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| Obama asks Drue Pearce to leave gas pipeline post |
| 2009-11-18 |
| WASHINGTON -- The Republican who heads up the federal agency overseeing the proposed construction of Alaska's natural gas pipeline is stepping down at the request of President Barack Obama. Drue Pearce, a former president of the Alaska Senate, was asked to leave her job as the head of the small agency known as the Office of the Federal Coordinator. Her resignation takes effect Jan. 3. In a statement, Pearce said that it had been "a profound privilege to lead this innovative team." "I am a passionate supporter of the agency's mission to bring Alaska natural gas to North American markets," Pearce said. "I leave an effective and efficient agency with a highly skilled team of professionals actively pursuing our mission." Pearce served from 2001 to 2006 as the senior adviser to the Secretary of the Interior for Alaska Affairs until she was appointed to another political job by President George W. Bush, as the federal coordinator for the gas pipeline. She was confirmed as federal coordinator by the Senate in 2006. Since Obama's inauguration, there has been a quiet but ongoing dispute over whether Pearce, a political appointee, could continue in the job as federal coordinator under the Obama administration. When the legislation creating the office was signed into law in 2004, it included language that allowed the presidential appointee in the job to "serve a term to last until one year following the completion of the project." Ultimately, though, politics prevailed and Pearce was urged to step down. "President Obama values the Office of the Federal Coordinator and the important role that it plays in promoting our nation's energy security," said White House spokesman Adam Abrams. "He thanks Drue Pearce for her service and looks forward to naming a new federal coordinator in the weeks to come." Pearce was the first person to hold the job, which is designed to keep federal agencies working together to get the pipeline built without undue delay. Some 22 federal agencies in the United States -- plus others in Canada -- must sign off on an environmental impact statement before the project can move forward. Right now, two proposals are competing for a multibillion-dollar natural gas pipeline to the Lower 48. Under the Alaska Gasline Inducement Act, a state law, the state is tied to the effort led by the pipeline firm TransCanada Corp. and backed by Exxon Mobil. Conoco Phillips and BP are pursuing a rival project called Denali. "Her being forced out is a tremendous loss to Alaska," said Republican Gov. Sean Parnell, who served in the state Senate with Pearce. "Drue brought such a wide range of Alaska experience as well as federal experience that I am concerned we're going to be at a loss there for the federal help that Alaska needs in moving a gas line forward. This position should have transcended politics, and I don't see that playing out right now." As the only Democrat in the Alaska congressional delegation, it'll be up to Sen. Mark Begich to recommend a replacement to the White House. Begich on Monday thanked Pearce for her service but said that Obama should be commended for "bringing new energy to this office and for his commitment to building an Alaska natural gas pipeline." "As a candidate and now as president, President Obama has always believed the Alaska natural gas pipeline is vital to meeting America's energy needs while ensuring our national energy security," Begich said. "The federal pipeline coordinator is designed to be an essential tool to kick-starting the project and moving its approval quickly through the federal regulatory process." Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who is the top Republican on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, said it would be "difficult to match" Pearce's advocacy for the pipeline. "I regret the loss of Drue's experience and knowledge on this project, but I understand that it's the president's prerogative to appoint the person of his choosing," Murkowski said. "The Alaska natural gas pipeline project is important to the economic and energy security of the nation. I've discussed this issue with the White House and I'm encouraged by the president's level of interest in seeing this project succeed." Murkowksi said she was pleased Pearce's deputy, retired U.S. Coast Guard Vice Adm. Thomas Barrett, will serve as the interim coordinator until the White House appoints someone new. Yet another politically calculated and very dumb move by Barry. Pearce grew up in the oil patch and probably knows more about the business than any ten people Obama could come up with. |
| Posted by:Besoeker |
| #9 Doesn't matter if the gas pipeline makes it to the lower 48. As long as it makes it out of Alaska and into the Alberta tar sands, then it will be put to good use. So the Marxist obstruction will come to naught. |
| Posted by: ed 2009-11-18 14:48 |
| #8 Um, maybe he wants to re-route the pipeline through Russia. |
| Posted by: AlanC 2009-11-18 14:33 |
| #7 Glenmore - that's part of my point. Regardless of the POTUS policy intentions, this is a stupid move. If he wants to deep six this project, why not use bi-partisan cover to do so. If he wants to go forth asap, same rationale and more since Ms. Pearce seems uniquely capable. Even if he wants complete Soros sponsored corruption, same rationale and cover. This seems boneheaded all around. I guess it just goes on the list of incompetent nonsense and meaninglessness with everything else, but I'd add it to the unnecessarily useless column. |
| Posted by: Halliburton - Mysterious Conspiracy Division 2009-11-18 14:06 |
| #6 Steve White is half right. The other half is that whomever he gets as a replacement will more readily lead programs that help cripple America. |
| Posted by: Mike N. 2009-11-18 13:42 |
| #5 I am a little suspicious; while each administration likes to reward its own supporters, I wonder if this move is designed to slow the project down or even cancel it outright. Once you build a pipeline you have to keep it full. While present drilling in Alaska keeps the pipeline full for the near and medium term, long term you have keep drilling. Guess what: that means ANWR, and every Dhimmicrat in this country is against doing that. No pipeline means no added pressure to drill ANWR. Caribou are more important. |
| Posted by: Steve White 2009-11-18 12:57 |
| #4 No doubt whomever is appointed will be financially tied to George Soros through one of his many front organizations. Just like the OPIC investment in Petrobras, the new appointee's position and power will be compromised to benefit Soros. |
| Posted by: mjhlaw 2009-11-18 12:36 |
| #3 Y'all seem to be under the mistaken impression that this capital megaproject is primarily about getting Alaskan gas to market; from the standpoint of the current political administration it is about opportunities to direct funds to patrons. |
| Posted by: Glenmore 2009-11-18 12:34 |
| #2 You know....by the time ODUMBO get's through, he'll have this country SO screwed up I'll be dead before anyone can fix it. |
| Posted by: armyguy 2009-11-18 12:08 |
| #1 I'm baffled - why isn't this just a boneheaded political move? Leave her there, and do whatever you want through the "22 federal agencies" and others in Canada, and you have plausible deniability for anything you do. By replacing her you just gave the opposition a huge spotlight on building this (two spotlights whenever Gov. Palin mentions it). I cannot see any circumstances under which this administration gets more political credit for whatever happens. Bringing stupidity everywhere great and small. |
| Posted by: Halliburton - Mysterious Conspiracy Division 2009-11-18 12:06 |