2014 Policy Positions (pdf)

Top Legislative Prioritites

• Advocate for tax policy and incentives that enhance the State of Alaska’s competitiveness for all industries.
• Encourage the State to promote and defend the integrity of Alaska’s permitting process and advocate for predictable, timely, and efficient state and federal permitting processes based on sound science and economic feasibility.
• Support legislation to encourage new exploration and development of Alaska's oil and gas deposits, as well as enhanced production from existing fields.
• Support efforts to bring more accountability to the appeals and litigation processes for community and resource development projects.

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 limit unrestricted general fund spending to a sustainable level ($5.5 billion annually, per ISER January 2013 update).
• 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.

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 policies to establish a competitive tax structure and legislative and administration efforts to increase 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 fisheries 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.