When will lawmakers ever learn?

With House Bill 09's introduction, there appears to be an attempt at a final disconnect to voter will expressed under AS 41.41, as mandated with the passage of Prop 3 in 2002.

Reps. Chennault and Hawker have chosen to continually push the least viable of any in-state pipeline alternative offered to date.

With the finds in the Kenai/Cook Inlet fields, there is less incentive to bring this gas down a route that is not even finalized, much less had one permit issued after $23 million has been squandered. Now, another $200 million will be squandered as if it was nothing.

It makes more sense to continue the work of Alaska Natural Gas Development Authority to move a line in the opposite direction from Nikiski to Fairbanks, which more directly would complement the all-Alaska natural gas pipeline to Valdez.

This Franken-agency that is Alaska Gasline Development Corp. is made for failure from the start. Alaska Housing Financing Corp. is the lead agency for a natural gas pipeline construction project?

I realize that it was about bonding, but let's face it, were this project viable, the Alaska Permanent Fund has the money. All it would have taken is leadership to commit to make it happen, which is sadly lacking in Juneau.

Same for the all-Alaska natural gas pipeline to Valdez. Alaska Gasline Inducement Act is dead, both versions.

Exxon will not compete with itself in Asia, neither will Conoco or BP. TransCanada has a conflict of interest with Foot Hills' interest in the Kittimat, B.C., LNG terminal project. Canadian companies will not compete with a Canadian project, which is AGIA competition.

Two LNG export terminals are being brought online in Louisiana, another permit has been issued for Coos Pass, Ore. That makes three liquefied natural gas export terminals being permitted in the United States to export domestic shale gas.

How many times do the governor and this Legislature have to be shown the error of their ways when the information is readily available in the industry news?

Now, we are back to squandering money on Hawker's and Chennault's appeasement project for Enstar that must be subsidized for the life of the project, which is so economically viable that LNG from Russia can be shipped to Cook Inlet cheaper.

I can understand the governor is just trying to keep the lid on and not stir the pot and have AGIA shown for the monumental screw-up that it was so he can run against Begich.

The rest of you, it just amazes this peon how little you all think about the future of this great state.

What part of "we have been shipping LNG to Japan for 40 years" don't you understand that causes you to completely overlook the Japanese market for our LNG?

Our governor sends delegates to the PRC, but not to Japan? My understanding is that he actually refused to meet with a delegation from Japan just after the earthquake.

Again, Exxon, Conoco and BP all have projects in the Pacific; Exxon in New Guinea, Conoco in Australia and BP in Indonesia.

Then, there is the Qatar situation wherein Exxon and Conoco have to keep our gas out of the Asia market so they can ship that ME gas all the way to the PRC and Japan from Qatar, which was supposed to go to U.S. domestic markets - before the shale gas production closed that market.

Pedro Van Meurs had an agenda and he was apparently successful, because none question his utterances or motivations.

The head shed for Conoco Alaska says, "We intended to warehouse North Slope gas all along," when speaking about Denali and why it never made any progress.

Did anyone not get that? Or was it just us great unwashed who hears and understands? I guess that you all receive information from a higher source that we mere mortals would not fathom?

I do have to compliment Hawker and Chennault for their perseverance. Like that of the captain of the Titanic, they may be wrong, but full-steam ahead!

Unlike him, however, they have had the economics and the disclosures to show that what they have been pushing is not viable on any level. However, it is not their money, so who cares?

The governor?

No.

The Legislature?

You all gave them a total of $214 million to date, if I remember correctly, even in the face of all the arguments demonstrating the lack of viability.

Too bad we don't have any leadership in the governor's office or in the Legislature.

Larry Wood is a 57-year resident of Alaska and businessman who is "Butte Trash" since 1961 and proud of it.