Economy

All Alaska economy and business news, including the Alaska Economic Report.

the Beaufort Sea

Liberty, an ambitious offshore oil project that once sparked excitement, is now in limbo

The saga of what was once considered a cutting-edge Arctic development provides a cautionary tale about big Alaska oil projects.
President Biden

Biden proposes a ban on ‘junk fees’ — from concert tickets to hotel rooms

"Folks are ... tired of being taken advantage of," President Biden said, announcing a federal push against added and surprise business fees.
a state ferry

State ferry Tustumena is offline for repairs for up to a week

Ferries have a life expectancy of about 30 years, but the Tustumena has been in operation for almost double that time.

Climate change and Cook Inlet

Climate change has the potential to affect weather, water temperature and salmon numbers in Cook Inlet, as well as the biology of the lands of our region. On this edition of Hometown Alaska, experts explain the changes that have already happened in the Inlet at our front door, and make educated predictions about what the future might hold. KSKA: Wednesday, Oct. 21, at 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. Download Audio:

Interior Department unveils geothermal energy initiative

An interior department initiative hopes to pave the way for geothermal energy development across the western United States.  The plan announced this week by...
a building

Alaska development authority signs contracts with ex-Dunleavy aides, paying up to $295/hour

Rex Rock and John Moller, both former rural affairs advisors to Gov. Mike Dunleavy, were hired by AIDEA through a competitive procurement process.
Reporter's roundtable update on energy

Reporter’s roundtable: Energy in Alaska

Listen Now: On this week's Alaska Edition we discuss energy in Alaska, where bush residents have not seen prices drop for gasoline or diesel fuel, even though gas is a little more than $2 a gallon in Anchorage.

Pandemic relief bill is the biggest thing Congress has done to battle climate change in years

Advocates credit Sen. Murkowski. “It's certainly the largest clean energy and climate bill in a decade,” said one.
a brewery

Alaska brewers sue state alcohol board on entertainment rules

Three Alaska breweries are challenging a recently weakened state ban on live entertainment at breweries and wineries, calling it unconstitutional.

Company eyeing new Cook Inlet oil defends tax credit program

A small company working to develop Cook Inlet's first new oil pool in years is urging policymakers to use restraint when considering changes to the state's controversial oil-tax credit program.
halibut

New halibut catch-sharing plan included in federal bill

Charter operators in the Gulf of Alaska will soon be able to buy halibut quota from willing commercial fishermen, under a new program in a federal omnibus bill.
a state ferry boarding ramp

Alaska ferry system’s hiring woes continue and could halt another ship

The Alaska Marine Highway System may have to stop some sailings this week as hiring woes continue through the peak summer travel season.
a seafood plant

Trident Seafoods find buyers for Ketchikan, Petersburg and False Pass processing plants

Trident did not name who will buy the plants. Company officials say both Trident and the buyers are bound by non-disclosure agreements.
A photograph of homes and a big blue sky.

LISTEN: A Washington Post correspondent talks about reporting on climate change on Alaska’s North Slope

The Washington Post made the Alaska North Slope village of Nuiqsut front page news earlier this month, under a provocative headline: "Alaska's warming, but can't quit big oil." We talked with the reporter who wrote the story.
Homer City Hall

Seward utility sale fails again, Homer Council unchanged in initial Kenai Peninsula election results

A second proposed sale of Seward's electric utility had just 46% of the 60% vote it needs to pass, with two Homer Assembly incumbents leading.
home builders

Does Alaska have an affordable housing crisis?

Across the state, homebuilding and vacancy rates are down. Rent, mortgage rates and home prices are up.
a salmon researcher

Salmon compete with mining companies as melting glaciers reveal new habitat

Climate change aided by fossil fuels means many of western Canada and Southeast Alaska’s glaciers could melt away by the end of the century.
A big boxy building with a smokestack next to it sending up steam

Feds award $9M to research carbon capture for proposed Southcentral Alaska coal power plant

Carbon capture storage is drawing attention at the state level, though critics say it’s expensive and may not have a large impact on emissions.

Hilcorp plans gravel island to extract Arctic offshore oil

Arctic offshore drilling by Royal Dutch Shell PLC drew protests on two continents this year, but a more modest proposal for extracting petroleum where polar bears roam has moved forward with much less attention.

In rural Alaska, building wind power means building people power

When it comes to energy innovation in rural Alaska, technology is only half the story. The real necessity is people power. Download audio