3:03 p.m. SENATOR ROBIN TAYLOR, Alaska State Legislature, sponsor of SB 221, first thanked the committee for taking the amount of time they have on this issue. He then brought attention to SB 221, which provides for an all-Alaskan pipeline and is the only legislation pending that would do so. His primary concern in introducing it is jobs for Alaska, and following that, "Alaskans need to be on the construction of any future pipeline, a partial owner, if not a total owner of the project, so that Alaska, for the first time, receives a true fair share of the project." SENATOR TAYLOR noted that many have said producers and owners have to be in agreement before any gas goes down a pipeline. He commented, "Well, Alaska happens to be one of those owners, and it's high time that gas was no longer locked and frozen on the North Slope, but was freed up. And it has to get to at least a deep water port before it can be provided to world markets." SENATOR TAYLOR said an all-Alaskan pipeline to Valdez is not only possible, but the permits exist today, and YPC has pledged to contribute their permits to this project should the legislature pass it. He commented that he was disturbed by the remarks of Mr. Small [of Cambridge Energy Research Associates (CERA)], who indicated that if in the future Alaska wishes to build a pipeline to the Midwest, Alaska will have to have to be "more conciliatory"' towards the Canadians. He stated: The idea of having Alaska's heritage and future held hostage by foreign governments and foreign politicos is disturbing to me. I am comforted by the fact that we have sufficient gas on the Slope of known reserves today - to say nothing of what the potential reserves are for our future - that Alaska can easily develop both pipeline projects. That is, we can first develop an all-Alaska pipeline following the existing corridor and branching off probably at Glennallen and going to the Anchorage bowl. If there's anything that will provide long-term jobs and security for the people of Alaska in the development of its gas resources, it is [an] all-Alaska pipeline. SENATOR TAYLOR said there is significant support throughout the Alaskan community for this proposition. He also mentioned that the liberal government in British Columbia is going to move forward in developing gas resources off the coast of British Columbia. Furthermore, Bolivia announced yesterday it would be building a $5 billion, 5,000-mile natural gas pipeline and tanker route, taking landlocked gas out of Bolivia and shipping it into Mexico and then to California. He stated: The rest of the world is trying to take advantage. If we have to wait for the owners to get onboard for the producers to be happy, for us to sucre enough support from the Canadians that they're willing to now talk to us about how many jobs they're going to develop, if we wait for all those things to occur, I firmly believe the markets are going to filled and the window of opportunity will be lost. SENATOR TAYLOR concluded by saying he looked forward to discussing the all-Alaskan gas pipeline project with the committee. [End of discussion of SB 221.]