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Oil and Gas Pipeline Topics
Dunleavy
pushes skeptical senators to move forward with Alaska LNG tax cuts
Alaska Public Media
In March, the governor proposed a six-cent tax on each 1,000 cubic feet of gas flowing through
the pipeline from the North Slope to Southcentral Alaska. That would
cut state revenue by about 90% when compared to the existing 20-mill
property tax.
Senate
president says gas pipeline bill unlikely to pass by May 20
adjournment, may result in special session Juneau Independent
Senate Majority Leader
Cathy Giessel, R-Anchorage, noted state officials advocating for
Dunleavy’s version of a gasline bill stated this week "they
actually can go forward without this bill. They don't need this bill
authorizing them to proceed," she said. "They have the
permits. They've got the (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission)
authorization." A bill introduced March 20 by Dunleavy contained tax rates and exemptions
that would result in about $75 million in annual state and local
revenues once the project was fully operational, compared to roughly
$1 billion under current state law. The House and Senate are each
working on differing versions of gasline bills, but they all seek far
higher revenue than the governor for the state and municipalities
affected by the pipeline’s infrastructure.
A
few simple gasline questions need to be answered - The Alaska Landmine
Canada, Finland and US push
forward on next-gen icebreaker program Navaltoday
Officials from the three
countries met in Helsinki from May 6 to 7 to coordinate priorities
for the next phase of the trilateral initiative, which focuses on
strengthening industrial cooperation, accelerating shipbuilding
timelines and enhancing Arctic capabilities.
Current Topics
Legislature
approves extra legal help for Alaskans who can’t afford attorneys Alaska Beacon
The state Senate voted 17-3
to pass House Bill 48 and give the corporation 25% of all state court
filing fees, up from 10%. The change is worth an extra $400,000 to
the corporation.
Rising
shipping fees at Don Young Port of Alaska could lead to higher
grocery bills Anchorage
Daily News
Without more funding to
cover extensive renovations at the Don Young Port of Alaska,
increased shipping fees could eventually cost an Anchorage family of
four an average of $1,500 per year.
‘We’re
kind of on our own up here:’ Sen. Murkowski on new federal aid for
rural villages, Halong recovery. Alaska News Source
“I wish that I could say
that this is going to be a real leg up for these communities, but
again, in every one of the communities that have been identified you
are already looking at fuel prices that are nearing $7, $8
presently,” Murkowski said. “So again, when you see that spring barge
come in, you are looking at doubling of those prices. So $4 million,
lots of money to help a good handful of communities. Not enough,
certainly. So we have more that can be done.
Alaska
air carriers warn of price hikes, service cuts amid surging fuel
costs without federal intervention - Anchorage
Daily News
Alaska’s rural air carriers
say soaring fuel prices could result in reduced services or increased
prices unless federal officials step in and help offset the
unexpected expense.
Juneau
lawmaker’s bill to boost legal aid funding for vulnerable Alaskans
heads to the governor. Alasak Public Media
The bill, if signed into
law, would boost funding to the Alaska Legal Services
Corporation. It’s a nonprofit that provides free civil legal aid
to low-income Alaskans, targeting issues like housing disputes,
domestic violence and tribal self-government. Right now, state law
sets aside 10% of the fees paid annually to the Alaska Court System
to go to the nonprofit. Hannan’s bill would amend the state statute
to increase that to 25%. That would provide an estimated $400,000 in
additional funding to the nonprofit.
Stuff I found Interesting
Anchorage
international airport jumps into first for cargo volume in the US Anchorage
Daily News
The Ted Stevens Anchorage
International Airport has reached new heights, becoming the largest
cargo hub in the U.S. last year.
Opinion:
AIDEA’s money is our money, and a pot of gold under legislators’
noses Anchorage
Daily News
AIDEA has lost money in 17
of the last 35 years, writing off $294 million in project assets,
including the Healy Clean Coal project, Alaska Seafood International,
the Seward Coal Facility, the Skagway Ore Terminal and the Mustang
oil venture.
Anchorage
adds fines for feeding wildlife after series of eagle incidents. Alaska Public Media
There have been concerns
for decades around residents allowing local bears to get into trash
cans or bird feeders. But it was this series of eagle encounters that
led Anchorage officials to recently add fines for those who feed
wildlife in the city.
Economy
Alaskans
have low confidence in state economy, survey says. Alaska Public Media
New survey results show
Alaskans’ confidence in the economy is at nearly the lowest point
since the survey began 16 years ago. Pollster Ivan Moore of Alaska
Survey Research said Alaskans are decidedly pessimistic about their economic conditions.
Another
new low on sentiment Axios
Americans' attitudes toward
the economy keep plumbing
new depths, at least according to one long-running survey of
consumers' outlook. The preliminary May reading of the
University of Michigan consumer sentiment index fell to 48.2, from 49.8 in April. It is
the second consecutive new low in a data series that's been
consistently collected since the late 1970s.
Education
Alaska
lawmakers raise education lawsuit conflict concern for attorney
general designee Alaska Beacon
Stephen Cox currently leads
the Alaska Department of Law, which is defending the state in a
lawsuit that challenges the constitutionality of spending state
homeschool funds on religious and private school tuition. He is
also the treasurer and a founding member of the Thomas More Classical
School, a private Christian school for grades Kindergarten through
sixth grade, slated to open in Anchorage in the fall, whose website invites the use of state homeschool funding for
nonreligious courses.
Opinion:
The classroom door has become a revolving one for Anchorage educators Anchorage
Daily News
As elementary principals
who have served this district for decades, we have watched the
foundation of our schools erode. Last year alone, the Anchorage
School District lost more than 400 teachers. This is on top of the recent layoff and
displacement of teachers due to continued district funding, which
causes loss of morale. Over the past four years, more than 1,500
teachers have departed. Most alarming is that nearly half of these
resignations come from teachers in their first five years. We are losing
the very people meant to be the future of Alaska’s education system.
Elections
Gov.
Dunleavy introduces new elections bill days after vetoing last
version Anchorage
Daily News
Dunleavy
introduces new elections bill days after vetoing a similar one — with
13 days left in session Alaska News Source
After vetoing the
Legislature’s election reform bill last week, Gov. Mike Dunleavy
requested a do-over with a largely similar elections bill Thursday.
It includes a new signature verification process and delays
implementation past the November general election.
Alaska
still has a path to stronger election integrity The Alaska
Landmine
Energy
Time
to look at Susitna hydro once more Reporting
From Alaska
Healthcare
Alaska
Legislature asks federal government for more flexibility on rural
health funding. Alaska
Public Media
The Legislature’s
healthcare liaison told lawmakers that short timeline is challenging
in rural Alaska, where a missed barge delivery or poor weather can
lead to long delays. Another source of heartburn is a series of
commitments the state Department of Health made in its application to
the federal government. It said the Legislature would pass a series
of license compacts, which make it easier for healthcare providers
from outside the state to practice in Alaska, and another measure
allowing pharmacists to treat routine chronic conditions and minor
illnesses.
Mining
Hecla
investigates Greens Creek upgrades North of 60
Mining News
Greens Creek is already the
largest silver-producing mine in North America and a cornerstone
asset for Hecla Mining Company. Now, the Idaho-based miner believes
substantially more value can be extracted from both the ore and
tailings at the Southeast Alaska operation while also reducing
long-term environmental management and reclamation costs.
Politics
Trump
administration transfers land to state to support Ambler Road and
Alaska LNG Anchorage
Daily News
The Trump administration
said that it transferred 1.4 million acres of land to the state of
Alaska to support development of the 200-mile Ambler Road in an
effort to open up access for mining in a remote Arctic region.
What
Recent Federal Funding Decisions Mean for Alaska Public Media
Alaska Public Media
A federal judge recently ruled that an executive order issued by Donald Trump
to restrict certain federal support for NPR and PBS was
unconstitutional.
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