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Current Topics
Ultra-rare 'rainbow clouds' light up the Arctic Circle auroras in stunning new photos. Live Science
The funding cliff for student mental health. Axios
The youth mental health crisis is not getting better, and schools are increasingly being pressed into service as first responders amid rising rates of suicidal ideation, overdoses, and gun violence.
Alaska public defender shortage will grow worse without action, budget documents indicate. Alaska Beacon
Alaska public defenders will begin refusing cases in Nome and Bethel, citing staff shortage. ADN
The state lawyers who represent Alaskans who can't afford to pay for their own attorneys will soon stop accepting new clients who face serious felony charges filed in the Nome and Bethel Superior Courts because of an ongoing shortage of qualified attorneys.
China-EV investigations. Axios
The U.S. electric car market and its reliance on China is heading for a collision with Congress. Lawmakers are setting their sights on the auto industry's global supply relationships as bipartisan support emerges to deal with the dirtier sides of "clean energy."
Automakers get more leeway on EV tax credits. Axios
More EVs will be eligible for purchase subsidies under a revised Treasury Department approach to implementing the climate law. Officials are broadening what's considered a crossover SUV to align with EPA's public-facing labeling standards.
More Southeast Alaska communities set to oppose lawsuit that threatens king salmon fishery. Alaska Public Media
Local governments around Southeast Alaska are speaking out against a lawsuit that threatens to shut down trolling for king salmon across the region this year. The lawsuit aims to protect an endangered population of orcas in Washington state.
Healthcare News
'It's so vital': New Mat-Su facility adds detox beds in a state with few options for residential addiction treatment. ADN
Withdrawing from opioids like heroin can be a dangerous and frightening experience without medical attention. There has been a shortage detox beds statewide, said James Savage, director of operations at Day One Center, the new facility that houses Dylan's Place. The center is operated by True North Recovery, a nonprofit drug and alcohol treatment center based in Wasilla.
New Mat-Su behavioral health clinic addressing 'desperate need' for services to open in April. ADN
Biden to push expanded insulin caps. Axios
Politics
Retiring from the high court, Alaska's chief justice defends its system of selecting judges. Alaska Beacon
House Committee advances pension bill intended to benefit Alaska police, firefighters. Alaska Beacon
Alaska's governor, lieutenant governor, and top officials are in line for a pay increase. Alaska Beacon
Governor Mike Dunleavy, Lt. Governor Nancy Dahlstrom and the commissioners of the state's cabinet-level agencies will automatically receive inflation-driven raises in July unless the Alaska Legislature passes legislation by March 25 to block the increase.
Economic News
How one state is rolling out an EV Charging Tax System. Route fifty
While state lawmakers are currently debating new taxes for charging electric vehicles, Iowa is set to collect those taxes starting in July. Four years ago, when EVs were still rare on Iowa roads, legislators approved a law that taxes kilowatt hours sold.
A proposed federal rule would lower credit card late fees. Alaska Beacon
As Americans continue to struggle with high credit card rates, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has proposed a rule to help lessen some of their financial burden- in the form of lower late fees.
Energy News
Certification from Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The Prickly Pear
Not everybody's on board with a Fairbanks utility's deal to source North Slope natural gas. Alaska Public Media
Assessment sees reduced volumes from proved resources of inlet gas after 2027. Petroleum News
Hilcorp Alaska, South Central's primary natural gas producer, began warning its utility customers last year that, while it could meet obligations under its existing contracts, it did not have firm natural gas supplies available beyond that.
Governor drops carbon M&M bills; could raise billions, help save PFDs. Petroleum News
Senate resources will begin hearing SB 48 Carbon Offset, on Feb 20. Foresters and credit brokers will be invited to speak, as well as one of the Alaska native corporations that have sold offset credits. SB 49 will begin around Feb. 27. Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS) is being proposed for Cook Inlet. Speakers will be experts from Alaska Dept of Natural Resources, as well as national experts. Both topics are complex and will take a couple of years to implement, if the Legislature finds that the proposed projects are in Alaska's best interest.
New York is gorging on fuel made from illicit Russian oil. Bloomberg
New York is buying an unusually large amount of gasoline and diesel from India- a country that has become a top outlet for sanctioned Russian oil.
Shell still taking LNG cargoes from Russia under Novatek contract. Reuters
Shell is still receiving cargoes of liquified natural gas from Russia under its long-term contract with Novatek, a Shell spokesperson said on February 2. The world's largest LNG trader agreed to a more than 20-year deal in 2015 for Novatek to supply about 900,000 tonnes per year from the Yamal LNG plant it operates in Siberia.
More than half of new U.S. electric-generating capacity in 2023 will be solar. EIA
Developers plan to add 54.5 gigawatts (GW) of new utility-scale electric-generating capacity to the U.S. power grid in 2023, according to EIA's Preliminary Monthly Electric Generator Inventory. More than half of this capacity will be solar power (54%), followed by battery storage (17%).
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