The halls of Juneau have been strangely silent, despite a rising debate about LNG gasline projects.
We reported yesterday on Governor Bill Walker’s veto threat…
Gov. Walker: “You know, historically, I’ve always said I’d wait until it gets to my desk, today I’ll say I would veto this in a minute. This is the most unAlaskan thing I’ve ever seen put together.”
Nikiski’s Speaker Mike Chenault sponsored HB 132, the bill which would prohibit a secondary project moving forward until one of three conditions is met: the state or another party withdrawing from Alaska LNG; Alaska LNG entering its next phase or the calendar turns to July 1, 2017.
Speaker Chenault (R-Nikiski): “We think we’re on the right track. We have AGDC there as a backup plan in case that plan fails, but the last thing we want to do is add any uncertainty into the big project.”
Speaker Chenault agreed that the conversations about the gasline appear to be happening in the media, rather than between Walker and the Legislature in Juneau. We asked Chenault if Alaskans should be concerned by this stilted communication.
Speaker Chenault (R-Nikiski): “No, I don’t think that they should. Every administration the Legislature’s had different relationships with. I can think of others, that may not have been this strained, but certainly there were things with the Parnell Administration that a number of Legislators didn’t agree with. There were issues with Governor Palin that the Legislature wasn’t on her side completely and also Governor Murkowski, so each governor, the Legislature has not walked lock step with.”
Chenault said they’ll continue moving the bill through the legislative process and hopefully come to an agreement with Governor Walker, or they may…
Speaker Chenault (R-Nikiski): “Take it up either in a special session if he were to veto it, or if we’re still in session, if it makes it that far, that we would attempt to override a veto. So that’s a long way into the future, hopefully we’ll have conversations with the Administration and we can work out any problems that we have.”