AK: 12 Alaska lawmakers heading to D.C. for energy conference

JUNEAU -- A dozen Alaska lawmakers are heading to Washington, D.C., this week at state expense for their annual energy conference -- a smaller than normal contingent but still enough to shut down the Legislature for what's become known as "Energy Break."

Legislative leaders, who approve the travel, say the trip is a good investment of time and money for Alaska. And those who aren't going take advantage of the down time. Many are flying back to their home districts this election year to meet with constituents.

Eight of 20 senators -- including all four members of the Senate Republican minority -- and four of 40 House members are scheduled to head to the Energy Council annual spring meeting this year.

"It's a good opportunity to go back and talk to other states about the same type of issues that we're having and to get new ideas on how to address them," House Speaker Mike Chenault, R-Nikiski, told reporters.

This week, no legislative committees are meeting after Wednesday -- Day 51 of the 90-day session. The House has only a "technical" floor session Thursday, which requires the attendance of just two members in order to keep the session alive. No bills will be considered.

Senate President Gary Stevens, R-Kodiak, said senators already have passed numerous bills this session, including a package on education. But hundreds of bills still are pending.

The Dallas-based Energy Council puts on the annual D.C. conference focused on federal energy issues and it organizes other meetings throughout the year, including one in late September in Anchorage. The council doesn't have a website but describes itself as a legislative organization made up of Alaska and 10 other energy-producing states, five Canadian provinces and one country, Venezuela.

Alaska pays $32,000 in annual dues to the council. It usually sends one of the biggest contingents to the D.C. conference. State Sen. Bert Stedman, R-Sitka, is vice chairman.

The bills aren't in yet for this year's trip. Last year, it cost the state more than $71,000, an average of just more than $2,500 for each of the 28 legislators -- nearly half the Legislature -- who attended the Washington conference, according to the Legislative Affairs Agency.

The costs ranged from a low of $1,670 for Rep. Paul Seaton, R-Homer, to a high of $3,600 for state Sen. John Coghill, R-North Pole, the legislative agency reported.

That doesn't include meals. Legislators who travel away from Juneau during the session aren't reimbursed separately for meals because they already get a housing and food allowance. Last session, lawmakers received $232 a day in expense money; the amount recently went up to $238 a day, according to the Legislative Affairs Agency. It's less for legislators who live in Juneau.

The state also bore expenses for the fall Energy Council meeting in Anchorage. Twenty-five legislators attended, at a cost of almost $16,000. A number were from Anchorage and their only expense was the $245 conference fee. Another $77,000 went for hosting costs, including $29,000 for a North Slope tour, $36,000 for meals and receptions, and $2,000 for vests for the state hosts. The conference expenses were far under the $300,000 budget, according to figures provided by the Legislative Affairs Agency.

The March meeting starts Thursday evening with a hotel reception. The agenda Friday and Saturday includes presentations on federal oil and gas tax policy, oil and natural gas extraction from shale rock, the Endangered Species Act, pipeline regulation, Environmental Protection Agency drilling rules, and energy and national security.

Plus, Sen. Lesil McGuire, R-Anchorage, has scheduled numerous side meetings for the Alaskans.

They'll sit down with all three members of Alaska's congressional delegation, the Interior Department's director of Alaska affairs, the head of state and federal relations for Alaska, Alaska's federal pipeline coordinator, and every commissioner on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

"People have said D.C. knows when Alaskans are in town and they know what we want," said state Rep. Berta Gardner, D-Anchorage, who isn't making the trip this time. "Because we just fan out all over the place."

Some legislative trips are poorly conceived -- cynics might say they're a chance to goof off, said Sen. Johnny Ellis, D-Anchorage. Not this one, he said: It's a grueling schedule.

"When we hear about it called 'the Energy Break' or something like that -- we start at 7 o'clock in the morning," state Rep. Scott Kawasaki, D-Fairbanks, told reporters this week.

Many legislators mentioned the contacts they make on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. It has jurisdiction over hydroelectric licensing, liquefied natural gas terminals, interstate gas pipelines and other projects being pushed in Alaska.

Stevens, the Senate president, called the commissioners "very, very powerful folks that can determine the future of Alaska." He said he didn't hesitate to approve travel for senators.

While Kawasaki and Ellis are the only Alaska Democrats going this year, both said having two parties present strengthens Alaska's voice in Washington.

"When President Bush was around, it seems like it was just Republicans who went to Energy Council," Ellis said. "That seemed one-sided."

Last year, Kawasaki said he and others met with Obama aides in the White House on energy issues.

"To folks who have never been to Alaska, especially, it's sort of an eye opener. To hear that we are Democrats, to hear that we believe we can responsibly develop parts of the state on our own and with federal help, I think that motivates," Kawasaki said.

Chenault, the House speaker, said he also wants the Energy Council group to push for opening up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil development, just as House members did on a trip earlier in the session. Then, the matter was before the U.S. House, which approved an ANWR drilling measure. Maybe now the state senators can work on the U.S. Senate, where the oil development is a much tougher sell, Chenault said.

Ellis said he hopes to target key senators during this trip.

House members approved for the trip are: Kawasaki; Charisse Millett, R-Anchorage; Eric Feige, R-Chickaloon, and Carl Gatto, R-Palmer. Gatto may be unable to go, however, because he's undergoing treatment for prostate cancer.

Senators headed to D.C. include Ellis, Stedman, McGuire and Tom Wagoner, R-Kenai. Four Republicans who aren't part of the majority organization also are going: Coghill, Charlie Huggins of Wasilla, Fred Dyson of Eagle River and Cathy Giessel of Anchorage.

Reach Lisa Demer at ldemer@adn.com or 257-4390.

Source: http://feeds.stateline.org/~r/StatelineorgRss-Energy/~3/d6x9Zkd2BS0/12-alaska-lawmakers-dc-bound-for.html

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