Chamber support
Published Thursday, July 10, 2008
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Stumble It!July 9, 2008
To the editor:
After reading the chamber board letter, perception overrules stated intentions.
Clearly, the letter favored Denali: “a high opportunity for success, particularly compared to a TransCanada Alaska project without strategic partners.”
I found three positive statements for Denali, and five major negatives for the TransCanada Alaska project. TransCanada Alaska is correct nomenclature, but by not referring to it as the AGIA proposal, that will be offensive to many AGIA supporters.
Collaboration is mentioned in closing, but certainly is not the focus of this letter.
However, the letter was very insightful and right on.
What should concern all of us more than a perceived Denali preference is only 12 board members voted the first time and only 17 the second time whether to send the letter.
This represents only 50 percent of all chamber board members.
Collaboration is essential. Denali needs a pipeline and TransCanada needs gas.
It only gets complicated because the state, rightfully so, wants ownership, even if it costs half a billion dollars.
If this letter had begun with “after reviewing the benefits and liabilities/risks of both projects we conclude that only a collaborative effort will achieve Alaska’s gas line goals,” then I think this letter would have been welcome by all.
But they did not, and compounded by the Fairbanks BP representative board president, the situation negativity escalated.
ConocoPhillips is not represented on the board, but certainly BP is and should be.
Both representatives are longtime residents of Fairbanks, representing international corporations that are huge assets to Fairbanks and the state. Remarks about board domination by big business and the “old boys network” are unjustified.
The chamber today is doing a terrific job representing the broader interests of its growing membership of small businesses and the community as a whole.
And if large businesses aren’t part of the board mix, then Fairbanks probably is in deep economic trouble.
On July 2, Sen. Ted Stevens talked about the energy crisis in the Interior.
This community needs gas/energy relief today and long term.
If the chamber truly backs collaboration, I want to see broader board participation and much more ongoing support.
Community Discussion
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The Chamber is not a public entity, it is a group of private business owners who represent themselves and pay membership fees. Let's not elevate them to be an organization that represents the voters and public. They are no different than labor unions, rotary clubs, or any other special interest group or lobbying group. The public interest does not come first, their membership's special interest does.
Big Mike maybe you can get those other businesses who don't support the Chamber's position to sign a letter to the Governor stating your position. I think it is about time people realize the Chamber is not representative of the business community, but the good old boys of Fairbanks society, just look at their membership roles. Good Luck.
well spoken, FreeDarfur.
The State will prevail against big oil. The letter really won't matter in the end.
I find it ironic that Chamber wrote a letter about the gas line but hasn't taken any kind of position on short term energy concerns and the impending and current crisis it has had on the local economy.
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