00                         SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 3                                                                        
01 Expressing support for the construction of a natural gas spur pipeline between                                          
02 Fairbanks and the Nenana Basin and Southcentral Alaska, commending the interest and                                     
03 initiative of the sponsors of that project, and encouraging the appropriate state resource                              
04 agencies to lend support to those efforts.                                                                              
05 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE:                                                                                           
06       WHEREAS there is an estimated 100 trillion cubic feet of natural gas reserves on                                
07 Alaska's North Slope; and                                                                                               
08       WHEREAS there is, in addition, an estimated 10 to 15 trillion cubic feet of natural                             
09 gas reserves in the Nenana Basin; and                                                                                   
10       WHEREAS natural gas demand by residents and businesses in Southcentral Alaska                                   
11 will continue to increase; and                                                                                          
12       WHEREAS more than half the state's population depends on natural gas to heat their                              
13 homes and businesses, and more than two-thirds of the state's population residing between                               
14 Fairbanks and Homer depends on natural gas for power generation; and                                                    
15       WHEREAS new measures need to be taken to spur development to protect Alaskans                                   

01 from the price volatility of lower 48 natural gas suppliers; and                                                        
02       WHEREAS now is the time to focus on responsible resource development to ensure                                  
03 low-cost energy for future generations;                                                                                 
04       BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Senate supports the construction of a                                      
05 natural gas spur pipeline between Fairbanks and the Nenana Basin and Southcentral Alaska;                               
06 and be it                                                                                                               
07       FURTHER RESOLVED that the Senate commends the principals to this project                                        
08 initiative, notably, Doyon Limited, Andex Resources, and ENSTAR Natural Gas Company,                                    
09 who have together secured partial federal funding for a study of the conceptual engineering,                            
10 economic, environmental, in-state gas needs, and right-of-way issues for a selected route and                           
11 who, by pursuing funding for transportation-related gas pipeline issues, are supporting                                 
12 construction of a Southcentral spur line project as the fastest, most efficient means to this end;                      
13 and be it                                                                                                               
14       FURTHER RESOLVED that the Senate strongly encourages the governor to direct                                     
15 the commissioner of natural resources and the commissioner of revenue to work with these                                
16 parties to ensure that a Southcentral spur line project is developed in a timely manner to                              
17 deliver needed natural gas to Alaska residents and businesses.