Elizabeth Harball, Alaska's Energy Desk - Anchorage
Elizabeth Harball is a reporter with Alaska's Energy Desk, covering Alaska’s oil and gas industry and environmental policy. She is a contributor to the Energy Desk’s Midnight Oil podcast series. Before moving to Alaska in 2016, Harball worked at E&E News in Washington, D.C., where she covered federal and state climate change policy. Originally from Kalispell, Montana, Harball is a graduate of Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
Cook Inlet oil and gas lease sale attracts just one company
The state offered 2.6 million acres, but just one company -- Hilcorp -- bid on 16,636 acres. Listen now
As the U.S. moves to open ANWR to drilling, Canada says ‘not so fast’
As part of their strategy going forward, opponents to drilling in ANWR are looking beyond Washington, D.C. and across U.S.-Canada border for support. Listen now
Alaska Supreme Court weighs legality of Yes for Salmon ballot initiative
Yes for Salmon’s backers want Alaska to toughen the permitting process for mines, dams and other projects in salmon habitat. But during oral arguments, the state argued it goes against the state constitution because it forces the legislature to prioritize salmon habitat over other uses. Listen now
Trump administration kicks off process for oil development in ANWR
The Department of Interior released a notice saying it will hold “no fewer than two” oil lease sales in a 1.6-million acre portion of the refuge, known as the 1002 area or the Coastal Plain. Listen now
Renewable energy competition wants Alaskans to ‘fail fast’ to eventually find ‘gold’
In late March, Volt49's organizers assigned a unique challenge related to renewable energy in Alaska to four teams across the state, and they have had five weeks to solve it. Listen now
ConocoPhillips announces three new oil discoveries on the North Slope
Conoco didn’t release many details about the discoveries, including how much oil was found. But in a press release, the company called the results of this winter’s drilling season “promising.” Listen now
Army Corps addresses criticism of environmental review process for Pebble
Sheila Newman, with the Army Corps’ Alaska District, said the agency recognizes that Pebble is not an average project proposal — it has a long history in Alaska, so the agency is trying to make adjustments for that. Listen now
Opponents of salmon ballot initiative raise over $2 million
The opposition group, called Stand for Alaska, reported major contributions from some of Alaska’s biggest industry players. Listen now
As oil spill response vessels arrive, Alyeska argues Prince William Sound safer than ever
Alyeska Pipeline Service Company is bringing on Edison Chouest as a new contractor responsible for oil spill prevention and response. The switch has drawn scrutiny and criticism. So Alyeska is trying hard to reassure Alaskans that Prince William Sound -- the site of the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill -- will be safer than ever before. Listen now
Why a Papua New Guinea company is taking over one of Alaska’s biggest oil fields
An oil project in the Arctic may seem like an odd leap for a company from an island nation in the South Pacific. But in a recent interview, the newly-minted president of Oil Search Alaska, Keiran Wulff, said the company is serious about its new venture. Listen now
Feds take key step toward approving another Conoco development in NPR-A
If it goes forward, the project would be ConocoPhillips's third oil development inside the boundaries of the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska. Listen now
Salmon initiative clears another hurdle
The Yes for Salmon initiative reports it received close to 42,000 signatures, significantly more than required. But a vote on the issue isn’t guaranteed. Listen now
The trans-Alaska pipeline fights off 22 million cyber attacks. Daily.
Energy infrastructure is a tempting target for hackers, and the trans-Alaska pipeline is no exception. Alyeska, which operates the pipeline, now ranks cyberattacks as one of its top three risks. Listen now
Trump official says Interior aims to move ‘pretty quickly’ on Arctic Refuge oil development
Bernhardt said in the next few weeks, the agency will kick off the regulatory process required before the administration can hold an oil lease sale in the refuge. Listen now
State regulator pushes for stronger laws to deal with abandoned oil wells
A top state regulator is asking the legislature to make sure oil companies pay to clean up old oil wells, even after the wells are sold to a different company. Listen now
What can unflappable geese teach us about the future of Arctic development?
Every summer, millions of migratory birds like the greater white-fronted goose descend on the National Petroleum Reserve, to lay eggs, molt their feathers and fatten up. A lot of the oil potential lies squarely in migratory bird habitat. Listen now
Murkowski sends letter questioning oil companies about drop in Alaska hire
Murkowski cited a recently released Alaska Department of Labor report, stating the share of out-of-state workers in Alaska's oil industry rose to 37.1 percent in 2016. Listen now
Offshore drilling public meeting draws supporters, critics and criticism
The Wednesday night meeting was the only opportunity for Alaskans to comment on the draft proposal in person. But it wasn’t what some participants had hoped for. Listen now
Hilcorp CEO steps down
Hildebrand is known for being among the wealthiest people in the world, with a net worth of $7.6 billion, according to Bloomberg. Listen now
State leaders push to take next steps on ANWR drilling
Murkowski isn’t done with ANWR. After speaking at an event in Anchorage this week, the Senator told reporters there are a lot of details that need to be filled in. Listen now