ANCHORAGE (AP) — Gov. Bill Walker on Friday brushed aside criticism from Republican lawmakers that they were blindsided by his call to reinstate the gas reserves tax during the upcoming special session.

“I sat right at this table and talked about fiscal certainty and project certainty,’’ Walker said during a news conference at his Anchorage office. He met with lawmakers Monday to inform them of his call for the special session, which starts Oct. 24 in Juneau.

Walker said the tax is not meant to be punitive, only to spur movement on the natural gas pipeline project, estimated to cost...