Alaska Dispatch

In particular, Ramras calls on Parnell for answers on Harry Noah's resignation last week; on the administration's commitment to in-state natural gas development; and on whether plans to most quickly link Alaskans with natural gas are being stalled by a couple of state workers.

Ramras acknowledges that Alaskans would like to see construction start on a large-diameter pipeline through Canada, such as the line sanctioned by the state under the Alaska Gasline Inducement Act, but wonders "what unique event will have to happen" so that people can count on the pipeline. He also asks where that leaves the back-up plan: the bullet line.

"Securing this critical back-up plan is a matter of prudence, fiduciary responsibility and energy security to Alaskan families and we seem to have taken a backwards step in this process," Ramras writes.

He's seeking the "rest of the story" behind Noah's departure last week. Based on conversations with Noah and others, Ramras speculates that the in-state gas czar resigned against the weight of several state employees' resistance to the bullet line plans.

The eight-page letter gets into the nitty-gritty details Ramras says led Noah to quit, and questions some of the administration's actions that Ramras sees as contrary to the publicly stated commitment to developing an in-state gas backup plan.

The letter says:

"Ultimately, the issue is not personalities-we are all quite aware of the backbiting that goes on between rival agencies within state government. Rather, I would ask you to look into these issues and then tell Alaskans what is the policy and what is the timeline as they relate to support for the Stand-Alone Gas Pipeline Project. There seems to be an underlying theme among some of the people in DNR and elsewhere that the small diameter gas pipeline is the enemy of the large diameter gas pipeline. As such, this is not a matter of personalities, but state energy policy."

Ramras is running for lieutenant governor in 2010. He's been an outspoken, persistent advocate of in-state natural gas development for several years.

Contact Rena Delbridge at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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