State may spend $1.5 million for climate change PR campaign

Aaron Jansen illustration

Rep. John Harris doesn't want any 'willy-nilly' climate change laws hurting Alaska.

---

Alaska lawmakers want to spend $1.5 million to have a stronger voice on national climate change issues, and they're attracting a diverse cast of characters interested in landing a PR contract with the state.

One group expressing interest in the Legislature's proposed campaign is Bracewell & Giuliani - former New York City mayor and presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani is a partner. Another is Alaska House, a nonprofit founded by Alice Rogoff Rubenstein, who is also publisher of Alaska Dispatch.

A third potential contender is Pac/West Communications, an Oregon firm with an Anchorage office and experience in Alaska politics, including a contract several years ago with the Legislature to advocate for opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil exploration. Nossaman LLP, a Washington, D.C, law firm, has also shown interest.

In a state that depends on oil and has taken the position that polar bears shouldn't be listed as threatened, it's unclear how exactly the $1.5 million would be used to spin the state's position on climate change, or what that position would be. The funding was approved as a budget line-item by former Gov. Sarah Palin and the Legislative Council has the authority to spend the money.

Rep. John Harris, a Valdez Republican and chairman of the Legislative Council, says the state should invest in public relations now in the hopes of avoiding "willy-nilly" laws relating to climate change that may accomplish little yet have an adverse affect on the state's economy.

"We want to take the issue of global warming, the issue of climate change and how it's affecting Alaska, and tie it into how it's affecting every other state," Harris says. "So much of what we do -- fishing, running diesel engines, oil and gas development, North Slope production, tourism, agriculture -- they're going to be under the scrutiny of this ‘carbon footprint.' ... Let's take a serious look at how this is going to affect us."

Harris confirms that Giuliani's firm, Alaska House and Pac/West Communications have been in contact with his office, offering suggestions on how to structure the public relations plan. The insight will help the Legislative Council structure a request for proposals from those interested in representing the state's stance on climate change issues, he says.

While in Anchorage with a group of motivational speakers in early June, Giuliani met with John Bitney, an aide in Harris's office and one-time legislative liaison and trusted advisor to Palin. Giuliani also has Palin ties - he was a big supporter of the former vice-presidential candidate. A few days prior to his Alaska visit in June, Giuliani and Palin made news with a family trip to a Yankees game in New York; a later financial filing by Palin revealed the tickets were valued at more than $4,000.

Mike Olsen, counsel for Bracewell & Giuliani's Environmental Strategies Group, did not respond to requests for comment.

With Harris on the job driving a truck on the North Slope -- he is also a Teamster -- Bitney lunched with Giuliani in June. They had a "great talk" about Palin and national politics, and briefly discussed the Legislative Council's plans to develop a request for proposals. Giuliani said his firm was interested, Bitney says.

Giuliani also warned Bitney that if Palin, who in June had yet to announce her resignation, got out ahead of the Legislature on the climate-change issues, she could spark controversy and hurt the state's PR initiative.