President Bush on Friday announced his intent to nominate an Interior Department advisor to be the federal overseer of the Alaska natural gas pipeline until its completion.

If confirmed by the Senate, Drue Pearce, senior advisor to the secretary for Alaska Affairs at Interior, would become the federal coordinator for a $20 billion pipeline that would deliver 4.5 Bcf/d of gas from Alaska’s North Slope to Lower 48 states. Her term would end one year after the completion of the construction of the long-sought Alaska gas line.

Prior to joining Interior, 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.

Pearce received her B.A. in biological sciences from Indiana University and a master’s in Public Administration from Harvard University. She and her family currently live in Anchorage.

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