Parnell addresses Alaska's economic future

By Chris Freiberg
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

FAIRBANKS — Gov. Sean Parnell outlined his economic vision for Interior Alaska on Saturday.

The governor came to the Hotel North Pole to address the North Pole Economic Development Corp. at a meeting attended by several Interior legislators.

Parnell acknowledged that existing oil fields in Alaska are on the decline and said he supports further exploration, which could create as many as 35,000 new jobs. Under fire from state representatives who wrote a letter to him Friday expressing concerns about a 2007 increase in the state’s oil tax, Parnell blamed the federal government’s environmental concerns for holding up oil exploration. Read more