by Ted Land
Thursday, February 25, 2010
JUNEAU, Alaska -- Seventeen lawmakers here have signed onto a bill which directs the Alaska Railroad to develop an in-state gas line.
They say the railroad would be able to pay for the multi-billion dollar line using bonds. They also say it has right-of-way privileges and the ability to construct such a large project.
"The railroad became the natural because they are the large infrastructure developers in the state. They're the ones that are building things, frankly, in Alaska," Sen. Lesil McGuire, R-Anchorage, said.
House Speaker Mike Chenault has a similar bill. His bill sets a deadline of next summer for construction to begin. He wants gas moving down a pipeline by 2015.
