Asking a lot of a gas line

Alaska wants a pipeline, but we need to think about our wants

Alaskans agree on several things about the proposed North Slope natural gas pipeline. We want jobs, lots of them.

We want to burn the gas in our homes and offices and electrical-generating power plants, which will mean expensive valves and facilities and pipelines along the route so we can take off the gas at our convenience. But who will front the money for construction and guarantee the operating costs?
We want the tax and royalty revenues that will pay for our schools and roads and public services for years to come, so that we can continue to avoid taxing ourselves for all that we want.

We want new oil and gas explorers to come to the state, bringing with them more jobs and spending. And we want to guarantee that as they drill wells in the years ahead, they’ll be able to ship their gas down the pipeline — even if it’s full and needs costly investments to expand the line.

Anchorage Daily News