Governor Will Not Allow Cabinet Members to Sign Confidentiality AgreementsRemoves 3 AGDC Board Members
January 08, 2015
This announcement came two days before a scheduled Alaska Gasline Development Corporation (AGDC) Board of Directors meeting Thursday in Anchorage. At today's meeting, members will be expected to sign confidentiality agreements prior to an executive session that is closed to the public. “I am committed to a transparent government in which Alaskans are part of the conversation about our resources,” Governor Walker said. “I cannot allow my Cabinet members to sign confidentiality agreements meant to keep information away from the public.” “My goal is to accelerate our efforts to bring Alaska’s gas to market, and to do so in a way that ensures Alaskans are involved and informed of the process,” Governor Walker said. Governor Walker has instructed Department of Labor Commissioner Heidi Drygas and Department of Commerce Acting Commissioner Fred Parady, who are currently on the board, to not sign the agreement. Tuesday, Governor Walker also removed three board members from the Alaska Gasline Development Corporation's Board - Drue Pearce, Richard Rabinow, and Al Bolea. “I would like to thank each of these individuals for their service to the State of Alaska, and wish them well in their future endeavors,” Governor Walker said. The Alaska Gasline Development Corporation (AGDC) Board of Directors is made up of seven members who serve at the pleasure of the governor. Those who will continue serving on the AGDC Board of Directors include Chairman John Burns and Dave Cruz. Governor Walker has already initiated the process to interview and appoint three qualified Alaskans to the AGDC’s Board. Walker intends to fill those vacant seats within 30 days. Senator Cathy Giessel (R-Anchorage), the continuing Chair of the Senate Resources Committee, issued a prepared statement Wednesday in response to to Gov. Walker's announcement. Giessel said, "It is within the Governor's purview to act as he has done, but for an administration that has vowed to get Alaska's natural gas to market, this deprives the state of necessary tools for success in a global scale LNG project. The AGDC Board was crafted to bring the very best expertise the state can muster to commercialize our North Slope gas. Removing these individuals under the pretense of transparency gives the effect of implying a defect in these exemplary members, and gives the impression that this Governor is crafting complex policy decisions through press releases.” Regarding the Governor's orders instructing the Commissioners of Labor and Workforce Development and Commerce, Community and Economic Development to not sign a confidentiality agreement for upcoming briefings, Giessel said, "Anyone involved in municipal government that deals with labor agreements has to in most instances sign a confidentiality pledge." Senator Giessel said, "It is foolhardy to think that a project in the billions of dollars, in competition with other sites around the world, does not benefit the people of Alaska by confidential briefings and negotiations to maintain a competitive edge. We even expect our Permanent Fund managers to operate under confidentiality in order to generate the maximum benefit for the people of Alaska. AGDC was created to function as an effective manager in representing our state's interest in accessing our gas and getting it to market." "The burden on the Governor is to show how his actions are not hampering the progress of this long sought goal," said Senator Giessel.
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