By REP. BILL ELAM
Alaska has always been a state of enormous potential. But potential alone doesn’t power homes, create jobs, build roads, or fund schools. For decades, Alaskans have looked to the vast natural gas reserves on the North Slope as a game-changing opportunity. Today, that opportunity is no longer theoretical; it’s real, it’s permitted, and it’s ready.
The Alaska LNG Project (AKLNG) is now one of the most strategically important infrastructure efforts in the United States. It’s fully permitted, shovel-ready, and attracting growing international interest. The project includes an 807-mile pipeline from the North Slope to Nikiski, capable of transporting 3.3 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day, representing a volume large enough to meet the annual residential needs of more than 15 million U.S. households. With federal approvals in place and global demand rising, the conditions for success have never been stronger.
President Donald Trump recently issued an executive order designating Alaska LNG as a national strategic priority. He underscored its significance not just for Alaska’s economy, but for America’s energy independence and national security. In 2024, the U.S. Department of Energy extended Alaska LNG’s export authorization through 2050, reaffirming federal commitment and enabling long-term contracts with key Asian markets like Japan and South Korea. In his March address to Congress, President Trump reiterated this support, sending a clear message: Alaska’s gas matters on the global stage.
And the world is listening. Asian nations are actively seeking long-term, stable LNG supply contracts. Alaska offers a unique advantage: secure, U.S.-produced energy with a shorter shipping route and higher environmental standards than competitors. From Nikiski, it’s only 8 to 10 days to Tokyo by sea, less than half the time it takes from the Gulf Coast. Alaska LNG also has one of the lowest upstream carbon footprints in the world. We’ve got a clear advantage, and now is the time to act.
The Alaska Gasline Development Corporation (AGDC) continues to advance the project, building commercial partnerships and progressing toward a final investment decision (FID) expected by year’s end. The next phase is execution: securing financing, finalizing offtake agreements, and putting Alaskans to work. Once it’s built, AKLNG means good-paying jobs for Alaskans, billions in new revenue, and reliable energy for the future. The project is expected to create more than 10,000 construction jobs at its peak and support over 1,000 permanent positions once operational. Independent studies estimate that AKLNG could generate up to $26 billion in direct and indirect economic activity during construction and operation phases.
The LNG export terminal planned for Nikiski — right in the heart of District 8 on the Kenai Peninsula — represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity for Alaskans. It will create construction jobs, long-term pipeline and plant operational jobs, and economic growth that will ripple throughout our communities. According to AGDC, the Nikiski facility alone could contribute more than $300 million annually in wages and local economic output, which would significantly bolster our tax base, fund infrastructure, and support local schools. But its impact doesn’t stop here. This project will benefit all of Alaska, sending our energy to the world while bringing revenue and reliability back home.
But this project is about more than just economics. It’s about strengthening America’s energy posture, reducing global dependence on authoritarian regimes for energy, and delivering cleaner-burning fuel to our allies. It’s about ensuring Alaska plays a central role in a more stable, secure, and sustainable energy future.
That window, however, won’t stay open forever. LNG markets are competitive. Other nations are moving forward with their own projects. If Alaska hesitates, we risk falling behind and losing this opportunity entirely. We’ve spent decades getting to this point. The permits are in place. The world needs our resources and energy, and our communities are ready to work, to lead, and to be part of something that powers Alaska’s future.
Now is the time to deliver. This isn’t just a pipeline. It’s our shot at putting Alaska on the map, leading in energy, and building lasting prosperity for the next generation. And to be clear, one of the few things that could still derail this project is political interference. The state legislature must resist the urge to meddle. This project has momentum, private sector backing, and federal support. Let’s not throw up roadblocks. Let’s get out of the way and let Alaska succeed.
Rep. Bill Elam serves District 8, Nikiski, on the Kenai Peninsula.