Alaska Gov, Lawmakers' Fights Mark Session End

Legislation requiring the Alaska Permanent Fund Corp. to divest itself of Sudan investments because of the violence in Darfur failed to move out of the House Finance Committee.

Despite last minute concerns, lawmakers did fund most of the governor's $9 million request for advance work on an in-state natural gas pipeline. Some lawmakers said the intent language in a spending bill Friday was geared toward a private company's efforts to build a line.

They eventually agreed to fund the gas line at $7 million and broadened the language.

Palin also reached an agreement with a pair of Republican lawmakers who in March had called for her to review the state license awarded to TransCanada Corp. for a $30 billion North Slope natural gas pipeline. Reps. Jay Ramras, R-Fairbanks, and Craig Johnson, R-Anchorage had said the global recession and availability of potentially cheap gas Outside had changed the project's dynamics. They also said a $500,000 state investment under the Alaska Gasline Inducement Act may no longer sound.

Ramras announced Sunday they had reached an agreement with the governor to receive progress reports on the project on April 30 and again Oct. 31 rather than only in January. Ramras said the reports will contain information on project milestones and TransCanada's hiring of Alaskans and use of state businesses.