newsminer.com

JUNEAU -- Lawmakers said Thursday they will use portions of the upcoming natural gas pipeline special session to hold presentations and discussions outside the capital.

But formal committee hearings and testimony from the administration, energy consultants and regulators still will be reserved for Juneau.

"It's going to have the same information brought to as many different communities as we can and ultimately brought back to Juneau," said House Speaker John Harris, R-Valdez.

"We want to get this information out and have the administration explain it to us and explain to the Alaska people," he said.

The special session starts June 3 and is expected to last the full 30 days with another special session to follow.

Harris and Senate President Lyda Green, R-Wasilla, said they expect to spend the first 10 days in Juneau then hit the road, perhaps for up to two weeks.

The travel schedule is still being worked out. Many lawmakers are expected to be in Anchorage to hear the administration's gas line presentation May 28-30.

When the special session starts, lawmakers expect to be reviewing a license proposal from Gov. Sarah Palin's gas line team, possibly for TransCanada Corp.

The Calgary-based pipeline company's proposal was the only one to meet Palin's bid requirements under the Alaska Gasline Inducement Act.

But ConocoPhillps and BP PLC say they have a $30 billion joint project they expect to be begin working on this summer, while investing $600 million over the next several years.

Some lawmakers also want to discuss the prospects of an in-state gas line so they can first address the energy needs of the state's residents.

But the Legislature will be voting only on Palin's recommendation. The gas line law passed last year, gives the Legislature 60 days to approve or reject her offering.

Harris and Green said it's important to give various communities a face-to-face look at the all the options.

The stakes are too high for them to reach a hasty decision, they said.

"It's very important for the public to have the opportunity to have the proposal explained to them," Green said. "Then they should be allowed the opportunity to question, make suggestions and bring forward any concerns they might have."

The travel schedule still is being worked out by Sen. Charlie Huggins, R-Wasilla, and House Majority Leader Ralph Samuels, R-Anchorage.

Areas being considered are: Anchorage, Fairbanks, the North Slope Borough, the Matanuska-Susitna Borough, the Kenai Peninsula, and a location in Southeast Alaska outside of Juneau.

The Legislature will also be asked to consider a $1.2 billion energy relief program introduced by Palin on Thursday.

Palin said she's not sure when in the special session she'll formally present the plan to lawmakers.

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On the Net:

http://www.gov.state.ak.us/agia/