A local TV station is reporting that federal regulators have (reluctantly, it seems) concluded that they have no authority to regulate the construction of an in-state natural gas pipeline, nor the sale of Alaskan natural gas which flows through it to Alaskan customers.
It's about freakin' time.
The dread (and greatly over-expanded) commerce clause doesn't come into play, because there's no state line to cross ... on account of, you know, there's a whole 'nother country* betwixt us and the next closest state.
It also now appears that the new pipeline will follow the Alaska Railroad right-of-way, so we don't need to plot a new route & obtain easements. Common sense has made a sudden and unexpected reappearance. So maybe we'll actually be able to get the energy source to the part of the state that will desperately need it in the next few years.
* That would be Canada, for the geographically-challenged.
Psalm 22:27-28: “All the ends of the world shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee. For the kingdom is the Lord's, and he ruleth among the nations.”
3 comments:
.......Sound of applause!!!!!
"Common sense has made a sudden and unexpected reappearance."
When something is as rare as Common Sense, it's appearance is always a surprise. Still, it's always a welcoming sight.
Right On! It is a small victory when federal regulators actually understand their bounds... perhaps a little more of that, what did you call it, common sense(???) could go a long way with other federal officials!
BUT, I am sure that those are federal regulators who are NOT DC residents, rather, good old fashioned Alaskan natives who hold a federal job... I am only assuming, since DC and Common Sense just don't seem to go hand in hand!
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