Welcome to the Real Deal With Kiehl!

New Fixes for Old Problems

February 18, 2024

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Friday was Elizabeth Peratrovich Day. Thanks to everyone who continues her legacy tireless work for equality and justice.

We're in the middle of the session, and issues are coming fast from lots of directions. Renewable energy, health care, and maritime safety top the newsletter this week. Plus, your chance to tell us how you really feel!

Rep. Story, Rep. Galvin, & I were privileged to celebrate Elizabeth Peratrovich Day at the City Museum, along with the ANB/ANS and a representative of the Governor's Office.

It's time for Alaskans to weigh in on the state budget!

Finance watchers won't have to suffer through as much talking form me as usual in committee because we want to hear from you. Southeast Alaskans can testify on the budget Wednesday morning starting at 9am. Please sign up by 10:15 to be guaranteed a spot. You have three ways to testify:

Come to the Capitol! The Senate Finance Committee Room is on the 5th floor.
If you have a Juneau number, call 907-586-9085.
If you have a non-Juneau number, call 844-586-9085.

Rep. Hannan & I got to meet with advocates from the Governor's Council on Disabilities and Special Education.

A Penny Loaned is A Kilowatt Earned

Alaska is way behind the rest of the country when it comes to investing in renewable energy. As with so many things, Southeast and Kodiak lead the state with hydropower (and on Alaska's Emerald Isle, wind.)

Addressing the rest of the state's overreliance on oil and gas for heat and light will take a lot of work. Also a lot of money. I wrote a few weeks ago about fixing transmission in the railbelt. In Senate Finance this week we talked over another piece of the puzzle: financing the generation projects themselves.

SB 125 is the governor's bill to create a “green bank.” It sets up a new state corporation under the Alaska Housing Finance Corp to funnel federal grants and loans into Alaska wind, hydro, solar, &c. I support it.

The initial idea is to use all federal money to help finance projects in Alaska. But at some point I predict the legislature will invest state cash, too. To that end, I'm interested in future-proofing the bill a little. I think we should let Alaska's green bank fund renewable projects that deliver energy to Alaska, even if the solar panels or wind turbines are in the Land of Maple.

After all, a solar farm in Yukon could deliver a lot of juice to the docks in Skagway during the hours that cruise ships are otherwise running their big generators. The ships don't need power at night, and Yukoners could use the kilowatt-hours in the winter. I'm working on an amendment to the bill so an Alaska green bank could help finance the .

Our state needs a comprehensive, creative, statewide approach to renewables to diversify Alaska's energy. We're past due to get started.

Thanks to the many folks from the Alaska Food Coalition, the Farm Bureau, & 4-H (not pictured) who talked with me about food security!

Closer to Home

We all know the challenges of advanced medical care in Southeast. If you live in Gustavus or up Lynn Canal, weather gets in the way of travel. But even once you make it to Juneau, there’s are limits to how much care you can get here.

It’s harder still for folks who need complex care. With something like a complex cancer or Lou Gehrig's disease, patients need specialists we don't have in Alaska. And new research shows us how to get better patient care with multidisciplinary teams who work and train together.

Alaska has no multidisciplinary care teams today. But all is not lost to plane tickets and hotel stays. Two years ago we passed a bill to give Alaskans access to telehealth. We put in some safeguards: you need to have an in-person relationship with the doc first, or it has to be a life-threatening condition. And we currently only allow telehealth across state lines by doctors.

Sen. Matt Claman has a bill to give Alaskans access to telehealth from all the providers on a multidisciplinary care team. We’re working on the language in the bill to get it in the goldilocks zone: not so restrictive it stops people from getting badly-needed care by telehealth, but not so broad it lets an unlicensed or unqualified provider Outside take advantage of Alaskans in need.

This is a valuable chance to do better for Alaskans.

Sen. Olson & I co-hosted a presentation from the Marine Exchange of Alaska this week. Capt. Steve White & Edric Carrillo arranged a great briefing.

Start of Watch

The Marine Exchange of Alaska does state of the art work in saltwater all around Alaska. They track weather, water conditions, and vessels. They keep an eye out for ships running into trouble or sailing into areas they shouldn't, call for help when they see a problem, and help protect wildlife and environmentally sensitive areas.

Now the Marine Exchange is getting ready to do more. It's taking its work in the Bering Strait to the next level with a program called Arctic Watch. As more and more commerce moves to and from the arctic, things are getting crowded. Local communities are seeing a huge increase in big ships offshore. They may soon see a lot more small and medium vessels chasing fish close to the coast as salmon populations move into new river systems. As various nations expand their presence in an ever more ice-free arctic, we see more countries' coast guard and naval vessels plying the northernmost international waters, too.

So the Marine Exchange is working with communities and Tribes in the region to build the program from the bottom up. Shippers need to know more than where the rocks are. It's not enough just to have a chart showing navy ships where there's an undersea cable not to anchor over. Alaskans need those folks to know where they'll be doing subsistence hunts on the ice or setting pots and nets overnight. We need speed limits where whales calve and walruses pup, and buffer zones around the most sensitive habitats or dangerous currents.

When this is built out, it will help ensure our increasingly busy Arctic waters are safe for everyone. And from a building next to the Juneau-Douglas bridge, the folks at the Marine Exchange of Alaska will keep a watchful eye on it all. I'll sleep a little better knowing that.

All my best,

Did someone forward you this newsletter and now you want your very own copy?

Did you fall into it through the series of tubes but now you want it sent straight to you?

Events & Happenings Around District B

Juneau Dance

On Sunday, February 18^th, head to the Alaska Club downtown for free international folk-dance lessons! No cost, and no partner necessary.

Skagway Tournament of Books: Round 1

Come hear the 4 official tournament readers as they provide synopses of 8 books and announce winners! February 25^th 1:30pm

Skagway Gathering of Artists

Join the Skagway Traditional Council most Saturdays and Tuesdays in February to work alongside fellow artists or practice Lingìt!

Skagway Music

Every Saturday from 3-5pm, swing by the Skagway library and play around on the provided instruments—including a mandolin, ukulele, guitar, banjo, and piano!

Gustavus Sew, Knit, Quilt, etc.…!

Sew, knit, crochet, weave and quilt while eating delicious food. Fiberpalooza is at the Community center February 23rd & 24th.

Haines Winterfest

On Feb. 16-18, check out all the fun Winterfest activities. There’s the Miles Klehini Ski Classic, the Kat to Koot Adventure Race, the Winter Game, and more!

Haines Acrylic Paint Pouring

Try your hand at acrylic paint pouring at the library! February 21^st 12:00-2:00pm

Haines Stories!

Head to the Haines Library for story time Friday, February 23^rd! All ages are welcome.