A Citizen’s Guide

Sen. Gene Therriault, R-North Pole, is expected to introduce an amendment in the Senate Judiciary Committee on Friday to Senate Bill 316 that would increase the minimum amount of time for public comment on a stranded gas contract.

Therriault said he would like to see the minimum move from 30 days to 90 days to give the public and non-signatory producers adequate time to review the contract. Politics being what they are, though, he may have to drop the minimum to 60 days in order to get it passed.

Senate Bill 316 would require all judicial challenges of the contract to come only after the Legislature gives its approval of the deal. Senate Judiciary is currently considering the bill.

“If there’s going to be a change to where the public fits in, we should balance it out with an extended public comment period,” Therriault said.