Rashah McChesney, Alaska's Energy Desk - Juneau
Rashah McChesney is a photojournalist turned radio journalist who has been telling stories in Alaska since 2012. Before joining Alaska's Energy Desk , she worked at Kenai's Peninsula Clarion and the Juneau bureau of the Associated Press. She is a graduate of Iowa State University's Greenlee Journalism School and has worked in public television, newspapers and now radio, all in the quest to become the Swiss Army knife of storytellers.
Oil production is up, and DNR expects it to keep climbing
Production was up about 3 million barrels, and the state is predicting that it’s going to be up next year too. Listen now
State appeals controversial ballot initiative decision to Supreme Court
State lawyers want the Supreme Court to reverse the lower court's decision to allow the Stand for Salmon ballot initiative to move forward. Listen now
On Alaska day, lawmakers and staff met on oil and gas taxes
The meeting was public -- sort of. It wasn't easily accessible. There was no way to call in. The legislative information office, or LIO, was closed for the state holiday. So the meeting wasn't streamed like others are during the legislative session.
State corporation sets December deadline to find customers for Alaska’s gas
Lawmakers peppered Dave Cruz and other members of the AGDC's executive board with questions about project finances, employee turnover and how much money the state expects to make on its share of the project. Listen now
Seeking investment, Alaska goes open source with oil & gas data
Alaska’s Oil and Gas division is releasing valuable oil exploration data from leases on the North Slope and Cook Inlet. Listen now
As the state’s gasline corporation hopes for investment interest, lawmakers look for answers
For the last two months the state’s gasline corporation has asked potential customers and investors in the state-led project to formally show interest in the massive pipeline project, without being bound by a contract.
State rejects Exxon’s plan for Pt. Thomson
This week, the Alaska Department of Natural Resources rejected part of the company’s plan to expand its Pt. Thomson field.
For now, Hurricane Harvey not expected to impact Alaska’s oil and gas
Hurricane Harvey has caused nearly 100 oil and gas production platforms in the Gulf of Mexico to temporarily shut down, but that drop in production doesn't necessarily translate to a higher demand for Alaska's oil. Listen now
State works to interpret its newest oil tax credit overhaul
The state's tax division aims to have its interpretation of the newest oil and gas tax credit bill out by January. Listen now
Oil company sues over Alaska’s beleaguered cash-for-credits program
An oil and gas company is suing the state over $5.3 million in unpaid cash credits. Miller Energy Resources wants anything that happened before it went bankrupt in 2015 to be off-limits to state tax auditors, according to the lawsuit and the company’s bankruptcy filings. Listen now
BlueCrest is latest company to stop work, citing state’s defunct cash-for-credits scheme
BlueCrest is the latest to fall victim to the now-defunct cashable credit program. It announced on August 1 that it couldn’t afford to keep drilling on the Kenai Peninsula and that it would be laying off about 150 people. Listen now
Feds seek comments on Alaska’s in-state natural gas pipeline
The Alaska Standalone Pipeline project would bring gas from the North Slope to communities in Alaska. Listen now
State’s cruise ship monitoring program shielded from budget cuts by tourists
Over a million cruise ship visitors are projected to land in Juneau this year. And the summer cruising season is a big boost for coastal retailers. But, it also brings all of the noisy traffic, haze and water quality issues of big cities — to small towns in Alaska. Listen now
49 Voices: Doreen Cooper of Skagway
This week we're hearing from Doreen Cooper from Skagway. She's working as a volunteer at the Arctic Inter-agency Visitor Center in Coldfoot. Listen now
Fast times and fat wallets – how Alaska got its pipeline
The trans-Alaska pipeline was the largest privately-funded construction project in the world, built across the biggest U.S. state and faced with unprecedented natural obstacles. It came with an $8 billion price tag, but true costs and benefits of the pipeline are still being calculated.
Facing global gas glut, ConocoPhillips to mothball Kenai LNG plant
ConocoPhillips hasn't found a buyer for its liquefied natural gas plant on the Kenai Peninsula. Now, a company spokesperson said it’s going to save expenses by mothballing the facility this fall. Listen now
After months of fighting, House offers Senate a compromise on oil, gas tax credits
After five months of back and forth, the legislature may be close to compromising on changes to the state’s oil and gas tax credit system. Listen now
From Anchorage, Walker tells lawmakers to get back to Juneau
Lawmakers have been meeting in Juneau for nearly half a year, but Gov. Bill Walker told reporters on Monday in Anchorage that he doesn’t think they’re done yet. Listen now
As lawmakers mull budget, unprecedented state shutdown looms
It’s the third straight year that state employees have been faced with the prospect of temporarily losing their jobs. Listen now
$50 million budget cut latest indicator of waning support for state gasline project
The head of Alaska’s Gasline Development Corporation (AGDC) is in China this week, working to attract buyers and woo investors into supporting a state-run LNG export project. Meanwhile, political support in Alaska for the ambitious project is waning. Listen now