Alaska Governor Bill Walker has vetoed HB 132, which limits the Alaska Gasline Development Corp. (AGDC) from actively working on any gas line project other than the Alaska LNG line.
Governor Walker said: “This veto in no way means the end of discussions with legislative leadership […] We continue to have multiple meetings to ensure Alaska LNG is successful and remains the priority while maintaining access to a backup option.”
The State of Alaska is a partner in Alaska LNG, along with TransCanada, ExxonMobil, ConocoPhillips and BP.
Governor Walker added: “We cannot have legislation that ties Alaska’s hands while we are trying to negotiate the best possible gas line deal for Alaskans […] This bill prevents the state from having an adequate backup plan should the Alaska LNG efforts not proceed.”
Governor Walker has frequently stated that Alaska LNG remains his administration’s priority and having a backup option with the Alaska Stand Along Pipeline (ASAP) line will not interfere with the Alaska LNG project.
Edited from press release by Callum O'Reilly