Legislature plans for gasline special session

Sen. Charlie Huggins speaks at a Senate Majority press availability, Jan. 20, 2015. (Photo by Skip Gray/360 North)
Sen. Charlie Huggins speaks at a Senate Majority press availability, Jan. 20, 2015. (Photo by Skip Gray/360 North)

Republican leaders expect that the Legislature will go ahead with a special session in October focused on natural gas policy.

Senate Rules Chair Charlie Huggins, a Wasilla Republican, says the Legislature needs to take up tax legislation in order to keep up with scheduled development of a North Slope gasline.

“We know that the governor has said that he wants to maintain or accelerate that timeline,” says Huggins. “We agree on that, and hence we have targeted October as a date for a special session to address any issues that might be involved.”

House leadership is committed to keeping with the timeline as well.

The project includes a liquefaction plant and a pipeline that would extend from the North Slope to Nikiski, to transport the gas reserves to market. Estimates put the cost between $45 and $65 billion.

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