The Energy Council is a Dallas-based group comprised of representatives from 11 other energy-producing states, as well as five Canadian provinces and the South American nation of Venezuela.

The group has other meetings that rotate among other states and this time it was Alaska's turn.

Alaska Governor Sean Parnell gave a keynote speech at the opening meeting Thursday, Sept. 29, at The Hotel Captain Cook.

Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, and New Mexico founded the council in 1975 in response to interest from the U.S. Department of Energy to put high-level nuclear waste in the region; Alaska joined the council in 1988.

North Dakota Rep. Bob Skarphol said it is “critically important that the states manifest themselves in a collective manner to express their concerns about federal regulations."

Jim Posey, general manager of Municipal Light & Power, agreed. He described the council as a “good way for the industry of energy and the legislature of energy states to discuss policy."

Some of the council members will tour the Prudhoe Bay oil fields on the North Slope and production facilities in the Cook Inlet.

The event ended Saturday Oct.1.