Issue Position: Alaska's Natural Resources

Issue Position

Issue Position: Alaska's Natural Resources

Alaska's People

"Our goal together, the reason we responsibly develop our resources, is to create, participate in, and sustain a legacy economy—one that will endure for generations. A legacy economy is built by our state's most valuable resource—Alaskans." Sean Parnell

Jobs for Alaskans: "A good job builds a road from despair to hope, from government dependency to individual opportunity—My goal is to ensure Alaskans have opportunity to grasp their potential and live it." Sean Parnell

Alaska-the "owner state"- Alaska's economic potential springs from resources that are owned in common by the Alaska people, as most powerfully articulated by former Alaska Governor Walter J. Hickel.

ANWR

Sean Parnell supports opening the coastal plain of ANWR to responsible oil and gas exploration and development.

ANWR has the potential to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and provide increased oil supply to the nation for decades. ANWR can provide jobs and billions of dollars in tax revenues and extend the life of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System ("TAPS"). Opening ANWR will also increase the nation's supply of oil, thus contributing to lower energy costs than would otherwise occur.

Natural Gas

Sean Parnell supports development of a gasline that heats Alaskan homes, provides Alaskan jobs, and fuels our nation's economy.

Alaska has 35 trillion cubic feet of proven gas reserves ready for hungry markets in Alaska and elsewhere in North America. Experts believe much more gas than that—quantities in excess of 150 trillion cubic feet--can be found in Alaska. Both the federal government and Alaska's state government have stepped forward with meaningful incentives or inducements for the private sector to get Alaska's gas to market.

While private sector companies vie with each other to get a project agreement between them, Sean Parnell will work from a position of strength with Governor Palin and her administration in Washington, D.C. to ensure Alaskans' interests are safeguarded and to ensure that other members of Congress learn of all the clean, less expensive energy Alaska's gas reserves hold for their constituents.

Offshore Revenue Sharing

Sean believes the federal government should share revenue from offshore developments with state and local communities.

It's a fairness issue

·Onshore revenue sharing from fedral lands already exists.

·Gulf Coast States now receive revenue from federal offshore activities.

·Federal revenue sharing from offshore developments would provide impact aid to offset any effects from offshore activities.

Mining

Mining has been important to Alaska for generations, and today it is a significant economic engine of our state. In order that Alaskans might enjoy the prosperity of mining jobs for years to come, miners need consistent tax policy, and a dependable, stable regulatory regime based on science.

Fisheries

Commercial, subsistence, personal use and sport fisheries are vitally important to Alaska's economy and culture. As your Congressman, Sean Parnell will be a staunch advocate for Alaska's fisheries and fishermen.

First and foremost, that means we must have sound science. Alaska's fisheries have received international recognition for our excellent precautionary management. Recently, the federal government decided not to provide funding to carry out important federal fishery research and management responsibilities in Alaska. Sean will fight to secure adequate funding to protect and manage our resources in the federal waters off Alaska.

Second, fishery management decisions should be based on that science, not politics, and should be made through an open, public process that involves input from stakeholders here in Alaska. Sean will work to ensure that federal fishery management decisions are made through the North Pacific Fishery Management Council process where all Alaskans can participate.

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