As SB 21 moves from the Senate to the House for consideration some will suggest various changes that should be made while in the House. One set of changes that should be made is to the membership of the “Oil & Gas Competitiveness Review Board,” a proposal offered and championed by Senator McGuire during the bill’s time in the Senate.
I have long been a supporter of such a Review Board and believe I was in the room when it was first discussed. Indeed, one of the earliest pieces I wrote on Alaska oil & gas policy was in support of adopting such a proposal. (“Alaska’s Future: Sen. McGuire’s Proposed Competitiveness Review Is Important,” Feb. 10, 2011).
But the proposed membership in this version is not the same as when the Board was first discussed and the change is for the worse. As the bill travels through the House, the membership of the Board should be modified to reflect a broader constituency. Continue reading
Thoughts on Alaska Oil & Gas 