Alaska’s abundant natural gas reserves have the potential to generate untold opportunities for citizens of the Last Frontier as well as help the Lower 48 end its dependence on imported oil. These factors and numerous others have led the tenth governor of Alaska, Sean Parnell, to emphasize this cleaner burning domestic fuel as a key priority for his state.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Parnell has put his weight behind a proposed pipeline project that would connect the enormous gas reserves found in the North Slope to markets in the contiguous U.S. The pipeline faces substantial hurdles, including its price tag: a whopping $30 billion. But Gov. Parnell recognizes the long-term potential of the pipeline from both an economic development standpoint as well as its strategic importance.
The governor is also looking to increase ways to deliver greater quantities of natural gas to Alaskans, who, despite the state’s abundant resources, have limited access. The state’s enormous size and surprisingly small population are key detriments to greater availability.
Could these be some of the many reasons the governor’s approval rating has rocketed to a stellar 80 percent?