In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Power The Future’s Alaska State Director, Rick Whitbeck, attended college with a number of classmates from Southeast Alaska.  Many of them came from small towns and villages, scattered from Juneau to Prince of Wales Island.  Many came from families who made their living from logging activities. Whether working in amongst the giant trees so plentiful in the area, or at one of the many mills that formed the economic centers of town, logging-related employment numbered over 4,600 in 1990. Later that decade came the election of President Bill Clinton, a more rabid environmentalist…

Last week, the Alaska Miners Association celebrated its 80th anniversary with a week-long convention in Anchorage.  Miners and mining enthusiasts – from placer to hard rock to rare earth in nature – came from across the state and around the world. There were technical discussions with topics focused on the engineering, geoscience and technologies necessary to prospect and produce a working mine.  There were updates from some of the projects – large and small – on the progress being made to extract from Alaska’s vast wealth of earthen riches.  There were panel discussions on topics such as the social impacts…

Alaska’s history with industrialized mining goes back to the 1870s, when placer miners began prospecting throughout communities in southeast Alaska. A panel discussion this morning at the Alaska Miners’ Association’s annual conference focused on the recent push by environmental extremists to damage the integrity, performance, safety and environmental record of miners across Alaska. From the Red Dog Mine in northwest Alaska, where Teck Resources has partnered with NANA – the area’s Regional Native Corporation – and now boasts over 60% regional hire, to an influx of women and minority groups in the industry across the state. Andy Cole with Donlin…

Recently, an article caught my eye.  New Mexico, flush with excess state revenues due to their booming oil and gas industry, is considering legislation to provide free in-state postsecondary education to any of its high school students. Looking back on my college days, how to eventually pay off my student loan debt was certainly something that crossed my mind every time I signed that semester’s promissory note.  If such a program had been available to me, I don’t believe I’d have given it a second thought.  I’d have signed up for it immediately. But that’s not what some students in…

Alaska’s five largest hard-rock mining prospects – if you consider the Ambler Road District one overall project – could bring nearly 5,000 full-time jobs to the state. The District, along with the Pebble Project, Graphite One, Donlin Creek and the Palmer Prospect, each contain world-class deposits of one or more materials needed for a variety of technological, military and traditional – as well as green – energy production. Each is located in a different geographical area in Alaska.  Each would bring needed jobs to rural communities.  Each would bring millions of dollars in salaries to their respective employees over the…

At a Tuesday morning press conference in Anchorage, former Alaska Lt. Governor Mead Treadwell broke the news that had Alaskans calling, texting and emailing each other. A partnership between Exxon (and its Point Thomson Unit) and Lloyd’s Energy of Dubai (through its subsidiary, Qilak LNG), would provide a way for Point Thomson’s natural gas to be exported to markets in Asia – specifically Japan, Korea and the Philippines. Per an article in Must Read Alaska, Qilak “will be opening an [Anchorage] office to complete a feasibility study, environmental impact statement and export permits, that will lead to a final investment…

As “Indigenous Peoples’ Day” came and went in Alaska on Monday, it was a good day to be reminded of the impact on jobs and Alaska’s economy that the various regional and village corporations have.  These corporations – created under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act – make up a tremendous percentage of Alaska-based business success stories. According to the ANCSA Regional Association’s 2017 Economic Impact Report: In the most recent Alaska Business Monthly (ABM) ranking of the top Alaskan companies, the “Top 49ers,” all twelve ANCSA Regional Corporations were on the list as they have been every year covered…