Democrats target their own in state House primary, backing Nageak challenger
Democrats are hoping to take control of the state House this year. To achieve that, they're gunning for two lawmakers who run as Democrats but largely vote with the Republicans. One is Rep. Bennie Nageak, D-Barrow, who represents House District 40, which stretches from Kotzebue to Kaktovik.
Shell returns to Unalaska
Shell is back in Unalaska. Dutch Harbor was a staging area for Shell’s unsuccessful search for oil in the Arctic Ocean last year. This week, three ships — the Aiviq, the Dino Chouest, and the Ross Chouest — associated with Shell’s Arctic efforts arrived in Unalaska on a mission to remove the last signs of that effort. Listen now
AK: YCC introduces Alaska kids to the Aleutians — and careers
What happens when five teenagers pile onto a research vessel and go island hopping through the Aleutians in the name of conservation? Science. Education. And maybe a peek into their futures. Listen now
BLM to review new ConocoPhillips project in National Petroleum Reserve
The Bureau of Land Management is launching an environmental review of ConocoPhillips' most recent proposal in the National Petroleum Reserve, called Greater Mooses Tooth 2. Listen now
Why is gas so expensive in Alaska?
Alaska has the lowest fuel tax yet some of the highest gas prices. We asked Larry Persily, former federal coordinator for Alaska natural gas projects: Why is it so expensive to fill up the tank in Alaska?
State responds to two oil spills at Drift River in Cook Inlet
State regulators are monitoring the cleanup of two small oil spills at a storage site on the west side of Cook Inlet. Listen now
Unlikely allies: U.S. and Russia work together on walrus
A new federal database, created with over a century of information, shows where Pacific walruses haul out on both sides of the border. And that’s especially important as sea ice disappears and the animals spend more time on land. Listen now
Alaska Ocean Acidification Network seeks to inform public of ocean acidity
Climate change may get all the attention, but it has a less-talked-about but no less troubling twin: ocean acidification. And a growing chorus of Alaskans, from shellfish growers to fishermen, are fretting about the potential impacts to the state’s waters. Now a new collaboration is aiming to bring ocean acidification into the spotlight - with the hope that better understanding it will better prepare the state to adapt. Listen now
New atlas maps Alaska’s surface
Federal and state researchers teamed up to make it easier for everyone to find out what's in the dirt in Alaska. For the first time in nearly 40 years, Alaska has an updated atlas of the chemical composition of its earth, rocks and minerals. Listen now
Why a Bahamas tanker is carrying North Slope crude
A foreign-owned tanker is expected to transport North Slope crude to Asia in the coming weeks. BP has shipped its oil overseas before, but it’s been decades since it was on a tanker built and managed outside the U.S. Listen now
Warm ocean water leads to heavy rain in Alaska
It's been unusually wet across a large section of the state this summer. Listen now
Moody’s downgrades Alaska credit rating; fourth downgrade this year
Moody's Investors Service has downgraded Alaska's credit rating for the second time in six months, citing the state's massive budget deficit and its failure to find a long-term political solution. It's the fourth time since January the state has been downgraded by one of the three major ratings agencies. Listen now
Video: How the landfill in Anchorage harvests gas from trash
Hundreds of landfills across the lower-48 have turned their decomposing trash piles into a source of energy. So far, there’s only one project in Alaska harnessing the power of trash to produce gas. Listen now
Tesoro settlement resolves alleged Clean Air Act violations
As part of a settlement with the Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Justice, the Tesoro refinery in Nikiski will spend millions of dollars to reduce emissions that are potentially harmful to public health and the environment.
Lawmakers press on North Slope marketing request
At a Senate Resource Committee meeting on Tuesday, lawmakers pressed state officials eabout why the administration is trying to obtain gas marketing information from North Slope oil and gas producers. Gov. Bill Walker has yet to sign off on the oil companies’ 2016 development plan for Prudhoe Bay.
North Slope records fall with ‘unprecedented warmth’
Climate change is a daily reality in Alaska. Those changes are happening across forests, tundra, in the Arctic ocean and in your backyard. Listen now
St. George takes steps to protect their marine environment
An island in the Pribilof’s is taking steps to protect the marine environment in their backyard. St. George's city council passed a resolution earlier this month that could establish a National Marine Sanctuary. Listen now
Juneau utility installs $22 million diesel turbine
Juneau’s privately owned electric utility, AEL&P, has already broken ground to build an industrial diesel plant to meet growing demand. And for the city’s residents that means the price for electricity is likely to go up. Before the development goes any further, some community members are asking the state’s regulatory commission to take a closer look. Listen now
EPA fines BP, Hilcorp for spills on the North Slope
BP Exploration Alaska and Hilcorp Alaska have agreed to pay fines after spilling oil and waste on the North Slope. Listen now
Oil on exhibit: What Alaska’s past says about its future
The State Library, Archives and Museum opened recently in Juneau with a new display that includes a piece of the trans-Alaska pipeline as part of an exhibit on the oil industry. But the drama of the state’s current fiscal crisis puts that history in a new light. Listen now