2013 Policy Positions (pdf)

Top Legislative Prioritites

• Advocate for tax policy and incentives that enhance the State of Alaska’s competitiveness for all industries.
• Support efforts to bring more accountability to the appeals and litigation processes for community and resource development projects.
• Encourage the State to promote and defend the integrity of Alaska’s permitting process.
• Support tax policies that establish a competitive tax structure and incentives to increase the exploration, production and development of all Alaska’s oil fields (new and existing).

General Issues

Fiscal Policy & Planning

• Advocate for tax policy and incentives that enhance the State of Alaska’s competitiveness for all industries.
• Advocate for implementation of a comprehensive, responsible, and long-range state fiscal plan.
• Support efforts to hold the FY14 operating budget to FY10 levels of $3.21 billion.
• Support some use of the Permanent Fund earnings as part of a fiscal plan.
• Oppose efforts to enshrine the Permanent Fund Dividend in the Alaska Constitution.
• Encourage and support foreign and domestic private sector investments in Alaska's resource industries and manufacturing.

Access

• Advocate for increased access to and across public lands for resource and community development.
• Advocate for multiple-use of public lands.
• Continue to assert the State's rights on navigable waters and submerged lands.

Regulation/Permitting

• Support efforts to bring more accountability to the appeals and litigation processes for community and resource development projects.
• Encourage the State to promote and defend the integrity of Alaska’s permitting process.
• Encourage the State to use all available avenues to ensure reasonable and predictable decision making under the CWA Section 404 permit program.
• Advocate for predictable, timely, and efficient state and federal permitting processes based on sound science and economic feasibility.
• Provide adequate resources to permitting agencies for personnel, research, and science.
• Support the State of Alaska’s efforts to challenge unwarranted Endangered Species Act listings and proposed critical habitat designations.
• Support reasonable mixing zones for resource and community development.
• Support efforts to reduce federal interference and devolve more authority to the states.
• Support State efforts to oppose EPA regulations imposing low sulfur fuel standards on the cruise line and ocean shipping industries.

Infrastructure

• Support transportation and power projects that enhance resource and community development activities.
• Encourage development of new electrical generating and transmission systems to provide stable sources of electricity for economic development and existing consumers.
• Stimulate investment in power and transportation infrastructure by catalyzing private partnership investment through the public-privatepartnership (P3) model.

Education

• Support programs, including the Alaska Resource Education program, to educate students and the general public on responsible resource development activities in Alaska.
• Support efforts to provide for a skilled and trained Alaska workforce necessary to support resource development industries.

Industry Specific Issues

Oil & Gas

• Support tax policies that establish a competitive tax structure and incentives to increase the exploration, production and development of all Alaska’s oil fields (new and existing).
• Support legislative and administration agency efforts to improve the commercial viability of developing Alaska's natural gas resources.
• Educate and advocate for access to and development of oil and gas resources on federal lands; including the coastal plain of ANWR, NPR-A, and the Alaskan OCS.
• Advocate for federal revenue sharing and/or community impact assistance to maximize benefits of OCS development to Alaska.

Energy

• Support simplified leasing and efficient permitting of non-conventional fuel resources to encourage development of the state’s resources and provide energy to local areas.
• Support utilization of Alaska's coal resources for value-added industries and power generation in addition to export to international markets.
• Support efforts to diversify Alaska’s energy sources, including known renewable energy options.

Mining

• Encourage the expansion and increased production from existing deposits as well as new exploration and responsible development of Alaska’s mineral and coal resources.
• Advocate continuation and expansion of airborne geophysical mapping and the on-the-ground follow up work required to realize the full benefits of the program.
• Support the State's efforts to maintain control of reclamation bonding.

Fisheries

• Support policies that ensure healthy and sustainable commercial, sport, and subsistence fishery resources; access and markets for Alaska fishermen, sport charter businesses, and coastal communities; including a reasonable and stable regulatory environment.
• Support funding of fisheries and marine mammal research.
• Encourage programs that not only manage but in fact enhance the State’s fisheries resources.

Forestry

• Advocate for a reliable and economical long-term State and federal timber supply.
• Support adequate funding and enforcement of the Alaska Forest Practices Act.
• Encourage funding of forest management initiatives that address longterm forest health and reforestation.

Tourism

• Advocate for a positive business environment to promote continued growth of the cruise and tourism industries in Alaska.
• Advocate for equitable environmental laws for cruise ships.
• Advocate additional aircraft landing sites and reduced restrictions on over-flights.
• Support South Denali infrastructure development to provide for a variety of visitor experiences and help accommodate future visitor needs in the region.
• Advocate for the reinvestment of a portion of visitor industry-related revenues to market Alaska as a destination.