Rep. Bill Elam

Tomorrow morning, the Alaska Gasline Caucus will hear from local leaders, employers, and energy experts about what the Alaska Gasline Project could mean for our communities and our state.

If you have an interest in Alaska's energy future, I encourage you to tune in or stop by the meeting.

Thursday, August 6
9:00 AM

You can attend the meeting in-person at the Anchorage Legislative Information Office (1500 W. Benson Blvd.) or watch the meeting on Gavel Alaska. https://www.ktoo.org/gavel/

Over the past two years, I have consistently supported Alaska’s LNG project because I believe it represents one of the greatest opportunities our state has seen in decades.

This project has the potential to provide affordable natural gas for Alaskans, create thousands of good-paying jobs, strengthen our economy, and position Alaska as a global energy leader for generations to come.

That’s why Thursday’s vote was one of the hardest I’ve cast.

My vote was not against the pipeline.

It was against a conference committee report that expanded far beyond the pipeline itself.

The final version of HB 381 included major new tax policy, changes to municipal taxation, private business disclosure requirements, education funding provisions, and other policy issues that deserved their own hearings, their own debate, and their own vote. These are significant policy questions that should be considered openly—not attached to one of the largest infrastructure projects in our state’s history.

Alaska needs a clean pipeline bill, not an omnibus tax and policy package.

I’ve said from the beginning that Alaska needs a stable, predictable business environment if we’re going to attract tens of billions of dollars in private investment.

If we’re serious about building this pipeline, we should keep the legislation focused on building the pipeline.

We were standing on the right tracks. Unfortunately, the conference committee asked us to board the wrong train.

I remain optimistic about Alaska’s future and fully support getting this legislation across the finish line so developers can move this project forward. I hope the Legislature returns with a clean bill focused on affordable energy, jobs, and long-term opportunity for Alaskans.

This project is too important to fail because we tried to solve too many unrelated problems in a single bill. Let’s pass a pipeline bill—and build Alaska’s future.

Happy Fourth of July! Today we celebrate the freedom we’ve been blessed with and the people who have fought to protect it. Have a safe and wonderful Independence Day, and happy 250th, America!

This morning's update on the Grandview Fire in Sterling.

Firefighters Make Progress on Grandview Fire in Sterling DFFP helicopters conducting water drops on the Grandview Fire on Wednesday. Photo credit: Matt Snyder/DFFP Firefighters continue to make steady progress on the Grandview Fire ( #204), which now sits…

We're closely monitoring the wildfire response underway near Sterling.

Please join me in keeping the firefighters, emergency responders, nearby residents, and everyone affected in your thoughts and prayers. We are grateful for the men and women who have responded quickly and are working hard to protect our communities.

If you are in the area, stay aware of changing conditions and watch for updates from emergency officials. As more information becomes available, I encourage everyone to follow official sources and heed any evacuation notices or safety recommendations.

We'll continue to keep an eye on the situation and share updates as they become available.

Today, the House passed HB 381.

For those of us on the Kenai Peninsula, we've seen firsthand what affordable and abundant energy can mean for our communities. We've also seen what happens when those opportunities disappear. We've seen industries close, good-paying jobs disappear, and families leave our communities looking for opportunities elsewhere.

This bill isn't a guarantee that the project moves forward. There are still steps ahead, including action in the Senate. But I believe it's worth making the effort to see if we can move this project forward in a way that benefits Alaska.

If we're successful, this project has the potential to provide affordable energy for Alaskans, strengthen our economy, create jobs, and support communities across the state. It could help preserve the industries we rely on and create opportunities for future generations.

I want to thank the members of the Resources Committee, the Finance Committee, and everyone involved for the amount of work that went into this bill. Regardless of where people landed on every piece of it, I appreciate the seriousness this body brought to the conversation and the effort that was put into trying to get this right.

Tomorrow I’ll be returning to Juneau focused on moving the Alaska LNG project forward during the special session. As a member of the House Resources Committee, this has been a high priority throughout the legislative session because I believe it represents one of the greatest opportunities Alaska has before us.

The Alaska LNG project has the potential to provide affordable energy for Alaskans, create thousands of good-paying jobs, and strengthen our state’s economy for generations to come.

Strong public support matters. If you’re interested in learning more about the project or showing your support for Alaska’s energy future, I encourage you to attend the Build the Line Rally on June 16. It’s a great opportunity for our community to come together and send a clear message that Kenai supports building the line.

The House Finance Committee will be taking public testimony on HB 381 (Oil & Gas Property Tax; Municipal Tax) tomorrow, Saturday, May 30, from 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM.

HB 381 addresses major tax policies that will affect the Alaska LNG Pipeline project.

Whether you support or oppose the bill, public input matters. I encourage you to participate and share your perspectives with the Committee.