President Bush has nominated Mark Myers, former Alaska State Geologist, to be the director of the U.S. Geological Survey, the White House announced May 3.
Myers also had been director of Alaska's division of oil and gas but he was one of six state Dept. of Natural Resources officials who resigned their positions last October. In his Oct. 27 letter of resignation to Gov. Frank Murkowski (R), Myers cited the departure of department Commissioner Tom Irwin and "the position the administration has taken in negotiations regarding a North Slope gas pipeline." He added, "I adamantly disagree with the administration's current position on gasline negotiations."