By REP. MIA COSTELLO
As a lifelong Alaskan, I’ve seen our state’s heart beat strongest where the land yields its bounty. From the oil fields of the North Slope to the mineral-rich mountains of the Interior, Alaska’s economic lifeblood has always been its resources. The passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill, crafted with the input of our Congressional delegation and signed into law by President Donald Trump on July 4, is a game-changer, and it represents a bold step toward securing our prosperity through safe, responsible development. This isn’t just a bill, it’s a lifeline for Alaskans and a beacon for our future.
The federal legislation throws open the doors to Alaska’s vast potential. It mandates lease sales across 1.6 million acres in ANWR, 20 million acres in NPR-A, and millions more in Cook Inlet, unlocking oil and gas reserves that will fuel our economy for decades. In addition to opening more federal land for resource development, the bill secures a 70-30 revenue split with the federal government for ANWR, NPR-A, and Cook Inlet, up from the current split of 50-50, bringing additional royalties directly back to Alaska starting in 2034.
The bill also includes $1 billion for critical minerals development, positioning Alaska as a key supplier of materials used in energy, defense, and manufacturing. We have the deposits, and now we have the federal support needed to develop them. Combined with $4 billion for Arctic infrastructure which will be used for roads, ports, and a new polar icebreaker in Juneau, the bill offers both near-term construction jobs and long-term economic stability.
These investments strengthen Alaska’s role in domestic energy production and in Arctic policy. At a time when global energy markets are uncertain and international competition is increasing, this legislation ensures Alaska is part of the solution. It’s also worth emphasizing that the bill doesn’t relax standards or bypass environmental oversight. It supports development within existing regulatory frameworks and honors Alaska’s history of balancing economic activity with environmental responsibility. We know how to develop resources the right way, and we’ve been doing it for decades.
The bill doesn’t solve every challenge we face, but it gives Alaska a solid foundation. It reaffirms the principle that we can and should use our own resources to support our own people. This isn’t about making a political statement, it’s about putting Alaska in a stronger position to succeed.
Now that the bill has passed, the focus should be on implementation. We need to support lease sales, ensure permitting stays on schedule, and work with industry to get projects moving. We also need to be prepared for the legal and political challenges that will inevitably follow.
To help guide this process, I will be working with our federal delegation to establish the Alaska Development, Resources, Energy, and Modernization (AK DREAM) Commission. The Alaska DREAM Commission will be focused on the efficient and effective implementation of the pro-Alaska policies included in the federal legislation and will work to ensure coordination between agencies, accelerate project timelines, and keep the promises of the legislation on track.
Time is of the essence, and our state must come together to capitalize on this bold agenda. This bill gives Alaska the chance to lead again; let’s make the most of it.
Rep. Mia Costello is the House Minority Leader and represents District 15-Anchorage.
Now is the time to change the wolves into into puppies with growth purpose instead of ravaging the natural resources of our inheritance. If we share this time and gift, lets do so with strength of purpose and planning. Don’t get into the bait and switch to the residents of the state.
Yeah… I agree DK… nice article but Alaska is in a free fall, headed for disaster given the level of unethical behavior that’s come to light. For instance who at the helm now watching over the PFD etc…Adam Crum—who was responsible for managing billions of state dollars—whom just “resigned” after being fully exposed by the Governor’s own Chief of Staff….
Perhaps it’s time to bring in someone like Donna Arduin, as was done in D.C., to examine the state’s financial issues. Oh right, we can’t, she was fired for speaking truth years ago! Meanwhile, lets find out what Adam hasn’t done for Alaska while enriching himself and preparing for a run for governor.
POLITIC ON… and let’s watch this train go straight off the cliff!
Things are improving in Alaska’s oil and gas industry, the days of big oil Monopolies running Alaska may be over! The state of Alaska has lots of great people in the state agencies like the Department of Natural Resources! What a great leader we have in Sen. MIA Costello she is among those like Tom McKay that seems to know running off oil and gas competitors and other Natural Resources investors with agencies that are known to make up the rules as they go along and substitute what they think is prudent instead of following the very clear wording in the regulations and the law. Alaska is seeing signs of hope for a fair and reasonable Agency policy. Now is the time to avoid overstepping authority and make sure that the law supports the Agency actions. The world of investors have had decades of abuse of discretion and actions by Alaska that lead to unnecessary litigation and decline of Jobs, income and production, they left but maybe with people leading the charge with Senators like Mia Costello Alaska may have some hope! I think it is great to see that change is coming so Alaska can be great again. The state needs more diversity and not Just two companies operating and producing 98% of all oil and gas, open Alaska to investors by being fair so the people of Alaska can finally see some prosperity in their own homes and not some distant major corporations head quarters in Texas. Drill Baby Drill.
Bring back Cathy Tilton as leader of the caucus. Mia is a shill and inept. Kevin McCabe would probably be good too – at least for the Republicans while they wallow in the minority
Aw come on, Mia, this is old news. What I, and several thousands of other Alaskans want to know, is
where will you be on August 2nd and if you go to the special session how will you vote? Are you going to slap your supporters in the face again?
Yeah, yeah. You’ll be riding on the BBB. I’ve always wondered why when you ushered in Uber, you didn’t provide for the city and state. All that money those full-time Uber drivers generate goes to San Francisco and Saudi Arabia, while none goes to Anchorage. Yet that money outsiders get is earned on streets taxi permit owners pay a tax to use, while thousands of full-time Uber drivers do not. There are local problems that need your heavy hand. HOMELESSNESS IS UGLY AND GROWING. CRIME IS SURGING. Guess we’ll have to for Trump and the BBB to fix that too ‘cuz you and your ilk won’t, or even be honest about why it’s happening.
When Biden took office (actually his handlers), I literally witnessed this state being shut down. Oil production, resource utilization like logging, mining, and our fisheries. Many Alaskans became unemployed. Biden released millions of dollars for Murkowski to dole out to those affected workers. Essentially paying people to not work. We buy imported oil, imported meats and seafoods, imported lumber. Time for a change.
With respect, Mia, the bill does –not– “give Alaska a solid foundation”.
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Alaska’s doing so well now because it’s run by unelected commissions instead of elected legislators?
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So you add one more commission to the mob, the Alaska Development, Resources, Energy, and Modernization Commission to do what exactly, besides launder taxpayers’ money? How will you know when they’re doing a good or bad job?
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What about the Denali Commission, with their pipeline to the federal Treasury, operated by the four most powerful political groups in the state, they’re too dumb to do this work?
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Want to “give Alaska a solid foundation”, why not first grub out, replace the rotting rubble upon which Alaska state government now squats?
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Time’s not “of the essence”, or has your Republican-Democrat “coalition” run Alaska so far down the toilet that only another commission can save it?
You don’t seem like someone who’s blinded by stars and dollar signs so, instead of preaching to the choir, why not:
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introduce bills to fix the state’s clearly corrupted education, election, and justice systems,
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enact a mini-RICO law, get bums out of public spaces, start serious drug interdiction with mandatory sentencing for drug and human trafficking, review state laws to see which can be abolished, prohibit sanctuary cities, make harboring illegal aliens a top-class felony, mandate help to ICE,
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mandate periodic forensic audit of state finance and management practices, laws to cut state aid to every government which hires lobbyists, impose payments-in-lieu-of-taxes on non-profits, require all nonprofits to register with IRS?
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Sure and you can’t pass a law about Republican lawmakers caucusing with the party of baby killers, child groomers, and America haters, but there it is, that’s not why voters elected Republicans, including you, but it is why state government can never be anything but a putrescent tumor on the face of real progress while the sense of betrayal and evidence of public corruption exists …you’re in bed (politically) with the very ideologues who hate what the BBB stands for and the Americans who made it happen! Lifelong Alaskan, you never had rules about acceptable playmates, so now it’s cool to play with folks who despise everything you hold near and dear?
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Can’t pass a law about reducing the effect lobbyists and commissions have on legislators at the expense of voters who don’t have either, but there it is, voters elected Republicans to listen to them, not to lobbyists and commissions! How about a law instead to move the capital where most of Alaska can readily see what’s happening, or does that need a commission too?
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Now there’s a grand start to your “solid foundation”, you can lead it. Imagine what happens when everyone sees you leading it.