Fairbanks Borough voters will not decide whether the Alaska Gasline Port Authority pursues a plan to truck North Slope Natural gas to Fairbanks. The Borough Assembly last week rescinded an ordinance putting the question on the ballot in light of Golden Valley Electric and Flint Hills refinery’s recent announcement they are moving ahead with their own gas trucking plan. So Port Authority chairman Jim Whitaker said they are bowing out.
The ordinance pulling the Port Authority gas trucking question off the ballot passed despite some concerns from the assembly. Member Mike Musick voted against the ordinance, saying he’s concerned about the narrower focus focus of the GVEA Flint Hills trucking plan.
The private utility Fairbanks Natural Gas says even without the Port Authority it still has a proposal of its own. Assembly member Michael Duke said that’s good insurance. Authority Chairman Whitaker said his biggest concern now is development of a local piping network to bring gas to homes and businesses for heating.
Dan Bross is a reporter at KUAC in Fairbanks.
