Sen. Ogan not serving constituents

Spectrum, by Robin McLean

I just read Senator Scott Ogan's "Commitment to his Constituents." I think he should have called it "Commitment to his Career and Future Paychecks."

Mr. Ogan would be better off if he stopped talking. Last week he called a press conference in the middle of the afternoon on Labor Day, then very impolitely changed his mind and didn't show up. Many of his constituents -- who he is so concerned about -- were left waiting in the parking lot of the Palmer Visitor's Center and chatting about Scott Ogan. We talked about how unfathomable it is that Scott Ogan doesn't see the glaring conflict of interest of working for a company that has quietly and carefully gotten access to our private property for their own -- and Mr. Ogan's private profit.

I'm a small business owner so I have nothing against private profit. I have a problem with people, companies and especially leaders who betray our trust for private profit. Juneau is a long way off, and we citizens simply do not make drop-in visits down there for committee meetings.

I wish very much that a few months ago our committed senator let us know about the committee hearings for Rep. Vic Kohring's House Bill 69 that drastically reduced regulations and public notice for coal bed methane drilling in our beautiful Valley. It also allows the commissioner of Department of Natural Resources to override our local ordinances on this issue.

Yes, it is too bad that Scott forgot to call us, especially since he did remember to call Evergreen executives Mark Sexton (CEO), Jack Eckstrom and John Tanigawa. They all got to testify. Can there be any doubt as to where Mr. Ogan's loyalty lies? Mr. Tanigawa has said that Scott Ogan knows a lot about oil and gas, this despite Mr. Ogan's clear lack of education in those areas. Mr. Ogan is not a geologist and has not worked in the field. From Mr. Ogan's recent statement, it appears he is now showing off his legal knowledge, too. He says he will terminate his "consulting position for Evergreen Resources (Alaska) Corp. if there is any culpable disregard by Evergreen for the health, safety or property rights of [his] constituents." Does he only care if they hurt us and our property on purpose? Is that what he promised us when he was sworn in as a legislator, to protect the people of Alaska from people or entities who are culpable? No. He promised to protect us from harm -- intentional or otherwise. The fact that he does not see this is inexcusable. He doesn't see it, because to do so will cost him $40,000 a year. He will have to go back to carpentry.

If Mr. Ogan fails to grasp his conflict of interest, continues to have his cake and eat it too, then we Alaskans will continue to be ill served in Juneau. I hope very much that our other Valley legislators and assembly members grasp both Mr. Ogan's conflict of interest and the damage that conflict has wrought. Problems with coal bed methane development are widespread and very well documented from numerous affected communities in the Lower 48. I urge our leaders to step forward, acknowledge the concerns of untold numbers of Mat-Su residents about coal bed methane exploration, and correct these tainted laws.

Robin McLean is a Sutton resident.