Alaska Politics Blog : Harry Noah out as the state's in-state gasline chief? (Updated with Parnell confirming the resignation)

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Harry Noah out as the state's in-state gasline chief? (Updated with Parnell confirming the resignation)

Posted by Alaska_Politics

Posted: November 18, 2009 - 3:59 pm

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From Sean Cockerham in Anchorage –

Gov. Sean Parnell just sent out a press release confirming that Noah resigned.

The release offers no details on the reason. It says Noah will stay on until a replacement is named and then "pursue a private-sector venture in Oregon."

The release said Parnell "remains committed to pursuing an in-state gas line."

(Update -- Here's the resignation email that Noah sent Parnell's chief of staff, Mike Nizich, this afternoon. In it, Noah says he needs to leave the state for a family farming business.

“It has been an interesting experience working on this project, however the family farming and food processing business we own in Oregon has grown and I just do not have time for both efforts,” said the e-mail released by the governor’s office.)

Here's the original post:

Fairbanks Rep. Jay Ramras says the governor’s in-state natural gas pipeline czar, Harry Noah, has resigned under pressure from a state agency that doesn't support the project. But the governor’s office says Noah is still on the job.

“Harry called me and said he resigned. Then (Gov. Sean Parnell’s legislative director) Jerry Gallagher called me and confirmed it as well,” Ramras told me in an email.

Parnell spokeswoman Sharon Leighow, however, said the governor’s office has not received a resignation letter and so considers him still in the job.

Leighow also said the governor has not asked for Noah to resign. Noah himself hasn’t returned my calls or an email about it.

(UPDATE -- Anchorage Rep. Mike Hawker said he confirmed this afternoon with a "senior member" of Parnell's administration that Noah was out.

Hawker said he believes it was under duress from the department of natural resources, officials of which were quoted in a "knife in the back" editorial in the Daily News making "discrediting comments" about the in-state pipeline project.

Hawker said Parnell's previous statement of policy was that all pipeline options were on the table and Noah's work would be allowed to finish. "It seems to me that the department of natural resources is now telling the governor what to do and the governor is not telling the department of natural resources what the policy is.")

Ramras today sent a letter (read it here) to the co-chairs of the Legislature's resources committees, suggesting that Noah was pushed to resign by a state department of natural resources that doesn't support the in-state gas pipeline project. Department commissioner Tom Irwin didn't respond.

Ramras wrote that state officials are "potentially compromising the future of our state with their bullying tactics and zealous behavior."

Ramras is asking the legislative committees to hold hearings on the project.