes to that operation.
Do we have a lot of challenges ahead in Fairbanks? You bet we do. Are individuals already suffering because of energy costs and thinking they will need to leave? You bet they are.
Is it a good idea for people to get out to the Carlson Center this afternoon and let our state’s leaders know that we need energy solutions now? You bet. So go on out there and let them hear about it today, 5-5:30 p.m. at the Carlson Center.
Community Discussion
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I believe the administration already knows the importance of "energy now." While it is good to show community support for our energy concerns, it is hard to not acknowledge who campaigned for this rally, and harder still to not theorize his ulterior motives.
Jaybird has stepped aside from coordinating this rally, but I can't help to ponder that he stands to gain some fathom of undeserving respect in the matter?
Other opinions?
Non_Lemming: I don't need a pep talk, I want something done, ASAP!!!
Alaskan summers are short, and the winters in Interior Alaska can be brutal. If Flint Hills folds, and Healy Coal is still a couple years away, as well as, the bullet line, and AGIA TransCanada is several year as is "Denali".
I am not moving away, I just want the Governor's blanket, and all the Legislator's coats.
For the life of me I can't see any sense in attending a thirty minute rally to show our legislature that we can't afford the current oil prices. To me its nonsense,the legislature and your legislators are and have been fully aware of the problem. Who is grand standing here, I am willing to bet that there is already a plan for subsidizing the high fuel costs in the works. The thirty minute lets us all cry foul will produce nothing more than what the legislature has already prepared to announce. I am saving the gas that i would have used to get to and from the carlson center's detour maze to power my American made gas gussler for my limited once a week grocery shopping extravaganza. And when the govenor announces her plan, I wont be buying into the rhetoric that will be coming from those with their sweaters tied around their necks down at city hall exclaiming their accomplishment either.
The Palin administration has royally screwed up and some of them know it. That is why they were working so hard to AVOID public hearings by cutting deals with the Legislature. (Deals to pass the deal and go home before public testimony). This is about as bad as some of Murkowski's nonsense.
Showing up for this rally is important, but so is getting the facts.
Here's a primer:
On Saturday the legislature will finally begin taking public testimony. Although they have not had the courtesy of even bothering to tell the public the time that they will begin taking this testimony.
Patrick Galvin has said that this deal with this foreign, multinational corporation, may not result in gas for Fairbanks until 2020. That alone is a dealbreaker.
But it gets a lot worse. The US Military will be looking for another round of base closures. The word is that Fairbanks could LOSE BOTH EIELSON AFB AND FORT WAINWRIGHT.
The enormous energy costs we contend with here are also hurting the military. Think your fuel oil is expensive? Have you priced jet fuel lately? The Air Force will either have to begin grounding airplanes- or close bases. If the Air Force must close a base in Alaska they will close Eielson before Elmendorf. Same goes for Ft. Wainwright. Ft. Richardson will be kept because it is a cheaper base to operate and they have the ability to expand. Ft. Wainwright doesn't.
What happens to the air quality (and quality of life) here when tens of thousands of residents here are burning wood and coal? Fairbanks will be a miserable place to live in the winter.
Will a deal with TransCanada guarantee a pipeline? No way. It only guarantees that Alaska will fork over hundreds of millions to move towards an open season. DNR has made it clear that this process does not guarantee a pipeline. At least they have been honest on this point.
So why are we even considering this horrible plan? Tom Irwin- who usually gets it right- particularly with Pt. Thomson, has offered that it will be the TansCanada deal or nothing. Nothing being waiting on Exxon to someday, maybe, in 2040, building a gas line. And that isn't very truthful.
We have better options. Alaska needs to build the first leg of a 48" project to Delta Jct. The current surplus could pay for it and we could have gas to the Interior within five years. Recall that 138,000 Alaskans voted to build a state gasline in 2002. Why are we being ignored?
Yes, after 50 years of talking about a gasline, we could actually stop talking and start building. We could begin acting like a sovereign state and provide essential energy infrastructure critical for a state that sees -50F every winter.
"Don't worry about air quality, the borough will simply fine your for violation of their standards."
That's the right attitude. Then we can have polluted lungs and bad health along with high fuel prices. Keep your dirty air on your side of the street. It is not a personal liberty to pollute all of your neighbors' lungs.
So is there anyone in Fairbanks who *isn't* already aware of high fuel & electric costs? What's the point of this circus?
There is an affordable bullet line that could be online by freeze up next winter. Go to www.fairbanksgas.com and look at the slide show.
If GCI can trench a small diameter HDPE pipe 360 miles from Fairbanks to Anchorage and through Denali Park in less than two years, I'm sure that the combined resources of Fairbanks could get a 4"-8" HDPE LPG pipe up north in the same amount of time.
Back in the 50's Alaskan's built the other pipeline, 626 miles from Fairbanks to Haines in less than two year. If our grandfathers could do it then, we can do it now!
out_in_the_cold said, "Non_Lemming: I don't need a pep talk, I want something done, ASAP!!!"
Ummmm, ... what pep talk? I was simply starting the dailogue string. Want something done? Well, go do it.
It appears many of you are falling into the same trap that has necessitited this rally - thinking that, because you know something, everyone else does too.
For almost half of our the Legislature's constituents - ie people in Anchorage/Mat-Su - there is no energy crisis occurring. An energy pinch? Yes. An energy inconvenience? Sure. But an energy cost CRISIS? Not hardly - even paying over 60% more today than they did three years ago, they're still paying the lowest in-home energy rates in the nation.
These legislators also live on Alaska's southern coast - where, relative to Fairbanks, it's comparatively warm and sunny all year long - A place where you can get away with simply dimming the lights and putting on another blanket to get by.
Therefore are ALOT of Legislators who think that, because they & their constituents don't have a problem, THERE IS NO PROBLEM; or, at least, no problem requiring immediate action on their part.
I'm not going to tell anybody else what to do but I will tell you this: The "emergency" measures already taken by the State regarding this issue have been, at lease to date, untimely & inadequate; implemented without the levels of either speed or urgency one might expect in such circumstances. Why? Because, frankly, just like many of our legislators, the people tasked with impementing these programs live in a place for which there is no crisis - they live in greater Anchorage.
If Fairbanks wants to convey to these people a sense of urgency - make them understand that, "just because they don't have a problem doesn't mean there ain't a problem" and that, with winter only a couple months away, only action TODAY (not bloody August, when they're currently planning to meet) can have any hope of addressing the problem we all see coming - this is effectively our first, last and only real chance to do it.
Be there or be Square - like, ice cube square or Exxon forecloser sign in your frontyard square...
TkBurlington your assumptions are not backed by factual data when you make comments that over half of the legislators don't belive that there is a energy crisis going on. For you to think that just because one lives in a coastal area of Alaska you are oblivious to the high energy costs is another poor assumption of your part. You go on to say that ALOT of legislators don't believe there is a problem because they don't have a problem is reaching. Your attempt to try to rally support for others to attend a thirty minute boondoggle hasn't convinced me. Right about now I am wondering if your college sweaters is tied a little to tight around your neck.
Make a copy of the comments that were left on this topic and read them aloud to the Legislators that will be in attendence, and report your finding back to us please.
I see you keep touting your slide show. I fail to see how a collection of pictures of pipeline being transported, buried and floated coupled with a Google map of Alaska where you've used MS Paint to draw a line from the North Slope to Valdez shows that something of that magnitude and expense can be created in a year and a half.
There is an affordable bullet line that could be online by freeze up next winter. Go to www.fairbanksgas.com and look at the slide show.
If GCI can trench a small diameter HDPE pipe 360 miles from Fairbanks to Anchorage and through Denali Park in less than two years, I'm sure that the combined resources of Fairbanks could get a 4"-8" HDPE LPG pipe up north in the same amount of time.
Back in the 50's Alaskan's built the other pipeline, 626 miles from Fairbanks to Haines in less than two year. If our grandfathers could do it then, we can do it now!
===========================================
If we built the happy little gasline from Chandalar to Prudhoe do you think with big-media coverage and strong internet support on YouTube that the bigwigs would dig in their heels and refuse to fill it with propane??
Is this the Niger Delta in Nigeria?
....GACK!!!! Where did those Big Black Helicopters come from ???
Resistance is Futile! [both sides hurling Shakespeareian Invectives at eachother]
First We Folly, Then We Freeze... year after year after year
....flash/rumble
ever the optimistic critic, i do wonder about an underlying ploy in all of this skyrocketing oil speculation. Let's see.....the oil companies wanted us (Alaska) to help fund their pipeline project...some thinking-types wondered why that was necessary since net oil profits are at an all time high...so, the oil companies get oil speculation to set the market values higher and higher for a barrel of oil...driving up the cost per gallon to us consumers...but, also putting lots of money into the State coffers....we, the people, then go down to the Carlson Center to demand that the State "Do Something!" which will then support the Legislature and Governor justification to help fund the pipeline project. Doesn't anyone wonder what the oil companies are doing with all their extra money??? Shouldn't that be the headlines? I do believe that the oil companies are driving this entire thing, and we're at their mercy. Why no talk of oil independence...alternative fuels and energy efficiency. I wonder how many cars will drive on the Richardson on their way home tonight in excess of 65 mph in their SUV's with no passengers?
Energy is still CHEAP in Fairbanks...why is everyone complianing about the cost of fueling thier oversized cars, trucks and houses?
hopefully more than 20% of the complainers WILL leave by winter, goodbye and good riddance.
I figured I'd try something new. Developed a new stove. You heard of those wood pellet stoves, well I have one that will burn moose nuggets. Heck, they use to burn buffalo chips. Now if I can just get folks to stop making sizzle sticks and earrings out of those nuggets and realize they are a valuable fuel source. If this gets popular, wonder how much the State will tax moose for production of the little fellows.
cjg....
OK, I know the slideshow is hastily put together and it might leave some people confused.. I'll try to work on it some more this evening while trying to get 6 other projects done on my laptop.
[ most of the other projects don't have anything to do with passing gas in Alaska ]
The first gasline over the Brooks Range should be a small LPG-propane line. [it seems to me many people are still confused about the difference between gasses, corndog or chili]
This first small LPG-gasline is 850,000feet long from Prudhoe to Chandalar Shelf.
Take a close look at the picture looking south..
I helped repair a flat tire on a rolled over dumptruck on that same spot when we were building that grade up to the shelf you see on the left. Some guys say that building the road took more effort than building the pipe.
You'd be surprised at how many big projects in history were built from a sketch on scrap paper, only later did someone else draw an as-built drawing to satisfy the dweebs who never get their hands dirty.
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