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Listicle: Highlights of the ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ of interest to Alaskans

Suzanne Downing
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Listicle: Highlights of the ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ of interest to Alaskans

Some of the items of the “Big Beautiful Bill,” which is the federal budget reconciliation package, that are of interest to Alaskans:

Reducing entitlement fraud

  • Aligns SNAP with other state-administered entitlement programs by requiring states to shoulder a share of the benefit costs, incentivizing states like Alaska, where 15% of Alaskans are enrolled in SNAP, to administer SNAP more efficiently and effectively. The national overpayment rate of SNAP benefits is 10.03%.
  • Prevents states from manipulating SNAP eligibility and benefit calculations to inflate enrollment. Alaska has a high error rate in benefit calculations with overpayment rates reported to be at 59.59%, compared to 11.7% nationally.
  • Restores SNAP work requirements for able-bodied adults without young dependents.
  • Advances eligible reinvestments improvements to farm policy and other priorities in rural America.

Armed Services

  • $9 billion for “Servicemember Quality of Life,” including increases in allowances and special pays, as well as improvements to housing, healthcare, and assistance to military families.
  • $34 billion for Shipbuilding and the Maritime Industrial Base to expand the size and enhance the capability of our naval fleet.
  • $12 billion to expand stocks of spares, improve infrastructure at military depots and shipyards, and enhance the capability of Special Forces.
  • $5 billion to help carry out President Trump’s border, immigration, and counterdrug enforcement agenda.

Education

  • Reduces deficit by $351 billion.
  • Caps total amount of federal student aid to the “median cost of college,” which is $50,000 for undergraduate students, $100,000 for graduate students, and $150,000 for students in graduate professional programs, with a lifetime limit for every student capped at $200,000.
  • Establishes a performance-based grant program for grants that will be awarded based on strong earning potential programs, low tuitions and other sideboards.
  • Prevents future presidents from being able to forgive student loans that were made by the government or that are government-backed.

Energy and Commerce

  • Reduces the deficit by $912 million.
  • Unleashes American energy.
  • Reforms Medicaid to establish work requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents.
  • Closes loopholes that allow illegal immigrants to enroll in Medicaid. Reduces funding to states that prioritize Medicaid coverage of illegal immigrants.
  • Rescinds Green New Deal-style projects, streamlines process for developing American energy infrastructure.
  • Reverses Biden EV mandates and CAFE standards for passenger cars and light trucks.
  • Modernizes the Department of Commerce by updating IT systems and using beneficial artificial intelligence tools.

Homeland Security

  • Provides $980 billion for border security, increases federal spending by $67 billion.
  • Provides $5 billion of Customs and Border Protection facilities to support staffing and evolving security challenges.
  • $4.1 billion for hiring and training 3,000 new Border Patrol agents, 5,000 new Office of Field Operations customs officers, and other personnel.
  • $2 billion in sighing bonuses and annual retention.
  • $1.076 billion for CPB’s non-intrusive inspection technology to detect and interdict illegal drugs like fentanyl.
  • $2.7 billion for border technology, such as ground detection sensors that can detect tunnels.

Judiciary

  • $110 billion for border security, increases spending by $4 billion.
  • Reinforces Trump efforts to secure southern border
  • Provides funding for at least one million removals annually of illegal immigants.

Natural Resources

  • Reinstates quarterly onshore oil and gas leases and requires geothermal lease sales.
  • Mandates at least 30 lease sales in Gulf of America over 15 years and six in Cook Inlet.
  • Gives Alaska 90-10 split in oil royalties starting in 2035.
  • Resumes energy production in NPRA and ANWR.
  • Resumes coal leasing on federal lands.
  • Increases timber sales on federal lands, requires long-term timber contracts.
  • Rescinds slush funds created by Biden to advance radical environmental agenda and that lined the pockets of environmental litigation groups at the expense of taxpayers.
Epic win: Congressman Begich bags historic 90/10 oil revenue split for Alaska

Transportation and Infrastructure

  • Reduces deficit by at least $10 billion.
  • Historic investment of $212 billion to recapitalize the Coast Guard, including acquisition of cutters, aircraft, and icebreakers.
  • Construction of facilities to secure the border.
  • Invests $12.5 billion in overhaul and modernization of failing air traffic control systems.
  • Increase federal revenues up to $38 billion by adding a $250 fee on electric vehicles, a $100 fee on hybrids. The money will go into the Highway Trust Fund and creates parity with gas-powered vehicles that already pay these fees at the pump.
  • Rescinds nearly $4 billion from seven Green New Deal programs created by Democrats with the Inflation eduction Act.

Ways and Means

  • Makes the 2017 Trump tax cuts permanent, protecting the average taxpayer rom a 22% tax hike.
  • Delivers President Trump’s “no tax on tips, overtime pay,” and no tax on car interest loans.
  • Provides addition tax relief for seniors.
  • Holds woke universities accountable by increasing the tax on their university endowments and subjecting the largest endowments to the corporate tax rate.
  • Ends over $500 billion in Inflation Reduction Act subsidies.
  • Prevents taxpayer benefits from going to illegal immigrants by requiring a Social Security number for individuals claiming tax credits and deductions, closing the loophole that allow Obamacare premium tax credits and Medicare tax creates going to illegal immigrants.
What’s the status of the US House budget package that has longterm help for Alaska’s energy economy?
One hundred days of Nick Begich in Congress: Report on benchmarks and accomplishments

What’s the status of the US House budget package that has longterm help for Alaska’s energy economy?

Suzanne Downing
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What’s the status of the US House budget package that has longterm help for Alaska’s energy economy?

Energy policies included in the US House budget reconciliation package represent a big departure from the federal energy strategy under the Biden Administration, with a return to fossil fuel development that could provide a financial boost to states like Alaska in the coming years.

The legislation, supported by House Republicans and endorsed by President Donald Trump, includes a wide range of pro-energy provisions designed to expand oil and gas production while rolling back Biden’s so-called “clean energy” incentives that depend on dirty mining in China.

The House reconciliation package has yet to pass out of the House Budget Committee, which stalled the bill on Friday.

However, energy-related sections advanced by the House Ways and Means and Natural Resources Committees outline sweeping changes. These include mandates to expand federal fossil fuel leasing, streamline the permitting process, lower royalty rates for oil and gas producers, refill the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, and delay implementation of the Methane Emissions Reduction Program.

A centerpiece of the proposal is a requirement for at least 30 oil and natural gas lease sales on federal lands and in the Gulf of Mexico over the next 15 years.

For Alaska, the bill mandates six lease sales in Cook Inlet and authorizes new leasing in the National Petroleum Reserve and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Additionally, it reinstates quarterly onshore lease sales, with projected federal revenue gains of roughly $12 billion.

Epic win: Congressman Begich bags historic 90/10 oil revenue split for Alaska

Alaska Congressman Nick Begich, a Republican, played the key role in ensuring the inclusion of measures favorable to the state, particularly those enabling development in Cook Inlet, NPRA, and ANWR.

In addition, Begich has thrown a life ring to future Alaska legislators struggling to balance the state budget. In what could be one of the most important developments for Alaska’s economy and ailing state budget, Begich has inserted in the budget an increase Alaska’s share of federal leasing revenues from 50% to 90% starting in 2035. This could dramatically strengthen the state’s long-term fiscal outlook at a time when state lawmakers are looking to tax Alaskans and to even dissolve their Permanent Fund dividends altogether.

Global oil supply and demand is the silent member at Legislature’s budget negotiation table

While the bill has strong backing from Republicans and fossil fuel advocates, it faces resistance from Democrat lawmakers and strong opposition from environmental groups.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, who has had mercurial stances energy issues, expressed concerns about the scope of the legislation because she wants the Biden “green energy” measures preserved.

“I’m not investing anything in it until we see it,” Murkowski told reporters last week. “I’m not going to get too excited about what’s happening there until you see the final.”

Although the budget reconciliation failed to pass the House Budget Committee on Friday due to opposition from four conservative members of the Freedom Caucus (Chip Roy, Josh Brecheen, Andrew Clyde, and Ralph Norman), who joined Democrats to block it, the committee plans to reconvene on Sunday. The four members who blocked it argue that the bill needs more cuts to federal spending.

Once out of committee, the “Big Beautiful Bill” will be sent to the House floor for debate under rules set forth by the Rules Committee. Representatives then debate the bill, and a floor vote will be held. With the GOP’s slim majority, the bill needs nearly unanimous Republican support, as Democrats are expected to oppose it unanimously. If it passes, the bill moves to the Senate, where Murkowski is expected to hold it hostage in order to get the green energy programs back into the bill, as well as funding for Planned Parenthood.

Listicle: Highlights of the ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ of interest to Alaskans
Murkowski’s monkey wrench: Opposing House bill that bars funding for country’s No. 1 abortion provider

Global oil supply and demand is the silent member at Legislature’s budget negotiation table

Suzanne Downing
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Global oil supply and demand is the silent member at Legislature’s budget negotiation table

As the Alaska Legislature approaches the final stretch of budget negotiations, global oil market dynamics cast a long shadow over fiscal deliberations. With just four days remaining in the session, the latest report from the International Energy Agency offers a mixed outlook for Alaska’s state budget.

The price of Alaska North Slope crude oil has dropped from approximately $89 per barrel in April, 2024 to under $68 per barrel by April of this year. The $21 per barrel decrease is a 24% drop.

According to the IEA’s May 2025 report, global oil demand growth is expected to slow even more in the months ahead. After rising by 990,000 barrels per day in the first quarter of 2025, demand is forecast to increase by just 650,000 barrels per day for the remainder of the year.

The moderation is attributed to a combination of macroeconomic headwinds and record electric vehicle sales that cut into traditional fuel use, according to the IEA. Demand growth is projected to average 740,000 barrels per day in 2025 and 760,000 in 2026.

The flattening of demand comes at a time when global supply is set to expand.

World oil supply is forecast to rise by 1.6 million barrels per day, reaching 104.6 million barrels per day in 2025, and by an additional 970,000 barrels per day in 2026. Non-OPEC+ producers are expected to account for most of this increase, even as US. light tight oil production slows amid capital expenditure cutbacks by independent producers. The IEA has downgraded US LTO growth by 40,000 barrels per day for 2025 and 190,000 per day for 2026, due to reduced drilling activity.

OPEC+ has also surprised markets by moving up production increases that were originally scheduled for later. The bloc announced a second consecutive monthly output hike in early May, adding 411,000 for June. Despite some overproduction by member countries, the oil bloc is on track to contribute 310,000 in additional supply this year and another 150,000 in 2026.

The supply-demand imbalance is creating volatility in oil prices. Benchmark Brent crude fell by $14 per barrel in April to a four-year low of just above $60 before rebounding slightly to around $66 by mid-May. Trade tensions between the United States and China initially dragged prices down, although temporary trade agreements have since stabilized the market.

These trends have implications for budget negotiators in Juneau, where petroleum revenues remain a cornerstone of the state budget.

Alaska’s oil royalties are estimated at $800 million to $1 billion for FY 2025, accounting for about 11% to 14% of the Undesignated General Fund budget. With production taxes, property taxes and corporate income taxes, oil contributes about $2.38-$3 billion dollars per year to the Alaska state operating budget, (about 33-44% of last year’s UGF budget).

The price of Alaska North Slope oil is now $67.78 and not expected to rise.

The conference committee on HB 53 (operating budget) and HB 55 (mental health budget) meet on Sunday at 1 pm in the Capitol to negotiate the final package that will be sent to Gov. Mike Dunleavy.

The budget passed by the House included:

  • $6.167 billion in Unrestricted General Funds, while last year’s budget had $5.0 billion in UGF spending
  • $1.004 billion in Designated General Funds
  • $1.976 billion from other state funds
  • $3.832 billion in federal receipts
  • Total: $12.979 billion

On May 8, the Alaska Senate passed an operating budget of approximately $6.25 billion. The conference committee is in charge of negotiating the differences between the budgets from the House and Senate.

Watch Friday’s conference committee negotiations at this Gavel Alaska link. Today’s conference committee video can also be watched at Gavel Alaska.

House Democrats pass operating budget, governor expected to veto education spending package

As session comes to a close, a look at bills that may pass before witching hour on Wednesday

Suzanne Downing
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As session comes to a close, a look at bills that may pass before witching hour on Wednesday

As the Alaska Legislature approaches its adjournment on Wednesday, May 21 at midnight, several bills are poised for final consideration. Here are some that are currently under deliberation and may pass:

In Senate Rules

HB 16 – Campaign Finance Reform
HB 16 proposes to limit individual contributions to $2,000 per candidate per two-year election cycle and mandates that political groups maintain an in-state address. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Cal Schrage, aligns with a 2026 ballot measure, which would be nullified if HB 16 is enacted. The governor has not publicly commented on the bill, though he has previously expressed a preference for no contribution limits. This bill may see other election items shoved into it at the last minute.

HB 58 – Office of Public Advocacy Appointment
This bill changes the appointment process for the head of the Office of Public Advocacy, requiring selection by the Judicial Council and confirmation by the Legislature. While intended to enhance oversight, concerns have been raised about its constitutionality and necessity. Some see it as a middle finger to the governor, as the only point seems to be to remove power from the governor.

HB 123 – Vehicle Rental Tax
HB 123, by Rep. Kevin McCabe, addresses vehicle rental taxes, including those for peer-to-peer platforms like Turo.

SB 92 – “Yundt Tax”
SB 92 establishes a corporate income tax on certain oil and gas entities operating in Alaska, targeting Hilcorp. The bill was originally sponsored by Sen. Rob Yundt, who collapsed under criticism and passed the bill over to the Senate Resources Committee to sponsor as a committee bill.

Thomas Pyle: Senate Bill 92 contradicts Alaska’s values and sets a dangerous precedent

SB 184 – School Bond Debt Reimbursement Moratorium
SB 184 extends the moratorium on new school bond debt reimbursement from July 1, 2025, to July 1, 2027. The bill’s education-related subject line may allow for additional education provisions to be shoved into it before final passage. 

In Senate Finance

HB 36 / SB 90 – Foster Care and Mental Health Consent
HB 36 focuses on the placement of foster children in psychiatric hospitals and the care of children in state custody placed in out-of-state residential facilities. SB 90 allows minors aged 16 and older to consent to behavioral and mental health treatment, excluding medication. 

Both bills have been combined, raising concerns about the adequacy of vetting for the therapeutic foster care license provisions.

HB 10 – University of Alaska Board of Regents Faculty Member
HB 10, sponsored by Rep. Ashley Carrick, adds a faculty member to the University of Alaska Board of Regents, increasing the board from 11 to 12 members.The bill’s education title may make it a vehicle for additional education-related amendments.

HB 194 – State Royalty Oil Sale to Marathon
HB 194 approves the sale of state royalty oil to Marathon Petroleum Supply and Trading Company LLC. While considered routine, the bill’s must-pass status makes it susceptible to amendments, such as incorporating the Hilcorp tax provisions from SB 92.

In House Finance

HB 101 – Age of Consent Adjustment
HB 101, sponsored by Rep. Andrew Gray, proposes raising the age of consent from 16 to 18, aiming to close legal loopholes affecting 16- and 17-year-olds.

SB 24 – E-Cigarette Regulation
SB 24, sponsored by Sen. Gary Stevens, seeks to raise the minimum age for purchasing tobacco and nicotine products, including electronic smoking devices, and introduces taxation on these products. 

SB 54 – Professional Board Extensions and Interior Design Registration
SB 54, sponsored by Sen. Matt Claman, extends the termination date of the State Board of Registration for Architects, Engineers, and Land Surveyors and establishes requirements for the practice of registered interior design. The bill has faced scrutiny for combining unrelated professional regulations. 

Democrats’ election fraud-enhancement bill stalls in Alaska House amid strong public pushback

Decorum dying in Alaska Capitol as harassment of lawmakers is suddenly on the rise

Suzanne Downing
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Decorum dying in Alaska Capitol as harassment of lawmakers is suddenly on the rise

Last week, Sen. Rob Yundt of Wasilla was spotted taping a harassing meme to the door of Rep. Jamie Allard of Eagle River. The meme referred to a legislative citation that failed to pass in the House regarding the founder and editor of Must Read Alaska. The citation passed in the Senate, but the Democrats who control the House refused to pass it.

Many in the building found it to be wildly inappropriate for the senator from Wasilla to harass another member, essentially defacing her office doorway with political commentary.

Sen. Rob Yundt harassed Rep. Jamie Allard by defacing her doorway with this meme.

Then over the weekend, a legislative staffer for Rep. Alyse Galvin was caught slipping a harassing meme under the office door of Rep. Kevin McCabe. The staffer was identified, but no action has been taken to fire him.

Whether this is a becoming pattern of behavior by lawmakers and their staff members is unclear, as it’s just two instances in one week. But other staff members in the Capitol are reportedly offended that a fellow staffer could get away with such behavior without punishment or dismissal, and in the process making all staffers look bad.

Video: Sen. Yundt body-slams governor on budget, saying ‘It shouldn’t even be legal’

Sullivan pushes US Army Corps nominee to help Juneau with glacial flooding

Suzanne Downing
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Sullivan pushes US Army Corps nominee to help Juneau with glacial flooding

Sen. Dan Sullivan won a commitment from Adam Telle, President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the US Army Corps of Engineers, to accelerate federal efforts to mitigate the growing threat of glacial lake outburst flooding in Juneau.

During a Senate Environment and Public Works Committee confirmation hearing, Sullivan emphasized the urgent need for federal assistance to mitigate the recurring summer floods caused by the Mendenhall Glacier.

The glacial outbursts, which have become increasingly destructive in recent years, damaged over 200 homes in 2024 and caused millions in property and infrastructure losses.

“This is a unique challenge,” Sullivan said, noting that the Corps is uniquely qualified to help. He recalled initial Corps estimates that a solution might take up to 10 years to develop, a timeline he characterized as unacceptable.

“Can you commit to me, and really importantly, the citizens of Juneau, Alaska, that the Corps is going to bring its best minds in a very rapid way to help address this unique challenge?” Sullivan asked.

Win Gruening: Juneau’s flood is wake-up call and government must act now to prevent repeat

Telle responded by acknowledging the complexity of glacial outburst floods and committed to addressing the issue promptly.

“The Corps of Engineers was made to solve tough problems,” Telle said, pledging to work with Sullivan and Juneau “in an expedited manner.”

Telle also affirmed his intention to carry out President Trump’s executive order, Unleashing Alaska’s Extraordinary Resource Potential, which directs federal agencies to accelerate critical infrastructure and permitting projects in the state, including the port in Nome.

Sen. Sullivan’s engagement with the Corps and federal agencies on the Juneau flooding issue spans several months and includes efforts ranging from emergency response coordination to securing funding and pushing legislative action:

  • In August, Sullivan visited flood-affected areas in Juneau and initiated emergency response coordination with FEMA. From September through November, the Corps visited Juneau multiple times to assess damage and provide technical insight.
  • In October, President Joe Biden approved a major disaster declaration following advocacy from the Alaska delegation. In December, Sullivan secured a provision in the American Relief Act to fund a Corps study on glacial flooding. And in March, the Corps allocated $4.75 million toward a feasibility study to develop long-term solutions.

Sullivan has also written several times to the Office of Management and Budget requesting additional funding and prioritization of permitting resources to address the challenges specific to Alaska’s geography and climate.

The Mendenhall River floods, triggered by sudden releases of water from a glacially dammed lake, represent a relatively new threat to valley neighborhoods in Juneau.

Juneau’s Suicide Basin: Flood warning issued
Win Gruening: Mired in bureaucracy, Juneau’s long-term flood fix advances at glacial pace

Democrats’ election fraud-enhancement bill stalls in Alaska House amid strong public pushback

Suzanne Downing
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Democrats’ election fraud-enhancement bill stalls in Alaska House amid strong public pushback

Senate Bill 64, a contentious piece of legislation aimed at eroding the integrity of Alaska’s election laws, failed to advance out of the House Finance Committee this session following strong public outcry and unified resistance from House Republicans.

The bill, championed by Senate Democrats, faced intense scrutiny during a flurry of legislative activity in recent weeks. Alaskans from across the state submitted public testimony, written comments, and direct appeals to lawmakers, expressing concerns that the bill’s provisions would diminish — not enhance — election security in a state that already has a reputation for lax election security.

Democrats pushing hard for looser election laws, with claims that rural people are ‘disenfranchised’

Among the most debated elements of SB 64 were proposals to eliminate the witness signature requirement for absentee ballots, create a permanent absentee voter list, expand ballot collection and harvesting practices, and authorize widespread use of unsecured ballot drop boxes.

House Republicans argued that these measures would significantly weaken existing safeguards designed to ensure voter identity and ballot integrity.

“Election integrity is a very real issue,” said Rep. DeLena Johnson of Palmer. “Judging from the number of Alaskans making their voices heard over the past several days, this issue needs much further assessment and better solutions than SB 64 can provide.”

Rep. Jamie Allard of Eagle River offered a sharp rebuke of the bill: “This bill greases the skids for all mail-in elections like Anchorage has. SB 64 is the biggest hoax that the Democrats have promulgated so far this year — and that is saying a lot since there are some other bills that are contenders.”

Critics also emphasized the rushed timeline of the legislation.

“Rushing a nonpartisan bill through at the last minute isn’t how the legislative process is meant to work,” said Rep. Frank Tomaszewski of Fairbanks. “I’m glad we’ll have the chance to take a closer look at SB 64 next year.”

Beyond procedural concerns, opponents also saw the bill as a partisan attempt to institutionalize policies that would benefit one side of the aisle.

“Instead of focusing on commonsense improvements that both sides could support, Democrats insisted on packing the bill with their full wish list—including permanent vote-by-mail, unlimited ballot drop boxes, and the elimination of witness signatures,” said Rep. Sarah Vance of Homer.

Longtime political figure and election expert Randy Ruedrich also submitted a formal statement to the House Finance Committee on May 15, warning that SB 64 lays the groundwork for statewide mail-in voting systems similar to those already adopted by the Municipality of Anchorage, a point made by Rep. Allard as well.

“Mail-in voting has been found to create significant voter fraud in other states,” Ruedrich stated. “The bill would establish permanent absentee-by-mail ballot distribution, which sends an absentee ballot to a voter’s old temporary address. As long as these ballots are returned, the state must continue sending ballots to that address — potentially to unauthorized agents.”

He also highlighted the removal of the witness signature requirement as a dangerous step.

“The witness signature affirms the identity of the voter,” he said. “Democrats say the witness signature is inconvenient. Well, so are voter ID, voter registration, and voting itself.”

Ruedrich further criticized the bill’s impact on military voters and other Alaskans temporarily out of state, arguing that SB 64 would “destroy the Alaska right to vote” for those who can’t return to their prior physical residences, such as military personnel or students.

“This Democrat ploy will eliminate our registered enlisted personnel who have viewed Alaska as their only home during decades-long military careers,” he said.

While the bill is now effectively on hold, House Republicans have emphasized their commitment to secure and transparent elections. The Republican caucus pledged to continue working on election reform measures that have broad public support and that maintain voter trust.

The bill’s prime sponsor, Sen. Bill Wielechowski of Anchorage, will push the bill forward in 2026, but has lost his quest to enact the fraud-enhancement changes to Alaska’s election laws prior to the 2026 election.

Democrats’ election bill passes State Senate

Pedro Gonzalez: Trump Administration turns to Asia for Alaska LNG project

SENIOR CONTRIBUTOR
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Pedro Gonzalez: Trump Administration turns to Asia for Alaska LNG project

By PEDRO GONZALEZ

A curious ballet around the Alaska LNG Project has been unfolding on the international stage with some of America’s allies in Asia.

It’s raising questions about whether the pipeline will at last find the funding that it needs after so much song and dance. It is a story some four decades long. The difference now, though, is that President Donald Trump is showing potential investors abroad both the carrot and the stick, i.e., the threat of tariffs. 

Early into his administration, the president began to pressure Asian countries into exploring Alaska’s ample energy reserves. Whether the approach will bear fruit is yet to be determined.

Last week, the Ministry of Energy of Thailand asked two major energy companies, Ego and PTT, to engage the United States in discussions about LNG development in Alaska. 

Thailand signals it could import up to 5 million tons of Alaska LNG per year

Assuming Thailand commits to investing in gas exploration and production, the country could import between 3 Mt/year and 5 Mt/year of LNG through the proposed 800-mile pipeline. But that might be assuming a lot.

India added to list of countries now showing interest in investing in Alaska LNG

In March, the Taiwanese state-owned CPC Corporation entered into an agreement with the administration of Gov. Mike Dunleavy to buy Alaskan LNG if the pipeline ever gets built. “It is a bridge connecting the future prosperity of both Alaska and Taiwan,” Dunleavy said.

That, however, could be a big “if,” and the fine print is notable.

What Taiwan actually inked was a non-binding letter of support. That is far from anything like a concrete commitment to the completion of the beleaguered LNG project.

Japan and South Korea have also joined Taiwan and Thailand in exploring potential investment opportunities in the $44 billion natural gas project.

Breaking: Taiwan company signs letter of intent to invest in building and buying Alaska LNG

Many of these countries could indeed benefit from buying Alaskan fuel, as it would likely be cheaper than acquiring it from other sources, like those in the Middle East. Such a collaborative endeavor would also be consistent with Trump’s broader energy agenda.

The issue of commitment, or a lack thereof, remains. South Korea’s Industry Minister Ahn Duk-geun has merely agreed to establish a “working-level group” to discuss the project, which has spooked investors for nearly as long as Alaska has been part of the Union.

However, all that could change in June, when the Trump administration’s National Energy Dominance Council will hold a summit in Anchorage with the LNG project as the centerpiece. Delegations from both Japan and Korea will be present. 

The main reservations of potential Asian partners with regard to a long-term commitment will likely center on the pipeline’s big price tag and its sustainability. Japan recently reaffirmed its goal of aggressively expanding its nuclear power capabilities by 2030. 

Janet Weiss: Alaska’s LNG moment: Powering the Railbelt, fueling the world

“We can use renewable power to the maximum, and we will restart nuclear power, the safe one, as much as possible,” Japanese Industry Minister Yoji Muto told reporters late last year. 

South Korea has likewise made huge investments in nuclear power with a $100 million financial pledge in February to businesses in the sector. Just this week, Taiwan announced that it would restart its atomic plants in a major energy policy shift that indicates growing concerns over geopolitical instability.

A long-term commitment to developing and importing Alaskan LNG might not make a great deal of sense to countries that plan on leaning into nuclear power in the near future. So the question is whether the Trump administration thinks it can convince them that there is more to gain than lose from buying American.

Pedro Gonzalez writes news and opinion at Must Read Alaska.

Resolution supporting AKLNG Project clears House committee, but Anchorage Democrat calls it ‘delusional’
Trump Administration to host Alaska LNG summit with Japan, South Korea in June: Report
Interior Sec. Burgum, Energy Sec. Wright and EPA’s Zeldin heading to Anchorage for Energy Conference

State challenges court’s finding of ‘bad faith’ in bear predator control program

Suzanne Downing
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State challenges court’s finding of ‘bad faith’ in bear predator control program

The Alaska Department of Law filed a formal request for a hearing to challenge the Alaska Superior Court’s recent determination that the Department of Fish and Game acted in bad faith by adopting and implementing an emergency regulation for bear removal in support of the Mulchatna caribou herd.

The court’s May 12 ruling followed a temporary restraining order issued earlier, halting predator control efforts initiated under a regulation adopted by the Board of Game.

The emergency measure by the Board of Game was aimed at reducing predation by bears on the declining Mulchatna caribou herd, a critical resource for rural subsistence users in western Alaska, which has been dramatically reduced in the past decade. In 2016, the herd was estimated at around 27,000 caribou. As of 2025, the population is around 15,000 caribou, well below the department’s minimum population objective of 30,000.

State’s predator control of brown bear loses in court to wildlife alliance

Attorney General Treg Taylor defended the State’s actions, stating that the Fish and Game operated within its legal and constitutional boundaries. He emphasized that the agency followed all applicable laws and judicial directives, asserting that the characterization of the State’s conduct as bad faith was unfounded.

Alaska Department of Fish and Game Commissioner Doug Vincent-Lang echoed this defense, characterizing the accusations as harmful to the department’s credibility.

He highlighted the program’s support among local communities and its early signs of success, including increased calf survival rates. Vincent-Lang underscored the Department’s compliance with the Court’s orders and affirmed the State’s intent to seek legal remedies to resume the program.

“As the filing and affidavits show, neither I nor the Department acted in bad faith in authorizing predator control activities to rebuild the Mulchatna caribou herd,” said Vincent-Lang. “Such accusations are baseless and attack the credibility of the Department. Our predator control program, supported by local users, communities, advisory committees, and the Alaska Federation of Natives, had already shown success with improved calf survival and herd growth.

Stopping this effort in its third year puts that progress — and our commitment to rural subsistence users—at risk. We are complying with the newly released order but will pursue legal avenues to restore this program, which is clearly authorized under Alaska’s intensive management statute.”

The controversy centers on a five-hour hearing held on May 6, during which the Superior Court declined to evaluate the legitimacy of the emergency regulation, citing jurisdictional limitations.

The court’s May 7 Order explicitly stated that it did not prohibit predator control efforts and did not address the validity of the emergency regulation itself.

On May 9, the State informed both the court and plaintiffs of its intent to proceed with bear removal activities under the still-active emergency regulation. These efforts were halted once the court issued the temporary restraining order.

In its May 12 ruling, based solely on the limited record from the May 6 hearing, the court concluded that the State acted in bad faith. However, the State argues that the court’s decision was premature and based on an incomplete record, without evidence or examination of the emergency regulation process.

Emergency regulations in Alaska are governed by distinct statutory provisions and remain valid for 120 days. The State maintains that plaintiffs had not formally challenged the regulation’s legality through the current case or separate legal action. The court also did not evaluate the Board of Game’s emergency finding before concluding that the State’s actions were irrational and arbitrary.

The State’s latest filing seeks a hearing to present excluded information, including the statutory authority for the emergency regulation, the subsistence importance of the Mulchatna caribou, and whether the emergency regulation’s validity was ever properly before the Court.

A decision on whether the court will grant the requested hearing remains pending.

Alaska acts to protect caribou herd after court declines to block bear culling plan
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In a world fractured by division—political, social, and even...

New Leads Emerge in Unsolved January 6 Pipe Bomber Case

Politics 5
Nearly five years after pipe bombs were planted near...

A Subtle Revolution: Anchorage School District Places “We Do Not Endorse” Disclaimer on U.S. Constitution and Declaration of Independence 

The 907 29
What does it mean when a government-funded institution refuses...

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