In a devasting blow to Rep. Mary Peltola, House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Bruce Westerman has been in Alaska this week to share with Alaskans his frustration about Peltola’s lack of advocacy and effectiveness for responsible resource development.
Westerman hosted multiple events with congressional candidate Nick Begich and toured industrial sites where equipment was being made and shipped to the North Slope. Both Gov. Mike Dunleavy and Sen. Dan Sullivan attended events with Begich and Westerman. It was a rare move; usually a chair of a committee doesn’t support the opponent of one of his own members, but in this case, Westerman did, in a big way.
House Natural Resources Committee is arguably the most powerful committee for an Alaska congressional representative to serve on and Alaska has always had a presence on the committee.
But during a candidate forum this month, Rep. Peltola said she would gladly give up her seat on Natural Resources if she could only get a seat on the appropriations committee.
Westerman was taken aback at her statement. Alaska has a strong need for a resource-based economy and Peltola has campaigned on “fish” issues, all of which go through the House Natural Resources Committee.
But it follows the Peltola pattern. Earlier this year, Peltola refused to vote for the Alaska’s Right to Produce Act, and she snuck behind the sponsor’s back and told Democrats to vote against the bill, while she voted “present.”
It was a bill that would stop the Biden Administration from locking up Alaska’s congressionally designated oil and gas leasing areas. It’s a bill that Peltola had initially cosponsored before deciding to distance herself.
The Alaska’s Right to Produce Act would reinstate previously awarded, Biden-canceled oil leases in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
Here’s a short list of AK907 Development Projects that should be on our political leaders radar …
Oil & Gas …
– Build-Out ANWR
– Build-Out Willow
– Westward Expansion including Teshekpuk Lake
– Pt Thomson NGL Expansion
– North Slope LNG (new development)
– North Slope Hydrogen (new development)
– Develop AK907 North Slope Energy Hub
Mining …
– Ambler Mining Area
– Donlin Gold Mine (new development)
– Pebble Gold Mine (new development)
– Livengood Gold Mining Area
– Fort Knox & North Star (expansion)
– Pogo Gold Mine
– Red Dog (expansion)
– Usibelli Coal Mine
– New Development of Coal in Northern AK & Susitina
– Chickaloon (new development … uranium, coal, critical minerals)
– South East … Greens Creek & Bokan Mtn
Roads …
– New Build: Ambler Mining District & Industrial Access Road
– New Build: Donlin Gold Mine & Utility Corridor from Cook Inlet
– New Build: West Susitna Access Corridor Road
– New Build: North Slope East-West Resourcce Development & Industrial Complex
– ReBuild all AK Highway Systems & Bridges
Rail Roads …
– New Build: North Slope
– New Build: AK-Canada Interconnect
Airports …
– Upgrade all Runways
– Upgrade all Maintenance Equipment // Maintenance Equipment Shops & Facilities
– Install Real Time Weather // Navigation Stations
– Renovate and upgrade ‘all’ FAA Facilities & Sites
Utilities …
– Susitna Dam
– Buildout GeoThermal sites
– Start Up Healy Clean Coal Power Plant
– Pursue Small Scale “Modularized” Nuclear Power Plants
– Electrical Inter.Connect Rural Communities
– Fiber Optic Buildout & Interconnect throughout all of Alaska
Ports (expansion//refurbishment) …
– Nome
– Dutch Harbor
– Whittier
– Valdez
– Anchorage
– Kenai
– Pt McKenzie
– South East (Ketchikan, Sitka, Wrangle, Petersburg, Juneau, Haines)
Timber:
– Open backup Tongass National Forrest
– Open backup Timber Mills throughout the Southeast
US Military Bases …
– Reinstate Navy Base @ Adak
– Establish a new Space Force Base
– Establish a new North Slope Base @ Prudhoe Bay (Over-The-Pole … Watch, Listen & Track Activities w/ Nuclear Missiles and Quick Reactionary ‘Super-Sonic’ Air Forces)
– Continue Build-Out // Expanding Ft. Greely Missile Field
– USCG Ice Breaker Fleet based in Adak, Nome & Prudhoe Bay
– USCG Auxiliary Base in Adak, St. Paul and/or St. George
– USCG Build-Out // Expand @ Dutch Harbor, Kodiak, Homer, Whittier, Valdez, and Juneau
– Expand USCG Facilities @ Sitka
– Expand existing facilities and command @ JBER, Ft. Wainwright, Eilson AFB, Ft. Greely, Clear AFB, Shemya AFB
Peltola the grifter is a joke! She has no shame if she isn’t embarrassed over this coup by Begich. She should resign and go back to the village.
Nick is going to be a rock star for Alaska, something we need badly.
Don Young was Chair of the Natural Resources Committee in the mid-90’s (then called the Committee on Resources). Icon Newt Gingrich was the Speaker. Together, they pulled hard for Alaska’s resource growth. .
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Mary Peltola sides with the no growth environmentalist groups. Peltola works against Alaska, every chance she gets. She knows nothing about resource development and I dependent growth for our system. She’s a veritable dunce.
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NB3 will turn this around and fight for Alaska.
I already voted for him.
I have not yet voted.
The Begich family is seriously in the background of Nick3’s candidacy. I do not have a good feeling about their family ‘political brand’. Methinks, with the Begich family, regardless of party, they’re all about Power. Power first, Alaskans second. The fact they float a guy who hasn’t consistently resided in The Great Land is a display of their drive for Begich power & influence. I’ve been here long enough to listen to my adult children and grand children, that is their enlightened perspective. And they have me
convinced.
I have nothing more to say.
Do you judge Robert Kennedy Jr by his psychotic family? Does a murders’ cousin get judged by their kin? I do hope you reconsider and vote for Nick Begich to give him a chance to prove that he will walk the walk for Alaskans.
Peltola has had her chance and failed miserably. She stabbed Alaskans in the back every chance she got.
If Nick Begich fails us I will be right there with you to throw his a** out in 2026.