Drue Pearce, federal coordinator for the Alaska natural gas transportation project, said she will resign effective Jan. 3 at the president’s request.

“Today I announce my intention to step down as the federal coordinator for Alaska Natural Gas Transportation Projects effective Jan. 3, 2010. The president requested my resignation,” Pearce said.

“It has been an honor to [start] up a new federal agency and to serve as the first federal coordinator. I am a passionate supporter of the agency’s mission to bring Alaska natural gas to North American markets. I leave an effective and efficient agency with a highly skilled team of professionals actively pursuing our mission. It has been a profound privilege to lead this innovative team.”

Pearce will be replaced on a temporary basis by Vice Admiral Thomas Barrett, U.S. Coast Guard (retired), the deputy federal coordinator. A permanent replacement is yet to be named.

Pearce, who was senior advisor to the secretary for Alaska Affairs at the U.S. Department of Interior, was appointed federal coordinator in June 2006 by former President Bush. Before she joined the Interior Department Pearce was a member of the Alaska Senate, where she served as Senate president twice. She also served two terms in the Alaska House of Representatives.

Alaska has sought for decades a gas pipeline that would allow the commercialization of its vast gas reserves on the North Slope. The latest state-sanctioned effort, under the Alaska Gasline Inducement Act (AGIA), a product of the administration of former Gov. Sarah Palin, yielded a concession for TransCanada Corp. However, the selection process was criticized by many in and outside Alaska (see Daily GPI, Oct. 27). In June ExxonMobil said it would work with TransCanada on development of its project (see Daily GPI, June 12).

A rival pipeline proposal, called Denali and backed by ConocoPhillips and BP, is still in the running as well (see Daily GPI, Nov. 5). In an update sent to Alaska lawmakers last week, Denali President Bud Fackrell said the pipeline was working toward holding an open season some time next year.

“Denali has continued to work closely with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and the Office of the Federal Coordinator (OFC) as well as other U.S. federal and Alaska state agencies to ensure a common understanding of the framework for the required regulatory approvals,” the Denali update said. “In addition, Denali has entered into reimbursable services agreements with the U.S Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Alaska Department of Natural Resources (DNR) that will allow both agencies to work closely with Denali as it progresses its right-of-way efforts in Alaska.”

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