Reporting From Alaska- Don’t be fooled by ‘Build the Line!’ propaganda

The “Build the Line!” pressure campaign against the Legislature by Glenfarne and the Republican Party is oversimplified gasbaggery.

The company and the GOP are trying to con Alaskans into strong-arming legislators under the cover of the “Build the Line!” slogan, insinuating that there is nothing for the Legislature to do but cut taxes and get out of the way.

It’s an attempt to get lawmakers to sign off on Dunleavy’s proposed tax break with no delay and no questions asked. Anyone who asks too many questions risks being denounced as an enemy of the people, an opponent of the gas pipeline and a scoundrel.

“Alaska LNG. Built for Alaskans. Benefits for Alaskans. Call your legislators now and tell them to build the line,’” says Glenfarne Alaska LNG, LLC, a company owned by Glenfarne Services LLC, a New York company that does not show up on the state’s corporate database.

“Alaskans can’t afford to pay more for energy. Alaska can’t afford to wait when a real solution exists now,” says Glenfarne.

“75% of Alaskans support Alaska LNG and more than 400 signed a full-page ad in the Sunday Anchorage Daily News and Fairbanks Daily News-Miner telling policymakers they want reliable, affordable energy,” says Glenfarne.

Free advice to Brendan Duval, the founder of Glenfarne and Adam Prestidge, the president of Glenfarne Alaska LNG LLC: Knock it off.

“Build the Line!” is code for demanding that the Legislature approve the Dunleavy tax cut bill now.

The Legislature’s job is to review what Dunleavy and Glenfarne are asking and make a decision based on numbers and analysis, not on a trite public relations slogan.

Just about everyone in the Legislature and just about everyone in Alaska wants to “Build the Line!”

But Glenfarne has refused to release basic financial information that the Legislature needs to see. There are serious questions about protecting the interests of Alaskans that must be answered. There are serious questions about whether Glenfarne plans to “Build the Line!”

Glenfarne is scheduled to appear before the Senate Finance Committee Wednesday at 9 a.m. Its executives need to be held accountable and admit the deception at the base of the “Build the Line” political signs, buttons and newspaper ads.

Duval and/or Prestidge should explain why they never mentioned the property tax situation last year when they were claiming they would reach a final investment decision by December 2025 with no legislative action needed. Did they forget to ask?

Instead of justifying their tax cut plan, Duval and/or Prestidge are trying to get the public angry and spread the lie that the only thing blocking cheap gas is the Alaska Legislature. Thus they say, “Call your legislators now and tell them to build the line.”

This hides the policy questions facing Alaska and makes it appear that a vote for Dunleavy’s bill will bring lower energy costs and a guarantee that the pipeline will be built.

Duval and/or Prestidge will dodge these questions, but legislators should keep asking.

Glenfarne is promoting public opinon polls that show overwhelming support for a gas pipeline as proof that Glenfarne should get the Dunleavy-approved tax break supported by Glenfarne.

“Alaskans have spoken: Build the Line!” Glenfarne claims.

“Do what’s right for Alaska – Build the Line!,” says UA Regent and contractor Seth Church, who is promoting this line of attack on the Fairbanks Facebook page with 217,000 members that he controls.

Church is also using that page to promote his brother, lieutenant governor candidate Josh Church, who testified Saturday that legislators need to stop asking questions about the gas pipeline tax cut.

“You guys need to stop arguing about whether it pencils or not,” said Church, who is running with Dave Bronson. Josh Church falsely claimed that the trans-Alaska pipeline “didn’t pencil.”

“You’ve had months, months to get this done. Alaskans have been wanting this for years. Quit wasting time. Pass the gasline. I don’t care whether it’s 8 cents or 6 cents or zero cents. Alaska needs this. There will be so many benefits beyond just the tax revenue to this state. You have the chance to be a hero or you have a chance to be a villain. Be a leader and let this bill go through. Pass this gasline. Get a good bill through that allows this project forward. If you don’t I will pledge to make sure you’re thrown out of office. I will work tirelessly because you will destroy this state,” Church said.

“It’s not your job to figure out the financing and all that. Glenfarne is here, willing to do the work. Be a leader and get a clean bill out so we can have jobs and growth again. This is crucial. Do your damn job,” he said.

This situation is far more complicated than that. It appears that Dave Bronson doesn’t understand this either, claiming that Church’s criticism of the legislators was exactly what was needed. “It’s time to stop talking, start building and put Alaska First!” says Bronson.

Anyone running for state office who thinks this is simple has not been paying attention. The candidates should start with this report by GaffneyCline from December.

Part of the Glenfarne lobbying campaign is to insinuate that people who answer public opinion surveys and say they want a gas pipeline are supporters of the Dunleavy/Glenfarne tax cut. That’s the hidden message here.

Here is a full-page ad that appeared in Fairbanks and Anchorage that claims, “HUNDREDS OF ALASKA’S BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS AGREE: IT’S TIME TO BUILD THE LINE!”

Some of the 400-plus names on the ad were collected on the website supportaklng.com by people who simply clicked the box that said, “I agree to have my name/business and city listed publicly as a supporter of AKLNG.”

Supporting the Alaska LNG project is not the same as saying, “I agree to have my name/business and city listed publicly as a supporter of the Dunleavy tax cut for Glenfarne.”

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