newsminer.com

The split between former Gov. Wally Hickel and Sen. Ted Stevens, which has widened into a chasm, apparently stems from a disagreement over gas pipeline plans.

In an article published by the Bloomberg news service Tuesday, Hickel, 88, was quoted as saying it’s time for Stevens, 84, to get out of the Senate.

Hickel appointed Stevens to the U.S. Senate in 1968 after the death of Sen. E.L. “Bob” Bartlett. In the decades that followed Stevens became the most influential political figure in Alaska history.

"He has served Alaska for 40 years, but his time is over,'' said Hickel in the Bloomberg report.

"We were a young state, and I learned we needed seniority, and Ted was a survivor,'' said Hickel, 88.

"He’s just doing what those big economic interests want done,'' Hickel said. "I don't care if I appointed him. That was a long time ago.''

Malcolm Roberts, a longtime aide to Hickel, said the Bloomberg report accurately reflects Hickel’s view.

Before the Chamber of Commerce debate in Fairbanks Tuesday, I asked Stevens if he had seen the Bloomberg report. He said he had not, but he said that a difference with Hickel over the gas pipeline is probably the underlying issue.

Stevens said that Hickel has written him more than once about the gas pipeline, pushing an all-Alaska line to Valdez.

Stevens said he wishes it were otherwise, but that project is not economic because of the costs of building tankers, gas terminals and other facilities and finding a market.

Stevens said he is certain the Congress would prohibit export of natural gas, so the markets in Asia that might pay top dollar for gas shipped to Valdez would be off-limits.

That means Lower 48 markets would have to be the destination and the market there is not strong enough to justify the project.

Hickel and other supporters of the Valdez route act as if Lower 48 opposition to export of Alaska gas could be easily overcome.

They say that the feds don't stop Kansas from exporting wheat or Washington from exporting apples, so they can't stop Alaska from exporting natural gas.

But they fail to recognize that shipping large amounts of gas to Asia, on a much grander scale than the small amounts now exported from Cook Inlet, would gain almost no support outside Alaska.

In fact, there would be overwhelming opposition from the rest of the U.S.

Stevens is right on the export issue.