THE LINK: OCTOBER 2023 8 Alliance Members and Friends: I’m not sure who said, “into every life a little rain must fall,” but I certainly felt like we had many lifetimes of rain in Alaska this summer! 50 years ago, in the summer of 1973, it was just as cloudy and dark for Alaska — but the sun came out and the pipeline moved forward! In February of 1973, the U.S. Court of Appeals ruled that the pipeline project was illegal and could not be built. This decision reversed an earlier decision and gave victory to three environmental groups. On April 2, 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court lets the U.S. Court of Appeals decision stand, firmly blocking pipeline construction until Congress acts to amend the Mineral Leasing Act. On May 9, 1973, the Senate Interior Committee approves and sends to the floor a pipeline right-ofway bill. The first step toward Congress giving final construction approval. Meanwhile, America was experiencing fuel shortages and possible gas rationing. In June 1973, Senator Ted Stevens, and Senator Mike Gravel worked together, and argued, over an amendment to widen pipeline corridors in the Mineral Leasing Act. Stevens was certain the votes weren’t there to pass the amendment. On July 17, 1973, the famous vote, with Vice President Spiro Agnew breaking the tie, occurs and the Gravel-Stevens amendment, which orders immediate construction of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, passes the senate. On Aug. 2, 1973, the House follows, passing a bill by John Melcher, a Democrat from Montana winning overwhelming support for construction of the pipeline! On Aug. 8, 1973, four tugboats, pulling eight enormous barges, raced to the North Slope with millions of dollars’ worth of equipment for oilfield construction.* We have an incredible history to preserve and share about our oil and gas industry. The Alaska Oil and Gas Historical Society is actively collecting, preserving, and sharing that history. I hope you enjoyed this snapshot from 50 years ago. More to come! *Details taken from the January 8, 1977, edition of “Oil and the Pipeline” produced by the Anchorage Times. 1973: A Rough Road in Alaska’s Oil and Gas History Message From CEO Rebecca Logan
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