AKJ3

By Libby Casey

The state has again decided not to compete for education dollars available under a competitive federal program.  The Race to the Top competition was designed to get states to develop innovative education plans.  It’s in its second round, and Alaska was one of 10 states that did not apply in Round 1.  Continue reading →

By Libby Casey

The chair of the U-S Arctic Research Commission Mead Treadwell is stepping down, and has filed a letter of intent today to run for Lieutenant Governor on the G-O-P ticket. Continue reading →

By Libby Casey

Alaska’s Senators have introduced a bill that would boost the amount of money oil companies are taxed to pay for spill disasters.  Their legislation comes as B-P struggles to plug and clean up a massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.  Continue reading →

By Libby Casey

Mapping the ocean and what lies beneath is especially challenging in the arctic, where ice jams the sea.  But as the north warms and ice-melt opens up water-ways, countries are competing to know more about the sea bed – especially about potential oil and gas deposits.  Continue reading →

By Libby Casey

Twenty-five people turned out in Washington today to speak on the future of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.  The U-S Fish and Wildlife Service is taking public comments as is prepares to update its comprehensive plan for the Refuge, which was last completed more than two decades ago.  Continue reading →

By Lori Townsend

The leaders of regional economic development commissions including Alaska’s Denali commission gave testimony today to a U-S House of Representatives Transportation subcommittee on their proposed 2011 budgets.  Continue reading →

By Libby Casey

Thousands of miles away from the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Washington D-C prominent environmentalists and members of Congress kicked off a celebration of the Refuge yesterday.  They’re marking fifty years since the region first became a federally protected area under President Dwight Eisenhower.    Continue reading →

By Dave Donaldson

Governor Parnell today vetoed the bill that would have separated oil taxes from natural gas taxes.   It was originally proposed after economic analysts found that under current market conditions and taxes the state risked losing as much as $2-Billion a year in revenue once gas is in the pipe.  Continue reading →

By Libby Casey

Senator Lisa Murkowski and experts in Arctic policy are pessimistic that the U-S will ratify the Law of the Sea Treaty this year, even as Norway and Russia say their countries were able to hammer out an Arctic border dispute this week thanks to the Treaty.  Continue reading →

By Libby Casey

Former Alaska Governor Tony Knowles will sit on an advisory board for the National Park Service.  Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced the appointment Tuesday.  Knowles and eleven others named will make recommendations to the Secretary and the National Park Service Director.   Continue reading →