Honorable Ted Stevens

Dear Hulk;

Once again it appears as though we will let you down. Yes, another construction season is here almost gone in the “Last Frontier” and still no pipe trenchers revved up for what should had been a success story by now. In fact, the pipe yards outside Fairbanks are still missing miles and miles of pipe. NO, it never showed up, so I can't tell you it is already in the ground and delivering “Cleaner” natural gas to the “Interior”. In fact, Fairbanks may become the most polluted city in America because of the preference to burn “wood” over high-priced heating fuel! Even the military is second guessing doing business in Fairbanks, due outrageous energy costs and poor air quality health issues with the troops. So of course you should be irate. You, as well as I, know that there was a solution, one that you worked so diligently on by lending a helping hand while a statesman gainfully representing Alaska before the United States Congress. Said again, sorry, so sorry. See, you fought bravely to make sure Alaska and the Alaska Railroad could maintain its “Tax Exempt Bond” status and when you accomplished that feat - and maintained that status even during the Tax Reform Act of 1986 wherein your colleagues fort tooth and nail to “Nail Dead” Alaska's preferential treatment this “Exemption” - you were there to defend for us this “humongous” economic incentive tool, as without it meant economically unfeasible to get this natural gas pipeline to the reality stage. We all know that pipeline was guaranteed within 5-years of “Oil In”, so as time went on without any progress you sought a ways and means to get it across that it was something on your “To Get Done List”. Yes indeed, because it was something of value you could offer in efforts to get a “citizens” natural gas pipeline built to help us in the struggle for affordable energy. So this was something you gave us, a gift that was “For the People” only. Well we still have not taken advantage of this “Act of Congress” with your signature, to use that “Tax Exemption” to lure in “Outside” investors to take advantage of that $18-Billion in “Tax Exempt Bonds”. It is sitting there before the Alaska Railroad “Board of Directors” and only takes a stroke of Bill Sheffield's pen, to get started building that much needed natural gas infrastructure. Doesn't make sense in my play-book and derails the “Sense of Congress”! So that gas we own is still stranded up north and because of that we suffer with respiratory aliments and our kids are coughing up signs of early health issues – I guess good thing we now have ObamaCare! And according to reliable sources, Warren Buffet would jump on those “bonds” right now? For crying out loud YES! And NO, the 49er's other delegates seem not to care about what you fought so hard to get for us. And the state legislature, they have turned a blind-eye on your accomplishments with this ”Congressional” tool at our disposal to get that gas line built. Yes indeed, and Don Young continues to throw you under the “bridge”, blaming you for the M.V. Susitna. Of course some of us realize that the only reason you were indicted for trumped up charges was due Don becoming a stool pigeon for the G-man, and a plea bargain meant finding you as a victim of an over zealous investigation. I still find it hard trying to assess what you did wrong? Too bad you are gone, as we could sure use the “Hulk” clout once again and maybe see that pipeline, not as a lost vision but a reality on the horizon. Even Tony Knowles who approved that $18-billion is stool stuck on this issue, so I thank you for trying to provide something that could have and should have been used by now for getting that natural gas to my house. Sad thing, Bill Sheffield is as lame on this issue as we found out when he was trying to rebuild the Port of Anchorage. Yes, we failed by not impeaching him out of office many years ago. So even though still today Alaska enjoys that “Tax Exempt Bond” status by the United States Congress and has legislative approval already to sell $18-Billion in “Municipal Bonds” to build that natural gas pipeline we citizens were guaranteed by the Bush Rat, well it is still all talk! But it is like that time you ear-marked money to measure the penis size of the male muskox - remember that? We all realized that was a ridiculous plight as who would be crazed enough to perform such a feat? But you were one to produce and once told me that if people take advantage of what they ask for and how they end up spending outside the original intent, that they were un-patriotic. You were so right and today it appears that is a sad fact behind those politicians - many you knew - that keep telling us that “natural gas” will be here someday – but many us will have joined you before that becomes a reality. Once again, this is what I remember of Theodore Fulton Stevens – not the failures, but those little things you did for Alaskans in efforts to make life easier for us – yet without team players, in the end such efforts in vain and we all loose. But “Thanks” again anyways for trying and well, caring....

 "HULK"