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Alaska LNG Project Shifts Focus to In-State Gas, Delays Export Phase
Alaska LNG delays exports, focuses first on supplying in-state gas from North Slope to Cook Inlet. • Lawmakers debate tying tax breaks to a required gas line serving Fairbanks. • Company warns narrow financial window and limited pipeline capacity pose challenges. • Governor says tax breaks are needed to compete with cheaper energy projects elsewhere.

Ice Flows Delay Miles Lake Sonar, Chitina Dipnet Season in Limbo
Ice flows are delaying Miles Lake sonar equipment, pushing the Chitina dipnet season opening to a tentative June 10 noon start pending sonar data on salmon passage.

Alaska LNG project secures financing proposals, targets 2027 construction start
Alaska LNG secured private financing to build 800-mile pipeline from North Slope to Cook Inlet, targeting 2027 construction start and 2029 gas delivery. • Needs tax stabilization law and utility regulator approval to proceed. • Export facility would sell 20 million tonnes of LNG yearly, mostly to Asia. • Project addresses Cook Inlet gas shortage and aims to lower Alaska energy costs.

Senate Republicans link Cook Inlet gas decline to rural power costs
Senate Republicans warn Cook Inlet gas decline will raise rural power costs through state subsidy program. • Caucus calls energy shortage an existential crisis and pushes Legislature to build gasline instead of importing liquefied gas. • Three priorities set for special session: cut energy costs, create jobs from pipeline, manage resources for public benefit.

Alaska Senate passes special education funding and Palmer judge bills
Alaska Senate unanimously passed bill increasing special education funding by 16 percent per student. • Senate also approved adding a fifth Superior Court judge in Palmer to reduce case backlog from 680 to 540 cases per judge.

Begich cites $163M Alaska oil lease sale as proof federal certainty drives investment
Rep. Nick Begich cited a record $163 million Alaska oil lease sale as evidence that federal policy certainty drives energy investment, and called for faster permitting to unlock Alaska's oil, gas, and geothermal resources for national security.

Aspect Holdings addresses $100B Alaska projection, contested Teshekpuk lease
Aspect Holdings won eight Alaska lease blocks projecting $100 billion in state revenue. • One contested block near Teshekpuk Lake faces a lawsuit from a Native organization. • Seven uncontested blocks expected to be finalized soon. • Company estimates 20 billion barrels of recoverable oil remain on North Slope.

Alaska Senate passes special education funding and Palmer judge bills
Alaska Senate unanimously passed bill raising special education funding by 16 percent per student. • Senate also unanimously approved adding a fifth Superior Court judge in Palmer to cut case backlogs from 680 to 540 cases per judge.

Alaska's Off-Grid Communities Face Rising Diesel Costs as Governor Promotes Solar Alternative
Alaska Governor Dunleavy urged the state's 220-plus off-grid communities to adopt solar power paired with batteries and diesel backup to cut fuel costs as diesel prices rise for winter orders.

National Lab, University of Alaska Fairbanks sign energy partnership
National Renewable Energy Laboratory and University of Alaska Fairbanks expanded their partnership Wednesday to focus on critical minerals, energy infrastructure, and workforce development for Alaska's energy sector.

Alaska hydropower projects to receive millions in federal funding
Four Alaska hydropower projects will share millions in federal funding for upgrades, with tax credits covering 30 to 50 percent of new construction costs through 2033.

Alaska Energy Conference Highlights Gas Pipeline Progress Amid Legislative Tax Debate
Alaska LNG pipeline signed contracts, targets 2029 delivery, but governor and legislature split on tax framework. • Southcentral consumers could pay $22.96 per thousand cubic feet if exports fail, double current rates. • Federal officials highlighted critical minerals and $1 billion in funding, but permitting takes 15 to 18 years. • Rural Alaska pays $6.63 per gallon with no pipeline relief in sight.

Lake Hood tenant secures 55-year lease at 12 cents per square foot
Alaska DOT&PF proposes a 55-year lease to Lake Hood Air Harbor, Inc. for 60,037 square feet at 12 cents per square foot annually, with public comments accepted through June 18, 2026.
Crews battle South Anchorage vegetation fire near 100th Avenue and C Street
Firefighters responded to a vegetation fire in South Anchorage near 100th Avenue and C Street on Tuesday afternoon, with the fire growing from 2 to 5 acres and threatening one trailer.

Alaska's environmental chief calls EPA partnership under Trump the best of his career
Alaska's environmental chief says the Trump administration EPA is the most collaborative federal partner he has seen in 25 years, citing streamlined permitting and respect for state expertise over federal review.

Seven Anchorage patients develop rare heart infection from gonorrhea
Alaska health officials reported seven cases of gonococcal endocarditis in Anchorage between December 2024 and March 2026, with one death, linked to homelessness and drug use.

Chiniak Highway hit with 50% weight limit, toughest in Kodiak area
A six-mile section of Chiniak Highway faces a 50% weight restriction starting May 15, 2026, the most severe seasonal limit in the Kodiak road system.
8-Year Boundary Error in Jonesville PUA Finally Corrected
An eight-year-old boundary error in legislation creating the Jonesville Public Use Area is being corrected after unanimous legislative approval, allowing DNR to finally complete regulations for the area.
Urban Design Commission splits on apartment buffer variance
The Anchorage Urban Design Commission approved a landscaping variance for the west boundary of a 36-unit apartment expansion but denied the same relief for the south boundary, where neighbors have spent over $20,000 fighting water damage from the property.

Downtown library to be named for Anchorage's original townsite
Anchorage's Public Naming Commission scheduled a June 10 public hearing on naming a new downtown library the Anchorage Original Townsite Downtown Library, honoring donor Janet Goetz's wishes and the city's historic core.

Anchorage zoning board approves deck variance despite staff concerns
The Anchorage Zoning Board of Examiners and Appeals voted 9-0 Friday to allow a deck to remain 3 feet from a property line instead of the required 5 feet, overriding a staff recommendation that found one variance standard only partially met.

Stone Soup Group finale teaches families IEP advocacy for disabled youth
Stone Soup Group hosts its final Transitions Series event on May 30, 2026, teaching families of disabled youth how to advocate at IEP meetings and navigate disability policy in Alaska.
Alaska launches new online system to report elder abuse, harm
Alaska's Division of Senior and Disabilities Services has launched a new federally compliant online reporting system for vulnerable adult harm, critical incidents, and assisted living complaints, with the old system redirecting until May 22, 2026.
Interior Secretary Burgum to address Alaska energy conference
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum will address the Alaska Sustainable Energy Conference while holding dual federal roles overseeing both regulatory authority and energy production advocacy.

Upper Copper River king salmon fishery requires new permit in 2026
Alaska Department of Fish and Game now requires a free individual permit for all anglers targeting king salmon in the Upper Copper River drainage, with mandatory harvest reporting by August 31, 2026.
State to use fish pesticide in Sucker Lake to kill invasive pike
Alaska Department of Fish and Game will apply Rotenone fish pesticide to Sucker Lake in August 2026 to kill invasive northern pike, expanding a suppression program that has been limited to side sloughs since 2011.
McCarthy Road opens for season with difficult conditions, 35 mph advisory
The McCarthy Road opened May 8 for the season with fair to difficult conditions including soft shoulders and wet roadway, prompting a 35 mph advisory speed limit on the 60-mile gravel route that provides sole access to McCarthy, Kennicott, and Wrangell-St. Elias National Park.
Senate panel advances Whittier land transfer bill without objection
The Senate Community and Regional Affairs Committee unanimously moved House Bill 216 forward Tuesday, advancing legislation that would transfer Alaska Railroad Corporation land to the City of Whittier.

Alaska House panel advances penny-rounding bill to standardize cash transactions
The Alaska House State Affairs Committee unanimously advanced legislation requiring retailers to round cash transactions to the nearest nickel, addressing inconsistent business practices as pennies disappear from circulation.
Anchorage treatment facility debate exposes gaps in public process
The Housing and Homelessness Action Commission meeting became a forum for community concerns about a proposed True North Recovery treatment facility in Fairview, highlighting tensions between municipal funding requirements and neighborhood engagement.

Cordova Seeks Rock Extraction Deal to Fund New Public Safety Building
Cordova is accepting proposals for exploratory excavation that could lead to a rock-for-site-preparation trade arrangement to fund a new Public Safety Building outside the tsunami-inundation zone.
Planning commission postpones wetlands plan update over staffing gaps
The Anchorage Planning and Zoning Commission voted Monday to postpone Phase 1 updates to the city's wetlands management plan indefinitely after staff acknowledged no qualified wetlands expert is currently designated to oversee the program.

U.S. Education Secretary Tours Mat-Su Career and Charter Schools
U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon visited two Mat-Su schools on May 7 as part of a 50-state tour celebrating the nation's 250th anniversary.
Alaska Native Women Face Trafficking Risks Across Rural and Urban Areas
Alaska Native women and girls face trafficking and missing persons risks from rural villages to urban areas, with federal reports documenting foster care failures and recent arrests in Anchorage.
Alaska House Finance Rejects Cemetery, School, Energy Amendments
The House Finance Committee rejected multiple capital budget amendments Friday, including funding for an Eagle River cemetery, Galena school repairs, Arctic Winter Games, and the West Susitna Access Road, citing budget constraints despite acknowledging merit in the proposals.

Anchor River Chinook Peak Shifts Two Weeks Later, Data Shows
Anchor River Chinook salmon runs now peak approximately 12 days later than historical patterns, shifting from mid-June to late June and early July according to ADFG data analyzed by local residents.
Karluk River Chinook Collapse Triggers First Subsistence Closure
Alaska Department of Fish and Game closed Karluk River subsistence Chinook salmon fishing through December 2026 after escapement fell to 93 fish in 2025, 98 percent below the 3,000 to 6,000 fish goal.
Bank of America Files Four Debt Suits Against Kenai Residents in One Day
Bank of America filed four debt collection lawsuits against Kenai Peninsula residents on May 5, 2026, part of a pattern of collection activity that raises questions about whether the bank is pursuing debts it may have already sold.
True North Recovery proposes Fairview behavioral health center
The Anchorage Assembly Public Health and Safety Committee heard a presentation from True North Recovery on a proposed peer-led behavioral health navigation center in Fairview, sparking debate over location and community impact.

Shoulder-to-Shoulder Anglers Pack Kenai River as Salmon Runs Peak
Heavy crowds of anglers are packing the Kenai River in combat fishing conditions as late-run sockeye and coho salmon runs peak through September.