Alaska Plays Hardball With Oil Companies

"When the conditions of these leases are not met, especially after decades, it is time to open them up and allow other companies to come in here and compete for the right to tap the resources," the Republican Governor told Reuters this week in an interview. Of the five groups that applied to build the pipeline under Ms. Palin's Alaska Gas-line Incentive Act (AGIA) only one applicant, Canadian pipeline operator TransCanada Pipelines Ltd., was deemed to have met the minimum requirements of the law. The companies have said they are interested in developing the reserves, with ConocoPhillips studying a separate plan. Ms. Palin's tough talk has the backing of many ordinary Alaskans who are suspicious of the influence of the oil companies, as well as Democrats in the state legislature. ... http://www.nationalpost.com/scripts/story.html?id=322539

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