ANCHORAGE, Alaska — The State of Alaska made a poor deal with the oil industry on Point Thomson natural gas in an agreement announced by Gov. Sean Parnell earlier last month,a former head of the state Division of Oil and Gas told lawmakers Friday afternoon.
Mark Myers delivered his testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee, saying that the state’s agreement with Point Thomson operators ceded too much control over development to industry interests.
“If I were commissioner, I would not have signed this deal,” Myers told lawmakers.
The revelation is the third major announcement to rock Juneau in three days, after Parnell announced Wednesday night that he was removing oil and gas taxes from his special-session agenda, causing senators to gavel out of the special session Thursday afternoon. Some Senate committees were continuing to meet for business at the Capitol Friday, as the House caucused to decide whether it should call the Senate back into session.
