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Oil and Gas Pipeline Topics
U.S.
oil stockpile is at a three-decade low Axios
The reserve, stored in huge
underground salt caverns along the Gulf Coast, holds 415
million barrels right now, about 58% of
capacity. The U.S. has the largest oil stockpile among the 32
countries that plan to release 400
million barrels of oil to deal with the spike in prices.
ENSTAR,
Hilcorp apply to store natural gas under Kenai airport. KDLL
ENSTAR and CINGSA are
expanding. Last year, CINGSA added
two new wells to its Kenai operation. And in January,
ENSTAR asked
the Regulatory Commission of Alaska to sign off on its proposal to store gas
under the Kenai Airport. Hilcorp Corporate Manager of Government and
Public Affairs Matt Shuckerow says the company would use private
money to fund a storage project at the Kenai airport. That means
Hilcorp doesn’t need advanced approval from regulators, because
development costs wouldn’t be recovered from ratepayers.
‘A
failure to communicate’: Senate resources chair says confidence in
LNG developer is lost – Alaska News Source
The dispute drills largely down to one thing:
information. Lawmakers say they don’t have enough of it to pass
legislation they’ve been told is “essential” for the project,
particularly financial information. Glenfarne says that specific
information is confidential and, if provided, would threaten
competition. Nearly halfway through the session, lawmakers are still
asking what bills need to be passed.
State
Supreme Court hears oral arguments in youth challenge to Alaska LNG
Project. KDLL
Alaska’s Supreme Court is
again considering whether the proposed Alaska gasline project
violates the Constitutional rights of a group of young Alaskans. The
case was
dismissed last year by a superior court judge and is now being
appealed to the state’s highest court.
Opinion:
Moving gas from the North Slope is a pipe dream that can come true - Anchorage Daily
News
In 2020, the Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission issued its Order
Granting Authorization for the Alaska LNG Project after completing the Final
Environmental Impact Statement. The permit was issued to the Alaska Gasline
Development Corp., clearing the most significant regulatory hurdle
that had stalled previous pipeline efforts. Since then, the state of
Alaska has partnered with Glenfarne
Alaska LNG LLC, a
private developer that has agreed to advance the project, secure
financing and assume the financial risk through its investors. The
federal authorization remains in place — one of the key reasons I say
this time is different.
In
brief Anchorage stop, Interior secretary discusses efforts to support
Alaska LNG - Anchorage Daily
News
Legislators who are dealing
with the pipeline on a daily basis say they don’t have answers to
basic questions, including how much the pipeline will cost and
whether the gas it carries will be affordable to Alaskans. “I have
not seen any figures,” said Sen. Cathy Giessel, R-Anchorage and chair
of the Senate Resources Committee. Senate President Gary
Stevens, R-Kodiak, said legislators are not going to be a roadblock.
“We’re not going to throw sand in the works. Everybody wants a
pipeline. We all hope that it comes about, but it’s got to be done
properly and make sure that we know what’s going on.”
Alaska
forecasters predict Iran war’s disruption of oil industry will linger
for months Alaska Beacon
Alaska
North Slope oil surges to over $100 per barrel, first time in over 3
years –
Alaska News Source
The Alaska Department of
Revenue is predicting that the Iran war will cause high oil prices
for most of 2026, it said in a
revised forecast published Friday. Oil is no longer the No. 1
source of general-purpose state revenue in Alaska, but the higher
wartime prices are expected to bring hundreds of millions of extra
dollars to the state treasury.
Judge
reinstates conservation agreement in Alaska’s National Petroleum
Reserve Alaska Beacon
An agreement that protected
about a million acres of sensitive Arctic territory is back in
effect, meaning that this week’s oil and gas lease sale in the
National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska will likely be smaller than the
Trump administration had planned. U.S. District Court Judge Sharon
Gleason’s ruling, issued Monday, ensures that a Native coalition’s
land agreement, known as the Nuiqsut Trilateral right of way, “shall
remain in full force and effect,” at least temporarily.
Senate
bill seeks ‘transparency and accountability’ for Alaska LNG project – Alaska Public Media
The head of a powerful
state Senate committee is calling for stronger legislative oversight
and changes to state oil and gas taxes as the developer of the Alaska
LNG project approaches a final investment decision.
PODCAST: The
current plan to build an LNG line Talk of
Alaska
Alaska Lawmakers join Talk
of Alaska to discuss the current proposal and their thoughts about
whether or not this plan is viable.
Oil
markets are second most uncertain on record, economist tells Alaska
legislators Alaska Beacon
The U.S.-Israeli war
against Iran has left oil markets more uncertain than they were
during the Great Recession, a state expert told the Alaska
Legislature on Monday. In a pair of hearings, Alaska Department of
Revenue economist Dan Stickel told state legislators that the
volatility of global oil markets is the second-highest on record,
leaving future forecasts particularly unreliable.
Current Topics
Supplemental
budget bill stalls as Alaska House mulls war-fueled oil price
forecast – Alaska
Public Media
Dunleavy
administration forecasts hundreds of millions in new revenue due to
higher oil prices - ADN
The fate of a closely
watched budget bill in the Alaska Legislature is back up in the air
after House Republicans declined to back a supermajority vote on
Thursday that would have funded the bill from savings.
After
contentious debate, Legislature again extends Halong disaster
declaration – Alaska
Public Media
Minority Republicans
largely opposed the extension on procedural grounds. Rep. Justin
Ruffridge, a Soldotna Republican and the minority whip, said
extending the disaster declaration with a resolution, rather than a
bill, would open it up to legal challenges.
Jet
fuel prices are rising, which could make summer flights more
expensive - Anchorage
Daily News
Some airlines outside of the
U.S. have announced fare increases or fuel surcharges in an effort to
offset the growing expense. In the U.S., United Airlines CEO Scott
Kirby recently warned that airfare increases will “probably start
quick” as increasing fuel costs work their way through the industry.
Opinion:
A strong Alaska requires a strong public workforce aided by a defined
benefits plan - Anchorage Daily
News
Our schools are losing
teachers faster than they can replace them. Police and fire
departments are struggling to fill positions. Across state and local
government, key offices face constant turnover. Even in areas that
directly affect construction and development — permitting offices,
inspection departments and engineering positions — vacancies and
inexperience are slowing the work that keeps our economy moving.
Editorial:
Public safety comes first — and that includes funding Alaska’s
prisons - Anchorage Daily
News
The first and highest
priority of government is protecting the rights and safety of its
citizens. Domestically, that responsibility is carried out through
three core institutions: law enforcement, the courts and corrections.
Police investigate crimes and make arrests. Courts determine guilt
and impose sentences. Corrections carries out those sentences and
keeps dangerous individuals separated from the public and crucially
readies them to rejoin public life one day.
Fears
of a food shock
Gulf states now
menaced by war produce nearly 49% of the world's urea, a
critical solid nitrogen fertilizer, and about 30% of its ammonia,
according to AFBF. The U.S. also gets about 97% of its
potassium from foreign sources, plus 18% of its nitrogen and 13% of
its phosphate.
"Fertilizer's not an
option to farmers — it's a critical input that determines the
crop yield and ultimately the food supply for the American
people,"
Board
of Fish to consider limiting pink and chum hatchery production and
changes to trawl gear - KFSK
Three proposals that have
also received a lot of public attention call for changes to the
state’s laws on trawl gear. They were proposed by the Alaska Healthy
Halibut Alliance, a coalition of industry and sport groups, including
the Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association. Fish and Game opposes
the proposals. But many people wrote in support, saying bottom
trawling – or dragging the seafloor with nets – is bad for the
environment.
A
new law tightens access to SNAP benefits. Experts say it could leave
Alaska veterans out in the cold.-Alaska Public Media
Critics of the new policy
say it adds new hurdles for a program that some veterans rely on. In
an emailed statement, Fairbanks Sen. Scott Kawasaki, who co-chairs
the state’s Joint Armed Services Committee, called the new work
requirements “misdirected policies that would deny veterans benefits
they have already earned through their sacrifice.”
Economy
Opinion:
Don’t pull the plug on Alaska’s economic 8(a) engines - Anchorage Daily
News
Alaska is at a crossroads.
The federal
8(a) Business Development Program, which enables Alaska Native corporations to
compete for federal contracts, is under attack. Every Alaskan should
be paying attention, because this is about more than how Alaska
Native corporations generate the majority of their revenue. It is
about preserving an economic engine that sustains thousands of
families, stabilizes communities and supports Alaska as a whole. We
are the underdog in this fight, and the consequences of inaction will
ripple far beyond boardrooms and balance sheets.
Education
Opinion:
A fiscally responsible approach to supporting great schools - Anchorage Daily
News
Our caucus organized around
fiscal responsibility, supporting public education and reforming our
retirement system. Strong schools and teacher retention are essential
for the health of our economy, and we must make progress if we’re
going to have any chance of reversing the last decade of
outmigration. We will continue to work in a bipartisan manner to
support our schools, recognizing that any reforms must be durable and
safeguard Alaskans’ savings in the Permanent Fund. Thank you to the
parents, teachers and students who work hard every day in our
schools. We stand with you.
Murkowski
sponsors bill to cut $100,000 H-1B visa fee for public schools - Anchorage Daily
News
Sen.
Murkowski introduces legislation asking for school districts to be
exempt from H1-B visa fees – Alaska News Source
U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski has
introduced legislation to exempt public schools from a $100,000
annual fee to hire international workers, a fee put in place for some
visas by a Trump administration order in September.
(My comment: I’ve been told
Alaska has more than 500 international teachers teaching in our
schools. Thank you, Sen. Lisa.)
Opinion:
Strong schools build strong economies. Let’s grow both in Anchorage. - Anchorage Daily
News
Good schools are essential
for a strong economy. When businesses are recruiting employees with
families, the first thing recruits look at is the quality of our
city’s school system. Businesses need our school system to prepare
students for higher education and the workforce.
Alaskans
ask for school, health and other help during budget hearings; what
are legislators hearing? – Juneau Independent
The odds some of those
items — along with Permanent Fund Dividends — may see a boost are
higher than a few weeks ago, with an official forecast Friday predicting an extra $500 million
for the state during the coming year, mostly due to higher oil prices
caused by the Iran war. But there’s a high degree of uncertainty
about that forecast — and some lawmakers also have other priorities
in mind.
Alaska’s
U.S. senators back effort to waive $100k visa fee for public school
employees | Alaska Beacon
Alaska’s Republican U.S.
senators are pushing the Trump administration to waive a recently
hiked visa fee for all public school employees.
Veto-proof
education funding? Bill sees early bipartisan support with hopes to
preempt Dunleavy decision – Alaska News Source
Support
for education funding bill comes as Alaska districts grapple with
ongoing deficits Alaska Beacon
Alaska’s Senate majority leaders say they are
crafting an education funding bill with one calculation in mind:
getting enough votes to survive a governor who vetoed a similar
measure just last year.
Elections
Federal
Requests for Statewide Voter Lists - NCSL
Twenty-four states and
Washington, D.C., declined to provide the DOJ with full, unredacted
voter lists, prompting the agency to file lawsuits against them and
leaving courts to determine the scope of federal authority and
voter privacy protections.
Republicans
are launching a voting bill debate that could last days or even weeks
- Anchorage
Daily News
Murkowski
is sole Republican to vote to block the SAVE Act – Alaska Public Media
Initiative
affirming Alaska’s noncitizen voting ban set to appear on 2026 ballot - Anchorage
Daily News
Sen. Lisa Murkowski was the
only Republican who voted not to open debate on the Save America Act.
It would require voters to show photo ID at the polls and provide
proof of citizenship to register. The devil is in the details,
according to Murkowski.
Energy
1
big thing: AI boom drives first-ever NRDC support for nuclear Axios
The AI boom is
pushing one of America's most venerable environmental groups to
cautiously support nuclear
power after
decades of resistance. The Natural Resources Defense Council's
position is both a sign of the urgent power demands that AI is
creating and a larger shift underway among environmentalists to
embrace an energy source many once rallied against.
At
Anchorage stopover, Interior Secretary touts Alaska's role in 'energy
dominance' – Alaska Public Media
Mining
Nova
discovers gold target north of RPM - North of 60
Mining News
Nova Minerals Ltd. March 9
reported that surface sampling returned grades of up to 24.6 grams
per metric ton gold at a high-priority target near the RPM deposit on
the company's Estelle gold-antimony project in the West Susitna
Mineral District, about 100 miles northwest of Anchorage, Alaska.
Politics
1
big thing: A consensus Bill of Rights Axios
Most people agree on most
big topics most of the time. The results are striking — and should
give you hope. See if this aligns with your experience.
(My comment: Alaska’s Open
Primaries give me the chance to talk to people of all political
views. Yes, I agree with most of this polling - We agree on far more
than we disagree on. Let me know what you think!)
Rising
oil risk Axios
Trump prefers oil at $50 a
barrel. The industry prefers a floor of around $60. Despite Trump's
intervention, oil topped $100 per barrel, after spiking as high as
$120. Iran has threatened to push prices to $200 a barrel,
which would translate to roughly $5 per gallon at the pump for U.S.
drivers, according to some analysts.
Catch
up quick on the biggest oil disruption in history Axios
"Two oil tankers were
attacked and burning off the coast of Iraq early Thursday,
prompting the Iraqi authorities to suspend all oil terminal
operations," the
NYT reports. Crude prices are up again, trading
around $98 this morning after again surpassing $100
overnight before falling back.
Oil
prices climb despite Trump moves to temper market Axios
European countries could
now have leverage to push Trump to lower tariffs — part of the
economic trade-offs the war is now forcing the U.S. into.
In
Alaska House, a protest against ICE was the result of a split-second
decision Alaska Beacon
Anchorage Democratic Rep.
Zack Fields was listening to a speech by Republican U.S. Rep. Nick
Begich III when he got fed up. Fields scribbled a note on a nearby
sheet of paper: “ICE out of Alaska” and held it up on the House floor
for a few minutes while Begich spoke to lawmakers. That simple
act riled Republicans, who sought to officially reprimand Fields and
kicked off a sequence of events that roiled the state House this week
and snarled legislative business for a day.
Alaska
National Guard says planned deployment to Washington DC pushed to May Alaska Beacon
Gov. Mike Dunleavy in
November approved the U.S. Secretary of the Army’s request for 100
service members to deploy to the nation’s capital as part of a joint
federal task force this month. The effort is part of a national
directive by the Pentagon to all 50 states to prepare National Guard
service members to train for “civil disturbance operations.”
Russia’s growing interest in
Svalbard GIS
The Kremlin is more
concerned than ever with maintaining the maneuverability of its
Northern Fleet because of its weakened naval power capability in
three other theaters after 2022. Russia has been pushed onto the
defensive in the Black Sea by Ukraine and constrained by Turkiye. It
faces mounting pressure in the Baltic Sea following Sweden and
Finland’s NATO accession, and has lost its Mediterranean foothold
after Syria’s regime change.
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