Governor Bill Walker gave his first State of the State address in Juneau last night, focusing on energy and opportunity for Alaskans.
Although he did not present many specifics, Walker did vow to continue exploring the Arctic.
Gov. Walker: “Donna and I were honored to attend the swearing in of Senator Dan Sullivan earlier this month, I’ve also spoken to Sen. Murkowski and Congressman Don Young; we pledge to work together to make the most of our God given resources. And yes, this means at long last responsibly accessing the vast oil reserves under ANWR. We can, we must, we will, it’s beyond time.”
He used an anecdote of the hardships his family endured after the 1964 earthquake to demonstrate that sometimes what might be considered a disaster is actually an opportunity.
Gov. Walker: “This is what I learned from my parents: don’t panic when times are tough, make a plan, stick to it, stay focused, stay positive, and get to work. Now is not the time to sound the alarm my fellow Alaskans, now is a time to pull together, make a plan, sharpen our focus and get to work. We have the tools, we have the ingenuity, we have the team and we will work a way out and build an even stronger Alaska.”
The governor also vowed to protect education funding and continue moving forward on the liquefied natural gas project with as many Alaskan workers as possible.
Gov. Walker: “Alaska, it is time to build a gas line to provide gas to Alaskans and liquefied natural gas to the world markets. (clapping) Under my administration we will finally begin building the Alaska gas line to Tidewater. I’m going to say that one more time because I’ve waited 37 years to say that, under my administration we will begin building the gas line to Tidewater.”
Tonight Gov. Walker plans to address budget concerns in a state of the budget address at 7 pm which can be watched live on Alaska Legislative TV.