Years ago, when I was working at a larger Alaska newspaper, my job included writing editorials. I was an employee, not the owner or publisher, so I had to submit the editorials to the publisher in advance for his approval.

One editorial accused a state legislator of lying. The publisher thought the word was too harsh, too mean, too explicit. He wanted it changed to “not telling the truth.” I figured that was OK, since it still got the point across that the elected official knowingly misled the public.

Sometimes, the right thing to do when writing opinion columns is to look for less inflammatory language. But sometimes, elected officials make statements that are so false, so harmful to public discussion that they deserve the strongest language possible.

Such is the case with Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s enthusiasm for a mega project to pipe North Slope natural gas across hundreds of miles of tundra, permafrost, fault lines, mountains, valleys, rivers and streams to Cook Inlet, where the gas could generate power and heat for Southcentral Alaska homes and businesses.

But gas for Alaskans is a side benefit. The main purpose, the longstanding dream, the financial underpinning of the project is to sell more than 90% of the gas to Asia nations, particularly Japan, South Korea and Taiwan. Without overseas customers paying most of the mortgage and operating costs, no Alaskan could afford the gas.

Setting aside whether Asian buyers are willing to take a gamble on the project — which the state is promoting at an old construction estimate of $44 billion — the big lie in Dunleavy’s promotional speeches is that gas could start flowing through the pipe in 2028 or 2029.

Setting aside whether Asian buyers will need or want so much gas for the decadeslong life of the project — the Alaska endeavor would be among the largest and most expensive liquefied natural gas export projects in the world — promising an operating pipeline before the end of the decade is as dishonest as pushing $3,900 Permanent Fund dividends, which the governor does too.

A lot would need to happen almost instantly for gas to start flowing by 2028 or 2029. Construction would need to start next year.

But first, the owners — a partnership between the state and a private developer — would need to negotiate contracts to buy gas from North Slope oil and gas producers; negotiate long-term, binding contracts to sell the gas at the end of the line; and negotiate tens of billions of dollars in investment and loans.

They would need to finish final blueprints so that they could go out for bids to construct the initial 765 miles of 42-inch-diameter pipe; line up mills to make the high-strength steel plate and pipeline manufacturers to roll the plates; and arrange the transportation of more than 100,000 40-foot-long sections of pipe to multiple staging yards stretching from Prudhoe Bay to Cook Inlet.

They would need to build work camps along the route for thousands of crew members; order up the equipment to move the pipe around, to dig the trenches, to coat and weld and lower the pipe into the trenches; hire thousands of pipelayers, truck drivers, welders, cooks, camp staff and more.

All the while they would be limited to seasonal work up north, running the equipment and digging only when the ground is frozen, so as not to damage the tundra or melt the permafrost.

If you believe that can get done in a few years, then I guess you believe in fairy tales. Such a nicer word than lies.