JUNEAU – April 28, 2015 – (RealEstateRama) — Governor Bill Walker applauded the Alaska Legislature today for passing his Interior Energy Project bill, HB 105, which will allow the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority to pursue options other than trucking liquefied natural gas from the North Slope to provide low-cost energy to Interior residents.
“The high cost of heat and electricity is a tremendous burden for many Interior residents,” Governor Walker said. “Too many Alaskans have to choose between paying their mortgages and paying their heating bills. HB 105 allows AIDEA to explore affordable energy solutions for Interior Alaska—not only from the North Slope, but from all regions.”
Residents of the Fairbanks North Star Borough are also burdened with poor air quality. Delivering natural gas to the Interior will also help families burn a cleaner source of fuel for home heating and energy.
In 2013, AIDEA was provided the financing tools and authorization to pursue efforts to bring low-cost natural gas to the Interior. Under HB 105, AIDEA will be able to expand those efforts, effectively removing the requirement that the only possible solution lies in trucking LNG from the North Slope.
“The economic future of the Interior depends on low-cost energy being delivered to its residents,” Governor Walker said. “At the end of the day, conditions in Fairbanks have not changed, and relief in the form of clean, affordable energy is needed now. HB 105 provides a clear path to accomplish that.”
