Here’s another impact of the U.S. elections: plans for a new natural gas pipeline from Alaska may stall, potentially costing Cascadia business.

At issue is a plan where Alaska’s taxpayers to would buy 20 percent of a $22 billion proposed pipeline from the northern part of the state through Canada to the U.S. Midwest. The construction project — considered one of the biggest ever — could supply years of staging business in B.C. and Washington, as well as give a boost to Seattle’s Alaska Airlines and the rest of the travel industry.

The project’s fate is unclear since the Nov. 7 election, when Alaskans tossed out Gov. Frank Murkowski — who pushed the plan — in favor of political unknown Sarah Palin, the Republican mayor of a small town. Democratic former Gov. Tony Knowles was the favorite of big business because of his oil-friendly history. Palin has criticized many details negotiated by Murkowski and is set to reconsider the plan when she takes office on Dec. 4.