Alaska's Energy Desk

Alaska’s Energy Desk is a collaboration between KTOO-FM in Juneau, Alaska Public Media in Anchorage, KUCB in Unalaska, Fairbanks Daily News-Miner in Fairbanks, KBRW in Utqiaġvik and KYUK in Bethel. Each week we produce in-depth coverage of energy issues in Alaska for radio, video and web. From the state budget to personal energy use, resource development to Arctic life, we cover how energy issues impact Alaskan lives and landscapes. Alaska’s Energy Desk is a Regional Journalism Collaboration, launched in 2016 with a supporting grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

Interior official: ‘millions’ more acres in NPR-A to open for oil development

An Interior Department official says the Trump administration is moving to open "millions" more acres in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, or NPR-A, to oil development. Listen now

Arctic sea ice minimum continues downward trend, with implications beyond the Arctic

"The Arctic’s like an air conditioner or refrigerator for the global climate...And as the Arctic warms, partly because the sea ice is going away, it’s like you’re opening that refrigerator door." Listen now

Judge dismisses challenges to oil lease sales in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska

Environmental groups had argued the federal Bureau of Land Management did not do an adequate environmental review before it held oil lease sales in 2016 and 2017.

After struggling for years to clean up its air, Fairbanks still faces contentious wood smoke problem

For years, Fairbanks and neighboring city North Pole have had some of the worst air quality in the United States. The area has been failing to meet a federal air quality standard since 2009 — now it's reached the deadline.

NovaGold stakes company future on Donlin Gold mine after major asset sale

NovaGold is staking a lot on the success of the proposed Donlin Gold mine after selling a big asset last year: the Galore Creek project in British Columbia.

Murkowski calls for many ‘silver bullets’ to tackle climate change

Sen. Lisa Murkowski stopped in Bethel to celebrate the breakup of the Kuskokwim River. She says climate change “is a reality that we are seeing.”

A stretch of the Denali Park Road sits atop a creeping landslide. And it’s picking up speed.

Officials at Denali National Park and Preserve are studying whether the existing path of the park’s 92-mile road can be spared from a creeping landslide, in what scientists say could be a preview of Denali’s future as its permafrost thaws.

ConocoPhillips’ next big oil project in Alaska takes another step forward

The company hopes to construct a new oil processing facility, up to five drill sites, about 40 miles of permanent roads, a gravel mine and hundreds of miles of pipelines and seasonal ice roads.

Unalaska is researching whether it can use wind power

V3 Energy consultant Doug Vaught anchors a MET tower on Unalaska's Hog Island, with help from environmental planner Kate Arduser. The city is using...

On warming North Slope, one flood response last year cost pipeline operator $10 million

As Alaska's North Slope gets wetter and warmer, its rivers have been running at record high levels -- prompting questions about whether similar events will become more frequent as Alaska's climate warms.
An aerial view of one of the exploration pads and wells that ConocoPhillips drilled during the 2018 exploration season at its Willow prospect.

ConocoPhillips shuts down North Slope drilling over coronavirus concerns

The impacts of the coronavirus continue to reverberate across Alaska, including its oil fields.
A treed flat area

Petition calls for Calista shareholder vote on Donlin mine

A group of shareholders wants a vote on whether or not the controversial gold mine should be built.
A snowy road over an icy river

Kivalina emergency access road now open for use

The new road allows villagers to access higher ground as global warming causes their village site to erode.