position will be — whoever the new governor is. The project is bad - ly needed in Fairbanks, however. The regional economy is struggling with high energy costs and inflation that largely offsets the positives — a growing military presence and North Slope petroleum work that is largely supported from Fairbanks. Stapp has followed gas pipeline is - sues for some time and realized early on that the state property tax would be a barrier, he noted. The state’s partner in Alaska LNG, Glenfarne, initially had no “asks” of the Legis - lature for tax changes but changed its position after it dug more deeply into the project’s economics, he said. Doing something about region- al energy costs is at the top of Stapp’s priority list for the 2027 legislative session, whether a renewed push for Alaska LNG or other projects. As an alternative, a renewal of work on the big Susitna hydroelectric project is an
option. The state invested heavily in work needed to secure a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) license for Susitna, but former Gov. Bill Walk - er pulled the plug on the work in 2016 when state revenues turned downward. There is still time to get remain- ing work done for the license and the state could do this to secure federal permission before the licensing work done so far “times out” and has to must be redone. The big attraction of Susitna is the federal government will essentially pay for half of its capital costs under current law, Stapp said. That’s a multi-billion-dollar gift to Alaska. If built, Susitna would pro - vide almost all the electricity needed in the state’s “railbelt” communities, including Fairbanks and Anchorage. It would be inexpensive power after the state’s share of capital costs are paid off, he said. Stapp’s second priority will be work on legislation to slow spiraling
health care and insurance costs. This is an area in which he has profession - al expertise, having worked in insur - ance following his Army service. In the recent legislative session, Stapp sponsored HB 14 to remove obsolete health programs and also to extend insurance coverage for telehealth ser- vice by medical providers, which was an added provision by Sen. Matt Cla - man, D-Anchorage. Another accomplishment was HB 314, co-sponsored by Stapp, which updated regulations for licensing design professionals. Without this, design professionals in the Interi- or would not be able to work on new military construction at Fort Wain - wright or Eielson Air Force Base. Stapp met his wife, Naomi, while stationed in Alaska. They were mar - ried in December 2008 and have three children, Amelia, Abigail and Atlas.
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Fairbanks Rep. Stapp focuses on energy issues Photo Courtesy Matt Stapp
was unvetted and would have imposed new taxes on oil producers. His own contribution, howev - er, was introducing the first bill for a spur pipeline to bring gas to Fair - banks, HB 119. The route of the Alaska LNG pipeline is west of Fairbanks and without the spur, there would be no North Slope gas supplied to the com - munity. This concept was would later be incorporated into HB 381, the main legislative vehicle for the gas project. Stapp hopes reviving the incen - tives for the project will be the Leg -
islature’s first order of business going into 2027. Stapp is unopposed for re - election, a signal that his constituents in Fairbanks’ House District 32 are happy with him. It will be his third term in the state House. Stapp is a former U.S. Army paratrooper who was based at Fort Wainwright and Joint Base Elmen - dorf-Richardson, and served two tours in Iraq before leaving the Army and returning to civilian life in Alaska. On the gas pipeline, the big un- known is what the new governor’s
Former Army paratrooper put forth spur pipeline Like all Interior legislators, Fair - banks’ State Rep. Will Stapp was heav - ily engaged in the natural gas pipeline bill during the lengthy 2026 legislative session. He was disappointed the bill didn’t pass after state senators tacked on a “poison pill” amendment that
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