Governor establishes Rural Energy Action Council

JOEL DAVIDSON/Frontiersman reporter

JUNEAU - Gov. Frank Murkowski, on Monday, created a five-member Rural Energy Action Council that will report to him on short-term proposals to reduce the cost of energy in Bush Alaska.

The Rural Energy Action Council will issue a report to the governor by April 15. In it will be specific recommendations in several areas, including incentives to lower energy-delivery costs, regional supply-and-distribution centers and cooperative fuel purchases.

The report will also cover power plant operational efficiencies, consolidation of energy providers, a review of Alaska Energy Authority programs, acceleration of wind turbine generator installations and energy-conservation measures.

The action team includes members from all the rural regions of the state. They are Nels Anderson of Southwest Alaska, Andy Baker of Northwest Alaska, Ernie Baumgartner of Interior Alaska, Bob Martin of Southeast Alaska and Gene Peltola of Western Alaska.

This team will take up the work of the Alaska Rural Energy Policy Task Force, created by the Legislature in 2003, and use other information to devise short-term and practical proposals that reduce the cost of energy in rural Alaska.

"This council includes rural Alaskans who are making real progress in lowering the cost of energy to those who live in the farthest reaches of the state," Murkowski stated in a press release, Monday. "I expect their work to provide me with some ideas on how to make a difference in Rural Alaska now, and not 20 years down the road."

The Rural Energy Action Council will receive staff support from the Alaska Energy Authority, which is located within the state's Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development.

The budget for the council is expected to be about $30,000 and the money will be used primarily for non-state employee travel.

"The operative word in this group is 'action,'" the governor said. "If we are to have jobs in rural Alaska, we must begin to address the high cost of energy."