Sen. Cathy Giessel of Anchorage, once considered a pro-energy, pro-mining, small-government Republican, had some words for President Donald Trump’s after his executive order opening back up Alaska’s economic building blocks of energy, mining, and timber.
In response to a question from a reporter about the Trump announcement, Giessel didn’t have one good word to say:
“I think it’s important for us to think about the fact that we’re not a colony to be pillaged,” she said during a Senate Majority press availability on Tuesday.
“And by throwing open all of the regulations related to resource development, we could be jeopardizing our lands and waters,” she said. Giessel then advocated for state control, apparently forgetting that the federal government owns 61% of Alaska and still exerts regulatory control over the rest of it.
Her words were shocking in light of the fact she is the chair of Senate Natural Resources Committee, where energy legislation must pass.
Having grown up in Fairbanks, where mining is still part of the economy, Giessel was once strongly pro-mining. But her new alliance with the Democrats has changed her and neither she, nor any of the others in the Democrat-controlled majority press conference, would speak toward the promising future Alaska may have as Trump has put the emphasis on the Alaska LNG project, to energize the Railbelt and markets beyond.
