Tag: Alaska’s Energy Desk

A cruise ship next to a forested hill

Alaska cruise cancellations pile up even as lines plan return to North America this summer

Though large cruise lines will resume sailing in other jurisdictions, it appears unlikely they will in Alaska.
A line coming up to a boat attached to some buoys with kelp hanging down

In Alaska, interest in kelp farming is on the rise, but bureaucracy’s still catching up

Before kelp farmers can put lines in the water, kelp farmers have to apply for state and federal permits, which include opportunities for public comment. The whole process can take up to two years, and a lot of money, time and expertise
A giant snowy mountain

After COVID-19 hiatus, Denali climbing season returns in 2021

In high-elevation environments, a respiratory disease has the potential to be particularly dangerous, raising the stakes for guides on Denali trips.
a raging creek behind a parking lot

As planet warms, researchers project more ‘extreme’ rainfall in Southeast and Western Alaska

Rising temperatures are also forcing researchers to reconsider just how much rain a storm can drop.

As cruise tourism has eclipsed timber in this Southeast town, some wonder: Can a few wild places remain truly local?

Tourism has replaced timber as the primary economic driver in many places around Southeast Alaska. And it’s a growing sector: nearly one and a half million people are forecast to visit the region this summer. But some residents don’t want to see tourists in places that often serve as refuges for locals.

Gulf of Alaska cod appears likely to lose key sustainability label

Climate change is threatening Alaska’s longstanding reputation for sustainable fisheries.

The forecast for Bristol Bay reds is stronger than ever, but some worry about when the bubble bursts

The past few summers have seen enormous returns. At 62.3 million fish, 2018 broke the record for the bay’s largest run ever recorded. Biologists say that abundance won't last.

Akhiok’s new power system opens the door to renewable energy, and reduces costs

The Kodiak village of Akhiok is replacing its 40-year-old power grid and generator. The new system will be vastly more efficient, and comes with the ability to add solar energy in the near future.

Dunleavy administration wants to join court case in defense of Hilcorp’s search for Cook Inlet oil

Alaska Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s administration is coming to the aid of an oil company’s plans to search for oil in Cook Inlet, in the face of a lawsuit filed by environmental organizations.
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The Trump administration wanted an Arctic Refuge lease sale this year. Now it’s out of time.

Two procedural steps are still required before the sale can happen, and each comes with a 30-day waiting period, said Brook Brisson, an attorney for Trustees for Alaska, the Anchorage-based environmental law firm that works with organizations fighting to stop drilling.

Working around the clock to make sure the trans-Alaska Pipeline holds water

"The first week I went to work was the only week in two and a half years that I worked less than eighty hours a week. Many times we would work twenty-four hours a day." Listen now