Gail Phillips

THANK YOU MR. SECRETARY FOR TAKING TIME TO LISTEN TO ALASKANS ON THIS ISSUE OF CRITICAL IMPORTANCE TO OUR FUTURE.

MY NAME IS GAIL PHILLIPS.  I AM A LIFE-LONG ALASKAN.  I WAS RAISED IN A RURAL COASTAL COMMUNITY, TAUGHT SCHOOL IN RURAL ALASKA  AND HAVE LIVED AND WORKED ALL OVER OUR STATE.  I SERVED 10 YEARS IN THE ALASKA LEGISLATURE – FOUR OF THOSE YEARS AS THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

ALASKA TODAY IS VASTLY DIFFERENT THAN THE ALASKA IN WHICH I GREW UP. BEFORE OIL AND GAS DEVELOPMENT,  ROADS WERE NOT KEPT OPEN IN THE WINTER TIME, AIR SERVICE WAS INTERMITTENT, THERE WAS NO SUCH THING AS SEWER AND WATER SERVICE – HONEY BUCKETS PROVIDED THAT NECESSARY FUNCTION, MEDICAL AND HEALTH CARE WERE LIMITED AND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES WERE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN.

THE OIL INDUSTRY IN ALASKA HAS CHANGED ALL OF THAT.  WHEN WE BECAME A STATE, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT RECOGNIZED THE VAST NATURAL RESOURCES OF ALASKA AND THE FACT THAT IN ORDER FOR STATEHOOD TO SUCCEED, WE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE THE REVENUES DERIVED FROM THE DEVELOPMENT OF THOSE RESOURCES.

THIS YEAR WE CELEBRATE 50 YEARS OF STATEHOOD – SOMETHING THAT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE FOR US WITHOUT RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT. 

REVENUES FROM OIL AND GAS HAVE FUNDED THE DEVELOPMENT OF ALASKA.  BASIC SERVICES SUCH AS OUR UNIVERSITY SYSTEM, STATEWIDE MEDICAL SERVICE, UNIVERSAL AIR SERVICE, WATER AND SEWER SYSTEMS IN MANY COMMUNTIES OF ALASKA, POLICE AND FIRE PROTECTION CAN ALL BE ATTRIBUTED TO THE REVENUES DERIVED FROM OUR OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY. 

I WHOLEHEARTEDLY SUPPORT OIL AND GAS LEASING IN THE OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF AND URGE YOUR APPROVAL OF THE 5-YEAR PLAN TO OPEN THE COASTAL AREAS OF ALASKA FOR EXPLORATION AND DEVELOPMENT. 

THANK YOU AGAIN, MR. SECRETARY, FOR COMING TO ALASKA AND FOR TAKING THE TIME TO LISTEN TO ALASKANS.  WE APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH.