Alaskan Governor appoints new AGDC board members

The Alaskan Governor, Bill Walker, has announced two new appointments to the Alaska Gasline Development Corp. (AGDC) Board of Directors. The board has seven members, and oversees the agency’s efforts to construct a natural gas pipeline and liquefaction plant in Alaska, US.

Luke Hopkins, the former Mayor of the Fairbanks North Star Borough, will join the board, and replace the AGDC Chairman, John Burns.

Walker said: “I am pleased to welcome Luke Hopkins to the AGDC Board of Directors. As the mayor of the Fairbanks Borough, Luke was instrumental in creating a new municipal gas utility for the Borough, and directing major funds to develop lower cost natural gas supply for Fairbanks residents.

“I also want to thank John Burns for his service to the AGDC board and the state. John is a talented attorney and I hope to utilise his skills in a different capacity of this project going forward.”

In addition to this, Walker also appointed Marc Luiken – the Department of Transportation and Public Facilities Commissioner –to the board. He will replace Chris Hladick – the Department of Commerce Community and Economic Commissioner. Luiken oversees the planning, construction, design and maintenance of Alaska’s transportation, public buildings and facilities.

Walker said: “As the state transitions to play a larger role in the Alaska LNG project, it is absolutely critical that we have strong leadership in place to guide our endeavours. I also plan to work on direct communication between the Governor’s office and the legislature, and I will continue to look for opportunities to include them in discussions about the project.

I look forward to working with the AGDC Board and the legislature in the coming months and years as we work to bring Alaska’s natural gas to the world market.”

Hopkins and Luiken will join Dave Cruz of Palmer, Rick Halford of Dillingham, Joey Merrick of Anchorage, Hugh Short of Girdwood, and Heidi Drygas – the Department of Labour and Workforce Devleopment Commissioner – on the board.

Edited from various sources by David Rowlands

Read the article online at: https://www.lngindustry.com/liquefaction/23112015/alaskan-governor-appoints-new-agdc-board-members-1662/