By ALEX GIMARC
One of the things those of us with military experience consider before the exchanging unpleasantries with the “other side” is choosing and preparing the location most advantageous to whatever it is we want to do and least advantageous to whatever it is the other side wants to do. This is referred to as battlespace preparation.
The battle this time around is the removal of the Eklutna Dam, something it appears that the Anchorage Assembly fully supports.
Rick Whitbeck has written multiple pieces about what a bad idea this is. Suzanne Downing also has multiple pieces on the festivities.
Today’s issue is AO 2024-46, by Chairman Constant and Vice Chairman Zaletel. This ordinance directs Anchorage Water and Waste Utility to “decouple” the Municipality’s access to drinking water from the 1991 Eklutna Fish and Wildlife Agreement. This decoupling was introduced April 24. The first public hearing was on May 7. Action on it has been postponed four times, most recently to July 30.
If you sort through the multiple “Whereas” clauses, you find that Mayor Dave Bronson did a brilliant job obstructing the Assembly’s efforts to remove the dam, most recently neglecting to notify the Assembly of a Regulatory Commission of Alaska order for the Municipality to surrender its vote on the Eklutna Operating Committee. This was done as part of its approval of Chugach Electric’s purchase of Municipal Light & Power, agreed to by the Assembly and the Ethan Berkowitz Administration in 2019. The Assembly claims that the Bronson administration did not inform them until December, 2023.
In Jan 2024, AWWU and the Eklutna Owners (Chugach Electric and Matanuska Electric Association) executed a term sheet governing AWWU’s access to drinking water. The Assembly demanded access to the sheet and eventually saw it during a February 2024 executive session. They were not allowed to retain copies, which irritated them greatly, as shown in the “Whereas” statements. Since then, there has been at least one amendment executed.
The final “w”Whereas” clause claims public funds, water rights, public lands have been encumbered by agreements that the Assembly was never informed of, and has no voice, while the Bronson Administration withheld “critical information.” Note that all of this is direct fallout from the ML&P sale that the Assembly, Mayor and Regulatory Commission of Alaska all approved.
From here, it looks like the Bronson Administration prudently took steps to keep both the lights on in Anchorage and keep drinking water flowing to Anchorage residents (per the AWWU term sheet).
On the other hand, these steps make it more difficult for the newly self-anointed experts in all things electrical and water on the Assembly to remove the Eklutna dam, something they are hell-bent to do.
The Assembly is in something of a tough spot with this, as MEA doesn’t support the dam’s removal. The Chugach Board got a little less likely to support the removal in April. And the RCA, Legislature and governor don’t support removal, though the greens certainly do support removal.
Why is the Assembly so hard-over on removing the dam? I expect the opening bid was obeisance to green dogma. Over the last three years, they included kneejerk opposition to all-things Bronson. Today, I don’t have a publicly stated reason, but if it were me, I would first use the follow the money filter.
We already know that Assemblywoman Meg Zaletel is making a very nice living off the Homeless Industrial Complex she helped build over the last decade, a complex that has wasted tens of to over a hundred million dollars over that period. Given government-to-government relations established between this Assembly and the 72-member Eklutna tribe, one can only wonder what sorts of offline negotiations and promises have been made.
In my view, follow the money is the very first thing to look at.
Passing this ordinance is simply another step toward making it easier to remove the dam. Their problem is that removal will require RCA approval and a compliant governor. Doing something about the RCA will take a while. They think their compliant governor is waiting in the wings when Democrat Forrest Dunbar runs to replace Gov. Dunleavy in 2026.
I am reminded of PJ O’Rourke’s observation: Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys. Think of the Assembly and perhaps even newly ensconced Mayor LaFrance as the teenage boys and you won’t be far wrong.
Alex Gimarc lives in Anchorage since retiring from the military in 1997. His interests include science and technology, environment, energy, economics, military affairs, fishing and disabilities policies. His weekly column “Interesting Items” is a summary of news stories with substantive Alaska-themed topics. He was a small business owner and Information Technology professional.
The Native Movement (a Soros funded communist anti white group ) has stated on their website the goal of removing the dam to restore sacred waters and sacred land. Lmao
All part of the “decolonization” of Alaska, running water and electricity are clearly products of colonization.
You work hard to see race in everything.
You work hard to keep your eyes closed.
Exactly.
The whole “land acknowledgement” crap the assembly does at every meeting is just another flavor of that. Under the pretense of respecting the natives, they are really diminishing all other cultures. Especially any western culture.
I am for it if the Eklutna electric and water is turned off and all the assembly politicians have their power and water shut off first.
Probably the most important reason to get rid of Ranked Voting this year.
If the Democrats can maneuver a phony like Bill Walker into office by simply dragooning the fake Republicans that support Nick Begich III and
Princess Lisa – it would be a snap to seize the gov’s office under RCV.
Bye-bye hydroelectric dam if that happens.
Wow – 72 tribal members. That is as many as live on my cul-de-sac and the adjacent one in South Anchorage. But for some reason the Assembly could care less than zero about us. That Zac Johnson is such a powerful, effective and attentive public official. On, and spineless – did I mention spineless?
The Governor needs to approve the current utility proposal without delay. If he starts hand-wringing and dithering, he will be making an error that will harm the community for decades.
“Spineless” is name-calling and refusing to sign one’s name to the charge.
Point taken on the name-calling. I guess I have been called racist, sexist and homophobic so often that I have weakened a bit. I will try to be much more specific about Assemblymember Johnson’s betrayals of the interests of the people he represents in the future. I don’t think it will be hard.
Thanks Alex, always appreciate your analysis
I’m all for turning the power off in anchorage. They can throw the switch December 1st. God forbid we have a basically free power source. How much water is anchorage taking out of eklutna lake. ??? I say that needs to halt as well.
Power companies just need to shut the lights off in Eklutna and let them suffer with no electricity. Cut the power lines and let the village create their own power.
Nobody lives there anymore, they all live in ANC.
Eklutna is just a Dene’ museum at this point (& an interesting place to visit for an hour or 2)
There are far more environmentally friendly renewable energy sources now, than many years ago when the Eklutna Dam destroyed the Eklutna River salmon and local environment. Providing a new water intake and planning replacement of the hydropower with more environmentally sound renewable energy will eventualkly restore the salmon and environment to the way nature made it. This is a common sense and economical strategy.
Can you please give us a rundown on all of these options? Oh goodie… two salmon runs a year .. maybe… and a lake and stream with renewed spiritualism. How is hydro not renewable and sound…. isn’t it like wind farms but with water and not air?
Solar and wind are nothing like hydro. Hydro is reliable, dispatchable, and on demand whereas solar and wind are none of those.
Ok Mr. Rast, enlighten us on these “friendly” renewables. Are you talking windmills? Solar panels? The infrastructure and cost to bring these to a viable status would be in the multimillion dollar range. Add to this their fragility and questionable performance and you could have a very fun winter.
Apparently, you have again decided to ignore reality and all of the information and data showing the issues and problems with “environmentally friendly renewable energy sources” in favor of parroting the propaganda spewed by those making money off lying and brainwashing you to buy their stuff that really isn’t environmentally friendly at all if you look at it in depth, beginning to end. Just buy it cuz it says green on it, right? There is nothing
common sense or economical about it at all. You aren’t even concerned about the harm to all the people in Anchorage, only forcing them to adhere to your ideology and opinions. You should be the first person to lose your water and electricity.
Oh “Frank”
Please name one environmentally friendly power sources. Windfarms have a 25 year lifespan, kill birds and do not produce enough power to supply Anchorage. Solar panels, lol.
…bbbbbuttt…..but……but…….
Hahahahahahaha.
The dam provides clean, renewable, electric for ~25,000 homes.
How many acres of plant & wildlife habitat will be destroyed to install enough solar panels for 25,000 homes Frank?
Eklutna, supplies 96% of Anchorage’s drinking water, and the cheapest and cleanest power for MEA and CEA. The dam removal is not likely.
Frank are you using city water and power?
My bet is yes.
You stop using fossil fuels or sit down and shut up as your all talk and no action.
Usually addicts have to hit rock bottom before they actually commit to change.
Anchorage is addicted to not bothering to vote. The AKGOP is addicted to being feckless.
Enjoy hitting rock bottom, Anchorage.
I agree with Steven let the village go back to the old ways ,home made bows using animal sinew, primitive traps and snares, whale fat for lightning, no internal combustion engines at all no propane, electricity, or government aid/welfare, stop funding the taj mahal/ anmc, ect.
The village of Eklutna would be better off building a casino.
How would the video slots run without electricity??
Gamble by candle light, oil lanterns?
Whale oil??
This is pandering to the Eklutna Village. Plain and simple. It’s also bending the knee to the enviro-nazis. The solution is simple: since Anchorage will no longer be able to provide enough power, we should deny power to the village and to the assembly members and regulators that push this foolishness. Seriously, who believes it makes sense to get rid of renewable energy to force Anchorage to either burn more natural gas to provide power or suffer brownouts and blackouts during the winter.
No one lives in the village.
They all live in town, except for a handful of houses.
Even the guys that waved to us all from their coaches above the Glen Hwy have moved away.
Yes they live on Fairbanks street next to Home Depot.
Thank you Alex Gimarc. You’ve demonstrated certain members of the assembly are either corrupt, or stark raving mad.
Embrace the power of”and”
Human beings have a right to clean water and equal access to clean energy. Human beings matter more than theoretical salmon. The assembly is too rigid in their ideology to see the consequences of their proposal and Dunleavy may yet be happy to oblige them out of personal animosity and contempt. This situation is evil. I pray for Anchorage every day.
Outsiders
All these friendly options. Oil and gas built. Metal built. Welded using coal fired electricity. It’s all awesome.
I’m curious how big that salmon run ever was. ?? It’s a short river that’s damn near vertical in sections. I’m betting Eklutna natives enjoyed the electricity and running water more than a few salmon. One thing for sure they are getting a black eye over this insane proposal.
The green (and Eklutna Tribe) claim is that there used to be a red run up Eklutna river. ADF&G took a look at claims of reds spawning in Eklutna Lake 30 years ago or so. They took cores from the lake sediment and found no reds (the bones tend to persist for a while).
Like most streams in the Knik Turnagain Arms, Eklutna likely got a few silvers, pinks, chum and the occasional king. Probably still do. They spawn in the river. There is a small red run up Fish Creek into Big Lake. There was a small red run into Sixmile Lake on JBER that has been closed to fishing for a while.
Yeah, there are a few fish, but they are few and far between. You get much better fishing targeting the stocked king and red runs at Eklutna tailrace. Using salmon runs is an excuse rather than a reality. Cheers –
90% of the water for Anchorage comes from Eklutna Lake. Read that again: 90%. Do you want a revolution? Turn off the water. If you aren’t on well water, and the dam must go, you must go, too. Or another dam must be erected elsewhere, complete with pipeline and water treatment plant. What chance do you think there is of another dam being built? Anywhere?
Go ahead, Punk. Make my day. Turn off the water. They will come for you with lit lanterns and pitchforks. I’ve got my popcorn stocked for the show.
A report needs to be written up on what each assembly member’s personal backup plan is when electricity and water are cut to Anchorage. Do they have alternative sources that will allow them to not be affected while the rest of the municipality is going down?
Hydropower is an excellent, renewable and cost efficient source of power. This issue illustrates the underlying fraud the entire climate crisis with an array of dysfunctional “solutions” designed to enrich a tiny segment of special interests actually is. Destroying critical functioning infrastructure is insane.
Where do we install their new nuclear power plant in Eklutna??
Based on the new 8.5 MW, 45 acre solar farm near Houston, approximately 900 acres of solar panels would be needed to replace Eklutna Hydropower
How well do they work when the sun is down?
In the middle of winter?
And those 900 acres of solar only provide enough power during the peak of the day during the summer, when it’s not cloudy.
Where is the power going to come from for the remainder of the time?
Ok, Solar at Hawk Lane presents 1:8th potential in high summer. How much did GOV supplement to make seem affordable? What happens when consumers pay real cost ?
8.5 MW is slightly less then 5 large onshore wind turbines…..Current off shore turbines make 3.6MW each unit, so less than 3 to equal hundreds of acres of solar panels.
MegaWatts (MW) are increasing with newest generation of wind turbines.
We even have a school for technicians in Seward.
The anchorage assembly reminds me of the Reverend Jim Jones Peoples Temple in Guyana. Be very careful of these folks. Just saying.
Battlespace… preparation to management to dominance… liking how you think, Alex.
.
Care to elaborate on the unclassified parts, initiating regime change, fomenting regime collapse?
Respectfully, let us add some clarity to multiple people’s comment and the main article.
1. 90% of the MOA that GETS city water gets its from the Eklutna dam. BUT, less than 50% of the city is on city water.
2. Half the water from the Eklutna dam goes to JBER. Where services are rendered by a contracted Native Corp.
3. The Village of Eklutna is a sham, as it is wholly located in the MOA and is not an Indian reservation. As one poster noted it is mostly a place, not a true residential village. This would be like treating sections of the MOA as standalone entities, Upper Hillside or Bayshore would have more “village residents”.
4. This is more of the liberal assembly’s separate but equal approach to business.
5. If the Assembly was SOOOOO concerned when Berkie sold ML&P why was this topic not part of the agreement? You know Christy Constant was on the Assembly when that sale occurred. Research who approved Berkie’s sale of ML&P.
6. We have wind power coming from Fire Island, a standard wind turbine makes 1.6 to 1.85 Mega-watts. MEGA….yes they could hurt birds and yes they have some consumables that have 25yr shelf life. No and I mean NO energy source is without some trade off. Research mining impacts of solar panels and electric vehicles…..freaking joke. I am a fan of the new small, lower radioactive nuke plants. Research and embrace Gen IV nuke reactors. We need a thorium molten salt nuclear power station….mic drop
Typical leftists control resources to the point of killing citizens and forcing poverty.
Well Anchorage peasants, thus is your iwn making…to disinterested to fight the cheating and obvious communism.
Your laziness and apathy will be to your own destruction.
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