One of the major issues facing the State of Alaska today is getting its natural gas to market in a timely manner. Governor Palin introduced legislation known as "AGIA"-Alaska Gasline Inducement Act- to set the framework for moving ahead on this project. The legislature was holding hearings on this bill at the time Tom Irwin spoke to the Commonwealth North members, and the concepts presented in the bill were meeting with mixed reviews from the legislature and industry. The AGIA legislation passed and was signed into law later in 2007.

Tom Irwin is the Commissioner of DNR in the Palin administration, and has been a part of the team that developed the administration's approach to getting a gasline built. Commissioner Irwin, along with Kurt Gibson, Petroleum Investments Manager for the Department of Revenue, explained to our membership the State's position and was available to answer questions. This was an opportunity to learn more about this important topic as the State entered its next phase of securing a pipeline project for Alaska's natural gas.