newsminer.com

The focus in the Capitol lately has been the budget -- those vetoed items, what to do with the capital budget, etc. -- but work is continuing on the gas pipeline.

The Legislative Budget and Audit Committee has hired a number of consultants on behalf of the Legislature, and those consultants are reviewing TransCanada's pipeline proposal now. On top of that, committee chair Rep. Ralph Samuels has been asking lots of questions of TransCanada itself -- about things like "open season and expansion as it relates to reserve requirements and off-take locations" and tolls going into the Alberta Hub.

There's also been a deal worked out with regard to TransCanada's 2004 application to the state. Several lawmakers had requested a chance to see the details of the proposal, which was being kept as confidential. Now TransCanada will make copies available in the same document rooms in Anchorage and Juneau that are open to lawmakers and staffers who sign a confidentiality agreement and adhere to strict requirements, according to committee staff. They should be there by the end of the week or early next week.

Scheduled LB&A meetings this week have been pushed back because of conflicts with the House Finance Committee, which needs the room for budget hearings.