Federal official bullish on Alaska gas pipeline

A top federal pipeline official says the time is right for an Alaska pipeline construction project.

Tom Barrett, the White House's deputy pipeline coordinator, told members of the Greater Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday that the federal government likes the proposed pipeline that would span Alaska and much of Canada. He said labor markets need it, environmentalists can stomach it and North American natural gas markets can handle it.

"The biggest market for natural gas in the world is the United States," Barrett said.

Two joint ventures are taking steps toward construction of the proposed line. One of them, led by TransCanada …