The three-way race for Alaska’s top political office broached the subject of the placement of the potential Alaska LNG project at Wednesday’s Joint Kenai and Soldotna Chamber Lunch.
Democrat Mark Begich says he believes in the process that has been implemented so far.
Begich: “I think at the end of the day you get the best site that’s going to have the best opportunity and so far, this has been it. So people can appeal, they can go through the process, make sure it’s fair and open but at the end of the day have the right site.”
Independent incumbent Governor Bill Walker says the decision was made before he took office and he doesn’t believe in starting over.
Gov. Walker: “We have not wavered one bit, everything we have filed has said that it is going to come to Nikiski and I have every reason to believe it’s going to come to Nikiski. That’s not a difficult question to me whatsoever. As long as it gets built and benefits all of Alaskans, which it will, that’s the critical thing.”
And Republican Mike Dunleavy says he believes the site location should be determined by the private sector.
Dunleavy: “Right now it’s headed for Nikiski and if that’s the most economical port, that’s where it’ll be. We just have to make sure that the overall project is going to be economical for the state of Alaska.”
The gubernatorial candidates also took up the issues of fish, and the Ballot Proposition One in particular.
Ballot Proposition One, or the “Stand for Salmon Initiative”, suggests implementing more strict guidelines for large-scale development projects in order to protect salmon. Opposition to the initiative say it will restrict Alaskan jobs and future development.
Begich said at the forum that he plans to vote yes on the measure, adding that if 45,000 Alaskans signed the initiative, it’s the governor’s job to carry it out without it impacting Alaska’s economy.
Both Governor Walker and Dunleavy said they would vote no, but for different reasons.
Governor Walker said he wants Alaskans to be involved early in the processes, as a way to develop Alaska responsibly, but Ballot Measure One would be adding another layer of uncertainty to the process.
Dunleavy says his no vote is because the initiative is the “wrong approach at the wrong time for the state of Alaska, especially with the economy in the state it’s in.”
