Kill North Slope gas pipeline plan

To the editor:

China Daily (Xinhua, March 2, 2014) reports that, “China discovered nearly 1.1 billion tonnes of oil deposits and 616.4 billion cubic meters natural gas.”

An article at oilprice.com by Nick Cunningham (Jan. 15, 2014) says, “If Japan moves to restart ... its nuclear reactors, many LNG terminals may cease to be profitable.” He further warns that “restart of all ... 50 nuclear reactors … could displace about 51 million tonnes of imported LNG.” Reuters (Feb. 19, 2014) now reports, “Japan to fast-track some nuclear restarts”.

In response to these risks, Gov. Sean Parnell proposes that the risk of loss from a North Slope natural gas pipeline be borne by Alaskans! He knows private enterprises are too wise to take such a foolish risk in today’s market.

The truth is, natural gas can only bring both profits and low-cost natural gas to Alaskans, if it is sold from tidewater. USGS reports “19 trillion cubic feet of natural gas in Cook Inlet” that may be exported directly from there, and our Alaska Railroad can distribute it from Seward to Fairbanks!

Let’s not allow our governor and his Republican friends in our state Legislature bring us the most expensive natural gas in the world while we cover the risk of loss and let oil corporations keep the taxes that they owe us, too!

Daniel Russell

Willow