Alaska governor Sean Parnell does not mince words; he wasn’t afraid to stand up for his state’s energy economy and workforce as lieutenant governor, and he’s certainly not slowing down now as the state’s chief executive.

And apparently, he’s not afraid to fly either. This week, the governor will make the 3,300 mile trek from Alaska to Washington, DC, hopefully catching a decent movie along the way, as he embarks upon a busy schedule in the nation’s capital talking up the role that Alaska does, and can continue to, play in securing our nation’s energy future. On the menu? Interior secretary Ken Salazar, a couple folks from the White House, and maybe even the president himself.

The Associated Press reported this today under the headline “Parnell to lobby for OCS drilling in Washington”:

Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell will lobby to open the outer continental shelf to oil development during a trip to Washington, D.C., this week.

Parnell will meet with Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and other top Obama administration officials during meetings scheduled Wednesday and Thursday.

Parnell urged in a letter to Salazar earlier this month that the federal government should allow offshore oil and gas drilling along Alaska’s northernmost coastline.

Parnell called a responsible outer continental shelf leasing program that respects Alaska Native concerns “vitally important to Alaska and the nation.”

Mr. Parnell has shown to be a leader that keeps his word on working to expand Alaska’s energy access. Earlier this month, the governor told an energy gathering this:

Parnell told the group he’s written Interior Secretary Ken Salazar that he supports offshore drilling, the first battle cry in a fight for the state’s future.

“I will personally lead the charge in pursuit of OCS exploration and development,” he said.

So why is the governor fighting so hard to expand Alaska’s energy potentials? Well, according to the article from the beginning of September, Mr. Parnell said:

“We have so much opportunity for jobs and revenue there that it hasn’t really gotten the spotlight that’s been needed.”

Like a clear majority of Americans, Governor Parnell and most Alaskans understand that increasing energy production – of all forms, in all places – will help stabilize and drive down energy prices and help create good-paying jobs at a time when they’re most needed.