From Sean Cockerham in Juneau –

House Speaker Mike Chenault just introduced a bill calling for a statewide advisory vote on using permanent fund earnings to build an in-state pipeline bringing North Slope natural gas to the Railbelt.

Such a pipeline is seen by legislators as a backup if the proposed big natural gas pipeline to the Lower 48 isn’t coming anytime soon.

The most commonly discussed route for an in-state gas pipeline is from the North Slope down the Parks Highway to Point Mackenzie area, and the project is estimated to cost at least $4 billion.

If Chenault’s HB 312 passed, voters in the August primary election would be asked:

“After paying annual dividends to residents and inflation-proofing the Alaska permanent fund, should permanent fund investment earnings be appropriated to help pay the costs of constructing an in-state natural gas pipeline?”

Chenault, a Nikiski Republican, said he thinks voters would agree to use fund earnings for the project. Senate Finance Committee Co-Chair Bert Stedman, R-Sitka, didn’t seem really excited about Chenault’s bill, saying new bills are introduced all the time and he hasn’t looked this one over yet.