FAIRBANKS — Former state Rep. Ethan Berkowitz, advancing his call for an “all-Alaska” natural gas pipeline, has hooked up with a former primary opponent of Gov. Sean Parnell.

Berkowitz and former Valdez Mayor Bill Walker said Friday they’d team on administrative energy issues, including the pipeline project long pushed by Walker, if Berkowitz takes the gubernatorial contest next month.

Berkowitz, a Democrat, is challenging the Republican Parnell, who until weeks ago faced the prospect of a write-in or third-party campaign from primary runner-up Walker.

Walker told Berkowitz by letter Friday he’d “be honored” to meet the Berkowitz request that Walker play “an integral part of (his) administration” as a top energy and pipeline adviser.

Berkowitz and Parnell have split sharply on natural gas development policies. Parnell, an incumbent seeking his first full term, has praised the state’s existing, three-year-old incentive plan for having spurred hundreds of millions of dollars in pre-development investment from potential pipeline builders.

Berkowitz counters that the state plan is dead and should be scrapped, although questions remain as to how the state would manage its contractual obligations without stated support for its means.

Berkowitz told the Daily News-Miner by phone Friday he would “unapologetically” reach out to supporters of Walker, the long-time manager for the Valdez- and Fairbanks-based Alaska Gasline Port Authority. The port authority advocates building or causing to be built a liquified natural gas pipeline from the North Slope to Valdez for intrastate distribution and for export.

“It’s something voters overwhelmingly support,” Berkowitz said, referring to a 1999 public vote to create the authority. The pipeline option would maximize Alaska’s control over a project, he said. “This is entirely on our shoulders.”

The state’s current “gasline inducement” plan will repay potential builders TransCanada and Exxon Mobil up to $500 million for pre-development work, much of which took place this season. That project focuses in large part on the prospect of a huge line from the Arctic coastline through Canada and toward the midwest United States. Berkowitz said that option would be fine as a “spur” but said any pipeline policy should place the greatest emphasis on meeting intrastate demand.

On Wednesday, Parnell called Berkowitz’ suggestion the state plan has failed “patently false.” He has also said he’d support a so-called “y-line” pipeline project — with two branches, one to Southcentral and the other southeast toward larger markets — similar to that envisioned by the port authority.

Progress made under the state plan, Parnell said, has carried the state into “historic territory” as it seeks to spark construction of a pipeline, a project skeptics say is challenged by a high potential price tag and low natural gas prices.

Berkowitz said the teamwork pledge between the Republican Walker and his campaign follows a shared, nonpartisan “vision.”

“This isn’t politics as usual, this is about getting something done,” he said.


Read more: Fairbanks Daily News-Miner - Ethan Berkowitz Bill Walker join forces on Alaska gas pipeline issues