Ask a Climatologist: Calculating wind chill, then and now
The wind chill dropped to -77 in Arctic Village last week. That’s the coldest wind chill recorded this winter in a populated spot in Alaska. 77 below may sound bitterly cold, but climatologist Brian Brettschneider said its not even close to record territory. Listen now
North Slope oil companies ask lawmakers for stable tax laws
A state House committee heard testimony Wednesday afternoon from the big three North Slope oil producers. ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil, and BP representatives gave several members of the House Resources Committee their perspectives on how the state’s oil tax structure is working. Listen now
At a safe distance: Monitoring remote volcanoes from remote locations
Across Alaska there are monitoring instruments on 31 of the most active volcanoes, but there’s nothing on the one that’s erupting now. Listen now
ConocoPhillips still struggling globally, but profitable in Alaska
ConocoPhillips on Thursday announced it netted $115 million in Alaska last quarter — almost double what it earned in the third quarter. But the Houston-based company is still grappling with a multi-billion dollar global loss. Listen now
Alaska’s budget, easier to swallow with ice cream and beer
The Alaska legislature has a lot on its plate trying to fix the state’s multi-billion dollar budget deficit, and a couple of budget experts are adding to the menu. They’re inviting the public to weigh-in over ice cream and beer. Listen now
What road lies ahead for Juneau’s electric cars?
Juneau’s privately-owned electric utility is trying to plan for a future that includes more electric cars. Listen now
Walker, House Dems aim to put climate policy back on the table
Climate change has always been a sticky issue for Alaska policymakers. In a state that sits on the front lines of global warming but remains deeply dependent on oil, it sometimes seems like the easiest option is just not talking about it at all. Listen now
Ask a Climatologist: What the fog, Anchorage?
This week we’re responding to a listener who asked: What the fog? Why has there been so much fog in Anchorage this winter? Listen now
Legislature considers new contract to sell royalty oil
The state gets the bulk of its royalties from oil produced on the North Slope in the form of oil rather than in payments from the producers. This week, lawmakers are considering a contract to sell some of that royalty oil to the Alaska-owned refinery and fuel marketing company Petro Star. Listen now
Alaska’s infrastructure report card probably not going on the fridge
Is Alaska on the honor roll for its energy grid and water systems? According to the American Society of Civil Engineers the answer is “no.” The professional organization graded Alaska’s infrastructure for the first time, releasing the report card on Tuesday. And while the state didn’t ace anything, it could always be worse. Listen now
Latest oil tax credit bill off to a rough start in state House
Last session, the fight over oil tax credits was one of the biggest questions lawmakers sought to answer. And while they did manage to pass a bill, it focused on Cook Inlet. Now, many lawmakers are saying it’s time to look at the North Slope. Listen now
State coffers won’t cover cost of cleanup if oil companies walk away
The agency that oversees oil and gas drilling in the state says it doesn’t collect nearly enough money to clean up wells in case companies walk away. Regulators say the recent influx of small, private companies means Alaska risks shouldering the cost of abandoned wells. State lawmakers are receptive to addressing the issue. Listen now
Trump transition limits EPA participation in Alaska environmental conference
Trump transition officials ordered the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to limit its participation in an Alaska environmental conference this week. Listen now
Environmental group calls for shutdown of leaking gas line in Cook Inlet
A local environmental group is calling on regulators to shut down a leaking gas line in Cook Inlet until it is repaired. Listen now
Renewed fight, but old arguments for lawmakers wanting to open ANWR for drilling
Over the past 25 years, Alaska’s Legislature has passed nearly a dozen resolutions asking Congress to allow drilling in the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. But this year, something is different. There’s been more push back and public testimony opposed to passing an Arctic National Wildlife Reserve (ANWR) resolution. Listen now
From the ashes: Life returns to Kasatochi volcano
Nearly every year since Kasatochi erupted, scientists have returned to study how ecosystems respond to cataclysmic destruction. Listen now
Murkowski backs bill to strengthen volcano monitoring
Senator Lisa Murkowski wants to bolster the nation’s volcano monitoring system. Listen now
Cook Inlet company fined nearly half a million dollars for safety violations
A state agency on Tuesday (Feb. 14) announced it is fining an oil and gas company that operates in Cook Inlet for major safety violations. Listen now
Lawmakers grill Alaska’s gasline corporation on its budget
The Alaska Gasline Development Corporation (AGDC), which is charged with taking the lead on the massive Alaska liquid natural gas project, is again having its finances questioned. On Tuesday (Feb. 14), members of the Senate Finance committee pressed the corporation’s president Keith Meyer for detailed information about his budget. Listen now
Can home wood pellet boilers go from fringe to mainstream?
The Ketchikan airport has one. So does the Walter Sobeloff Building in downtown Juneau. Now, a fringe group of homeowners are installing wood pellet boilers to heat their homes. Not to be confused with wood burning stoves, these boilers have been marketed as a cheaper alternative to heating oil, at least in the long run. But is the framework there to make the technology go mainstream? Listen now