Last week, Homer, Alaska-based Cook Inletkeeper joined its national extremist cousin, the Center for Biological Diversity, in filing a lawsuit against the federal government, aiming to stop Hilcorp from moving ahead with seismic testing in its areas where it holds leases for possible future oil and gas extraction. As noted in our earlier post on the subject, Hilcorp’s ability to complete seismic testing will allow it to map potential fields.  Cook Inletkeeper – driven to appease its Lower-48-funded handlers’ wishes to lock up as much of Alaska from responsible resource development, even when the development would allow for “green energy”…

The Tongass National Forest – the U.S.’s largest – used to be a base of operations for several logging companies. In 1990, there were more than 4,000 employees in Alaska, when both logging and mill operations were counted. Then came the Clinton administration, where a war on clear-cutting became the standard operating procedure for the environmentalists who had the administration’s ears.  By 2010, there were only 400 or so Alaskans involved in the industry. With President Trump signaling a renewed interest in putting Americans to work, the Forest Service plans on offering leases in the Tongass, beginning later this year….

As Power The Future has noted, the U.S. Forest Service’s plans for the first timber lease sales in years in Southeast Alaska could bring back much-needed jobs. “Not so fast!” was the immediate response from eight environmental groups, who sued to block the project – before the details were even made public. Yes, that’s right. Before the details were even made public. Here’s what we know: the Forest Service’s plan calls for stream restorations and culvert replacements, as well as improved recreation including trail building and new public use cabins and shelters that have been asked for by locals. In other words,…