Legislators are reacting to Governor Bill Walker’s removal of three of the Alaska Gasline Development Corporation Board’s members.
Some are questioning if the move will delay the group’s work and Senator Resources Committee Chair Cathy Giessel said firing those board members is the opposite of the governor’s goal to bring north slope natural gas to market.
Late Tuesday the governor’s office announced the dismissal of former Anchorage Senator Drue Pearce, Former oil company executive Al Bolea of Big Lake , and former Exxon-Mobil Pipeline President Richard Rabinow of Texas.
Along with that announcement, Walker instructed the commissioners of the commerce and labor committees not to sign any confidentiality agreements.
Governor Walker’s reasoning for the move was that he wanted more Alaskans on the board with greater geographic representation.
House Speaker Mike Chenault issued a statement Wednesday saying that losing those board members will be hard to replace.
