Video Clips

Quoted moments from Alaska public meetings, hearings, and press conferences.

Brian Berube

“Our tribal health organizations, um, in western and northern Alaska, we provide rabies shots, but with no access to especially spay and neuter services, there's no way you can keep up. You know, a dog gets a rabies shot in the first year of its life, it needs one the following year, it needs one every 3 years after that. So there's no way for us to keep up with the risk from vaccinating the dog.”

House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs (Begich): Legislative Hearing · Jun 9, 2026

Brian Berube

“Furthermore, in Alaska, rabies remains an ongoing and ever-present public health issue. Rabies is enzoonotic— excuse me— in our fox populations in northern and western Alaska, meaning it is always present, and it poses a persistent and continual risk of transmission from wildlife to domestic animals and to people.”

House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs (Begich): Legislative Hearing · Jun 9, 2026

Rodney Butler

“having one department gather all of that information in one, essentially a resource for all agencies and all tribes to point to and say, these are the regulatory hurdles, and now we can, now that we know what they are, and we're all, again, in the canoe paddling in the same direction, we can now address these issues collectively.”

House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs (Begich): Legislative Hearing · Jun 9, 2026

Nick Begich “it directs Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Wildlife Services to study oral rabies vaccine delivery to Arctic wildlife, tackling the upstream source of the problem at its source. This is a prevention bill. It protects children, reduces downstream costs to the federal health system, and it honors tribal self-determination.”

House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs (Begich): Legislative Hearing · Jun 9, 2026

Nick Begich “The underlying cause is straightforward. IHS does not have explicit statutory authority to provide or fund the basic veterinary services—rabies vaccination, spay and neuter, parasite and disease prevention—that stop zoonotic disease before it reaches a person and prevent the bite that puts a child in an emergency room.”

House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs (Begich): Legislative Hearing · Jun 9, 2026

Chairman Hurd (House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs)

“H.R. 8473, Introduced by Representative Begich of Alaska, which would authorize HHS to utilize funds for public health veterinary services through direct service care or under Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act contracts and compacts. There's a correlation between unreliable veterinary services and high rates of rabies and zoonotic diseases. In a 5-year span between 2019 and 2024, 24,000 patients received ambulatory care from dog bites throughout IHS service areas.”

House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs (Begich): Legislative Hearing · Jun 9, 2026

Chairman Hurd (House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs)

“If our goal is tribal economic development, responsibility should rest with the department that works with tribal governments every single day. The Department of the Interior is the central federal agency for government-to-government relations with the tribes, promoting tribal economic development and administering federal programs throughout Indian Country.”

House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs (Begich): Legislative Hearing · Jun 9, 2026

Teresa Leger Fernández “This committee should give members the opportunity to ask IHS questions about the current barriers to eliminating rabies. We should get to ask what would be needed to successfully implement the new authority in H.R. 8473.”

House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs (Begich): Legislative Hearing · Jun 9, 2026

Alex Douthit “the 3/10 was what was decided on as a little bit of something, but, um, the time frame, which is what we were looking for, I believe didn't get put on. And I think the biggest contest on that was the, the 30 days versus 5 days.”

Kenai: 6/10/2026 Planning & Zoning Commission Regular Meeting · Jun 10, 2026

Sonja Earsley “Director Buener, that's exciting that you submitted the grant for the, the lighting on, uh, Lawton and, uh, Tinker., and I'm happy to see that he got it submitted.”

Kenai: 6/10/2026 Planning & Zoning Commission Regular Meeting · Jun 10, 2026

Alex Douthit “the biggest contestion that came up is that there was some misalignment on timeline for— they allowed RVs to be 30 days in code, and the tent camping regulation was only 5 days”

Kenai: 6/10/2026 Planning & Zoning Commission Regular Meeting · Jun 10, 2026

Phil Daniel “the camping deal that came from this body, it was passed by council, but it was, um, There's some amendments, some changes to it, basically just cutting it down to more of a— if it's a campground versus not. So 2 or more tents is kind of where we— where they landed.”

Kenai: 6/10/2026 Planning & Zoning Commission Regular Meeting · Jun 10, 2026

Kevin Buettner “We're also hopeful that this might actually get some culverts between Cemetery Creek, the city cemetery, all the way down to North Beach so that juvenile salmon can get up into the freshwater streams and have a good life cycle.”

Kenai: 6/10/2026 Planning & Zoning Commission Regular Meeting · Jun 10, 2026

Phil Daniel “3, 3 Or more. Thank you. So, um, for that clarification. So all the other stipulations were removed. There's some concern that people wouldn't be able to use their property to camp, like for the kids and whatnot, but, uh at least we got something on the books.”

Kenai: 6/10/2026 Planning & Zoning Commission Regular Meeting · Jun 10, 2026

Kevin Buettner “We also have been working on a couple of grants. So we did a Safe Routes to School— or no, just kidding— Safe Streets for All that mimicked a Safe Routes to School grant application for improved sidewalks and street lighting along Lawton and Tinker.”

Kenai: 6/10/2026 Planning & Zoning Commission Regular Meeting · Jun 10, 2026

Phil Daniel “there's no time limit. So, and so, and as— I mean, excuse me, I'm getting out of my reporting hat, but I would be curious to see what the data looks like after the summer to see if we need to tighten that up.”

Kenai: 6/10/2026 Planning & Zoning Commission Regular Meeting · Jun 10, 2026

Alex Douthit “that was the issue that Councilman Grimme brought up that she didn't like, was that there was a discrepancy between the two because they didn't match, and she didn't understand why they didn't match. And that was a big contested issue, and so that just got thrown out completely.”

Kenai: 6/10/2026 Planning & Zoning Commission Regular Meeting · Jun 10, 2026

“I think that we're all on the same page here and wanting to see something work with CAM 2 there, and it's not a no on the project, it's just we all have concerns about the harbor entrance and making it good use for all the harbor users.”

Cordova: Harbor Commission Regular Meeting on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, at 6 PM · Jun 10, 2026

Andy Craig

“I look at it as kind of like a blind spot coming around the corner. Once there's a dock there, you know, and, you know, we know how the boats come in, especially the small boats”

Cordova: Harbor Commission Regular Meeting on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, at 6 PM · Jun 10, 2026

“I'm not opposed to this, them doing some construction there, but I think like Andy said, I think seeing more of a plan to ensure that it's not just let's do it and you do what you want.”

Cordova: Harbor Commission Regular Meeting on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, at 6 PM · Jun 10, 2026

Amanda (Staff, City of Cordova)

“Derek Collins? Yes.”

Cordova: Harbor Commission Regular Meeting on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, at 6 PM · Jun 10, 2026

Andy Craig

“roll call vote to, uh, on the motion to refer the, uh, land disposal back to staff for more information. Andy Gridt? Yes. Ryan Schutzey? Yes.”

Cordova: Harbor Commission Regular Meeting on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, at 6 PM · Jun 10, 2026

Andy Craig

“I would definitely want to see more of a design before I was happy with it because, or, and realistic then.”

Cordova: Harbor Commission Regular Meeting on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, at 6 PM · Jun 10, 2026

Andy Craig

“I think it's clear that we, we want it to work for him, but we need it to work for everybody else as well.”

Cordova: Harbor Commission Regular Meeting on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, at 6 PM · Jun 10, 2026

“if you put a dock there, then you put a big wide boat there, then you got a problem. Yeah. So that's why I— is that what you're seeing too, Ryan? Yeah, exactly. I mean, you extend the dock and then you have a 30-foot wide tender sitting outside of it, and it's— that, that constriction is, is noticeable for those of us that have larger vessels”

Cordova: Harbor Commission Regular Meeting on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, at 6 PM · Jun 10, 2026

Andy Craig

“if the approach went right there along that outer edge of that triangle, then they could basically park a boat on one side and park a boat on the other side and almost block the mouth of the harbor, which is not for a bottom picker obviously, but for a bigger boat or pushing a barge or something like that, it's pretty tight.”

Cordova: Harbor Commission Regular Meeting on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, at 6 PM · Jun 10, 2026

“I really want it to work. I just have reservations because I think that harbor, you know, it gets overused and they become pinch points, which puts other— it makes accidents a lot more likely.”

Cordova: Harbor Commission Regular Meeting on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, at 6 PM · Jun 10, 2026

Peter Micciche “Next door neighbors and all Nokiski taxpayers pay approximately 9 mills for their homes and businesses as partners and contributors to KPB services. The LNG liquefaction facility and marine terminal is expected to cost between $23.6 and $28.4 billion. At 9 mills, AKLNG would be paying between $212 and $215 million annually.”

Alaska Legislature: Senate Finance - June 10, 2026 1:30pm · Jun 10, 2026

Alexi Painter “the total AVT collection projected by DOR in that year is $124 million. The state would receive $15 million of that on behalf of the unorganized borough. The municipalities would receive $109 million of that. Most of that is going to the Kenai Peninsula Borough, $55 million, and the North Slope Borough, $40 million”

Alaska Legislature: Senate Finance - June 10, 2026 1:30pm · Jun 10, 2026

Peter Micciche “I currently have the statutory right under Title 29 to negotiate a deal. If you take that right away, please make sure you protect our community from harm.”

Alaska Legislature: Senate Finance - June 10, 2026 1:30pm · Jun 10, 2026

Alexi Painter “it creates Chapter 59 in Title 43. And so the next few slides will use references within Section 18 because that's a very substantive section. So the new Chapter 4359.010 provides a tax abatement, so no taxes at all until the earlier of 500 MCF of daily average throughput for a 30-day period or 5 years after the commencement of commercial operations.”

Alaska Legislature: Senate Finance - June 10, 2026 1:30pm · Jun 10, 2026

Alexi Painter “AB 4359-030 provides the municipalities will directly collect the tax for the portion of the project property that's located in that municipality, weighted again by the capital costs.”

Alaska Legislature: Senate Finance - June 10, 2026 1:30pm · Jun 10, 2026

Peter Micciche “We always knew that property tax discussions had to occur. Wish they'd started earlier. They didn't. That's water under the bridge. But the original governor's bill left us woefully short on the Kenai.”

Alaska Legislature: Senate Finance - June 10, 2026 1:30pm · Jun 10, 2026

Peter Micciche “We've collected the data on approximate cost for solid waste, general government, education, roads, fire, EMS, hospitals, recreation, regulatory, municipal tasks that are requirement of AKLNG's 49 CFR Part 192 and 193 permitting, um, U.S. Coast Guard Marine Terminal Response Plans. We know there will be capital cost training like fire and EMS equipment upgrades.”

Alaska Legislature: Senate Finance - June 10, 2026 1:30pm · Jun 10, 2026

Alexi Painter “revenue begins in FY '31 with just the in-state portion, and then going as the export begins, this higher number.”

Alaska Legislature: Senate Finance - June 10, 2026 1:30pm · Jun 10, 2026

Peter Micciche “I'm here to fight for enough. Not for a lot, but for enough. I placed my hand on the Bible for 62,000 souls that call the Kenai home and to ensure that we receive enough so that senior citizens and families from Nikiski are not covering the cost or subsidizing a giant global project.”

Alaska Legislature: Senate Finance - June 10, 2026 1:30pm · Jun 10, 2026

Peter Micciche “It is nearly 9 times the footprint and 13 times the production capacity of similar projects the small community has experienced in the past. It's a large project. It will require the relocation of our highway since two-thirds of the facility footprint is located on the east side of the highway, one-third on the west side of the highway, the inlet side.”

Alaska Legislature: Senate Finance - June 10, 2026 1:30pm · Jun 10, 2026

Peter Micciche “We have the lowest mill rate of any other 4356 community at approximately 9 mills.”

Alaska Legislature: Senate Finance - June 10, 2026 1:30pm · Jun 10, 2026

Peter Micciche “42.7% Of the value of this project will be located in the Kenai Peninsula Borough. 900 Acres, 3 liquefaction trains, 2 240,000 cubic meter storage tanks, terminal facilities, 2 berths in Cook Inlet, moving up to 2.5 BCF a day, which means a ship or 2 will always be present. This project will nearly double the population in Akiski for 4 years during construction.”

Alaska Legislature: Senate Finance - June 10, 2026 1:30pm · Jun 10, 2026

Alexi Painter “For Phase 2, your annual AVT revenue would be 8 cents times 500,000 times 365 plus 10 cents times 2.5 million times 365, and that's $107.3 million. And so that's roughly with that higher end cost estimate, that's a mill rate of about 1.97 mills.”

Alaska Legislature: Senate Finance - June 10, 2026 1:30pm · Jun 10, 2026

Alexi Painter “The rate for the AVT is a blend of multiple rates, weighted by the capital expenditure weight of each category. So there's a 6 cents per MCF rate for the pipeline component. That's Phase 1. And then there is a 12-cent per MCF rate for the gas treatment plant and carbon capture facility component, which is part of Phase 2, and then a 12-cent per MCF tax component for the LNG plant.”

Alaska Legislature: Senate Finance - June 10, 2026 1:30pm · Jun 10, 2026

Peter Micciche “You have the choice in your hands between Alaskans like the folks on the Kenai holding the bag for 2 generations or enough in local taxes to provide for a healthy 30-plus-year partnership absent of local taxpayer subsidies.”

Alaska Legislature: Senate Finance - June 10, 2026 1:30pm · Jun 10, 2026

Peter Micciche “At the 12 cents plus the community impact fund in the House version, the project will be paying in the low to mid-30% range of all other Nikiski taxpayers. Approximately a 70% reduction. That's okay. 90% Was too much. 70 Is in the ballpark.”

Alaska Legislature: Senate Finance - June 10, 2026 1:30pm · Jun 10, 2026

Alexi Painter “The tax rate grows theoretically with CPI each year, but it can't grow less than 1% or more than 2%. So very narrowly bounded within that after that first initial year. And the payments are made monthly like the oil and gas production tax, not annually like the existing property tax.”

Alaska Legislature: Senate Finance - June 10, 2026 1:30pm · Jun 10, 2026

Peter Micciche “As noted by Northern Economic Study, we're by far the most proportionally affected community on the project and the only community that will be living with this giant active facility in a small town and on our coast for the next half century.”

Alaska Legislature: Senate Finance - June 10, 2026 1:30pm · Jun 10, 2026

Peter Micciche “As partners in the industry willing to support gas and much-needed commerce for Alaskans, we can make that work. I can look my constituents in the eye and explain with a high level of confidence that it will cover our costs in spite of the inevitable surprises we will find going forward.”

Alaska Legislature: Senate Finance - June 10, 2026 1:30pm · Jun 10, 2026

Alexi Painter “Alaska statutes currently provide the municipalities must contribute the lesser of 2.65 mills of real and personal property or 45% of prior year basic need to schools.. And this section exempts all the property that's getting the AVT or the moratorium— tax moratorium before the AVT kicks in from that required local contribution.”

Alaska Legislature: Senate Finance - June 10, 2026 1:30pm · Jun 10, 2026

Peter Micciche “Through all that history and a mix of onshore large facility Title 29 and offshore and pipeline infrastructure 4356 property taxes, no one's ever discussed— began the discussion with a 90% reduction. That's okay. Things change, and every commercial situation has very different tax economic challenges.”

Alaska Legislature: Senate Finance - June 10, 2026 1:30pm · Jun 10, 2026

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