Juneauites uttered a collective gasp of dismay and disbelief last year when the avalanche took out our transmission lines to Snettisham and our electrical costs skyrocketed. But for our neighbors in places like Kake, Angoon, and Hoonah, diesel generation is a fact of everyday life. The Juneau Assembly must take a leadership role in promoting a regional energy policy and the Southeast Electrical Intertie. Our neighbors will save a tremendous amount of money on energy costs as they convert to clean renewable energy. Jobs can be saved and new ones created, both in Juneau and throughout Southeast Alaska.