Alaska’s gas crisis needs urgent action

Walter Featherly

COMMENTARY

Last December, I urged the Alaska Legislature to take immediate action on our state’s impending natural gas crisis, and I proposed a straightforward action that the legislature could take to bring into production the abundant reserves of Cook Inlet natural gas that are owned by the state of Alaska. I have not been the only voice calling for action or proposing solutions. As the Anchorage Daily News editorial board noted in a recent editorial, despite “dire warnings from Enstar and gas producers, legislators gaveled out in mid-May without approving incentives for Cook Inlet exploration and production, or for that matter any meaningful legislation to chart a course that could help Alaska avoid importing gas.”

Alaska is now facing the alarming prospect of importing natural gas — a scenario unthinkable in a state with vast, energy-rich lands and resources. While it might seem expedient in the short term, importing gas is a costly and unsustainable solution that will burden Alaskans with higher energy costs and undermine our economic stability. The crux of the problem is a lack of action and foresight. Despite knowing about the impending shortfall in gas supply, the legislature has failed to enact measures to ensure that state-owned energy resources, including the natural gas in Cook Inlet, are developed and put into production. While efforts to diversify into renewable energy are commendable, renewable energy sources are not yet capable of bridging the imminent gap left by dwindling local gas supplies.

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