Economy & Business

Kodiak asks again for state harbor money from a program that got nothing this year

Kodiak's main harbor is worn out, and the state grant program it applied to got nothing this year. Thursday, the City Council votes on urging full funding.

by Walter AlaskaNews2d ago4 min read

AIDEA ends private Port MacKenzie rail deal as railroad weighs building it itself

AIDEA is ending a private deal to finish the Port MacKenzie rail line. The railroad may build it with a $249M federal grant and ask for land two others want.

by Walter AlaskaNews1d ago3 min readFrom Oct 27

High oil prices put Port of Alaska, school repairs on track for $26 million in state money

High oil prices are on track to unlock $26 million for the Port of Alaska, school repairs, campuses and court security. Oil would need to crater to stop it.

by Walter AlaskaNews2d ago2 min read

AIDEA waives size and age rules for firms bidding to invest $25 million of its money

AIDEA waived its $1 billion size and three-years-in-business rules for firms bidding on $25 million of its cash. Picks come days before a new governor.

by Walter AlaskaNews2d ago2 min read

Canadian court approves NovaGold deal that would put Donlin Gold under one owner

A Canadian court approved NovaGold's stock deal for Paulson's 40% of Donlin Gold, which is expected to put the Alaska mine project under one owner Dec. 1.

by Melinda Communities.News2d ago3 min read

Follows: NovaGold shareholders approve trading stock for Paulson's share of Donlin Gold

Fort Wainwright reopens Gaffney Gate with three inbound lanes and a new canopy

Fort Wainwright's Gaffney Gate is back open with three inbound lanes, a commercial lane and a new canopy over the guards. Give yourself extra time.

by Alaska News1d ago1 min readFrom Nov 6

Golden Valley asks regulators to waive 15-day shutoff notice for prepaid power

Golden Valley wants to cut off prepaid customers once their balance runs out, with a morning email or call, instead of the usual 15 days' notice.

by Walter AlaskaNews2d ago3 min read

Coast Guard orders a Dutch Harbor pollution response, and the record doesn't say why

The Coast Guard hired a spill response company, without bidding, for work in Dutch Harbor. The paperwork doesn't say what spilled, or whether anything did.

by Maggie AlaskaNews1d ago2 min read

State offers lease for what would be Alaska's first giant data center

Alaska offered STAK Energy a 50-year lease on North Slope land for a giant data center that would run on its own gas power plant, tied to no grid.

by Maggie AlaskaNews2d ago4 min read

Follows: STAK says ExxonMobil signed 15-year gas deal for proposed North Slope computing campus

Unalaska asks residents to clear cars and trailers from road shoulders before plowing

Unalaska wants cars, trailers and gear off road shoulders before plows roll this winter. Clutter blocks plow crews and emergency vehicles, and buried items can get damaged.

by Alaska News2d ago1 min read

Army Corps seeks a team to build an estimated $1.8 billion JBER weapons complex

Army Corps is seeking a builder for a $1.8 billion weapons complex at JBER, done by 2032. The 16 new facilities must run before the old complex shuts down, with zero downtime.

by Melinda Communities.News2d ago2 min read

Forest Service wants a small business to rebuild Robinette Road near Hope by next fall

The Forest Service wants a small business to rebuild Robinette Road, a 1.5-mile road into the forest near Hope, with fresh gravel as an add-on, by next fall.

by Maggie AlaskaNews2d ago1 min read

Whittier to hire design firm for new DeLong Dock, with construction years away

Whittier will hire a design firm to rethink its 70-year-old DeLong Dock, now drawing interest from LNG projects and the military. Shovels are 2 to 3 years out.

by Walter AlaskaNews2d ago1 min read

Wasilla planners move to ask the council to repeal its ban on housing in commercial zones

Wasilla's planning commission moved to ask the City Council to undo its ban on housing in commercial zones, and some members vented about being ignored.

by Walter AlaskaNews2d ago2 min read

Whittier gets $4.1 million in federal money to design a DeLong Dock replacement

Whittier got $4.07 million in federal money to design a replacement for its 70 year old DeLong Dock.

by Melinda Communities.News1d ago2 min read

Graphite One pays a federal lab to see if its Nome-area mine could also yield rare earths

Graphite One is paying a federal lab to see if its rock near Nome also holds rare earth elements. The mine itself is still years and a federal review away.

by Walter AlaskaNews2d ago2 min read

Anchorage's 2052 transportation plan calls for a Fairview Bypass and more frequent buses

Anchorage's 2052 transportation plan calls for a Fairview Bypass, buses every 30 minutes and a rebuilt Muldoon. The Assembly weighs in starting Nov. 17.

by Walter AlaskaNews2d ago2 min read

Follows: Anchorage road plan keeps contested Seward Highway and downtown rebuilds

Neighbor appeals Mat-Su approval of a 300-person event venue at the Knik Bar

The Knik Bar got Mat-Su's OK for a 300-person lakeside event hall after planners dropped a 10 pm limit on outdoor events. A neighbor is appealing Friday.

by Walter AlaskaNews2d ago2 min read

State approves giving AIDEA 6,800 acres near Houston, a third of what it first proposed

The state approved giving AIDEA 6,800 acres near Houston free, a third of what it first proposed, and added a clause returning undeveloped land to the state.

by Alaska News2d ago3 min read

Anchorage permits more new housing than in any year since 2015, mayor's office says

Anchorage permitted 532 new homes through October, more than any full year since 2015, the mayor's office says. But permits aren't homes, and the bar was low.

by Walter AlaskaNews2d ago2 min read

Golden Valley Electric moves to settle rate case as high power costs strain its cash

Golden Valley Electric is negotiating to settle its rate case, which decides how much base rates go up. The co-op says high power costs strain its cash.

by Melinda Communities.News2d ago2 min read

Planning commission backs rezone to legalize Chugiak house built on industrial land

A Chugiak house built without permits in 2006 sits on industrial land. Planners backed rezoning it residential; its industrial neighbors aren't thrilled.

by Walter AlaskaNews2d ago2 min read

Wasilla approves $6 million wastewater loan, but city says project is $4.6 million short

Wasilla took a $6 million state loan for its sewage plant upgrade Monday. It's still $4.6 million short, and the price keeps climbing, staff say.

by Walter AlaskaNews2d ago2 min read

Follows: Wasilla council takes up $6 million state loan to expand its wastewater plant

USDA proposes rules for Alaska's SNAP work-limit reprieve, which must end by 2028

USDA proposed rules for Alaska's SNAP work-limit reprieve, which by law ends by 2028. The state says its old eligibility system is one reason it needs it.

by Bill AlaskaNews2d ago3 min read

Follows: USDA proposal could undo Alaska's SNAP eligibility expansion

Haines draft would require permits for taxis and tours in the Chilkoot Corridor

Haines already paused new tour permits in its Chilkoot bear-viewing corridor. Now a draft would make taxis, Ubers and multi-day tours get permits too.

by Walter AlaskaNews2d ago2 min read

Nova Minerals says its Port MacKenzie plant could support far more than its funded first phase

Nova Minerals says its secondhand Port MacKenzie plant can grind 216,000 metric tons of ore a year and models up to 20,000 tons of antimony with more gear.

by Walter AlaskaNews3d ago2 min read

Follows: Antimony refinery developer Nova Minerals says its cash won't fund a year of plans

Golden Valley says it can't exempt medical-device users from rolling outages

Golden Valley says it can't spare homes that rely on medical devices if it has to cut power in rolling outages, and urged those members to plan ahead.

by Melinda Communities.News3d ago2 min read

Mat-Su staff back two cabins 50 feet from Rainbow Lake, inside the 75-foot setback

Mat-Su planners back letting a builder put two cabins 50 feet from Rainbow Lake, inside the 75-foot setback, though the lot has a spot that meets the rule.

by Walter AlaskaNews3d ago2 min readFrom Nov 4

Rockslide work alone won't reopen Skagway's Railroad Dock to trains or pedestrians

Skagway's rockslide fix alone won't bring trains or foot traffic back to the Railroad Dock, engineers say. Helicopters instead of a road would cost far more.

by Walter AlaskaNews3d ago4 min readFrom Nov 4

Haines Borough weighs what to do with 1,180 acres at Excursion Inlet

Haines Borough has about 1,180 acres at remote Excursion Inlet and is asking what to do with it: homes, a sale, timber or keeping it for public use.

by Walter AlaskaNews3d ago2 min read

Haines drops cheaper Lutak Dock option, leaving bidders only the full rebuild

Haines dropped a cheaper fix for its crumbling Lutak Dock, saying it wouldn't fit the $20 million federal grant. Bidders would price only a full rebuild.

by Walter AlaskaNews3d ago2 min readFrom Nov 6

First National Bank Alaska's quarterly profit rises 18%, and shareholders get $8 a share

First National Bank Alaska earned $25.2 million last quarter, up 18% from a year ago. Shareholders get $8 a share in December, half of it a special dividend.

by Walter AlaskaNews3d ago2 min readFrom Nov 4

Juneau has slightly fewer jobs than in 2012 as state work shrinks and mining grows

Juneau has slightly fewer jobs than in 2012 as state government shrinks and mining grows. The icebreaker that might help needs somewhere for its crew to live.

by Walter AlaskaNews3d ago2 min read

Nome staff recommend denying Bonanza Fuel rezone and King Island tribal home variances

Nome planners recommend saying no to a fuel company's shop in a residential area and to fixes for a tribal home whose stairs crossed a lot line.

by Walter AlaskaNews3d ago2 min read

FAA lets planes like the Cessna Caravan swap 100-hour inspections for model-specific ones

Owners of single-engine turbine planes like the Caravan can soon trade 100-hour inspections for model-specific plans. Turbine helicopters got that in 1989.

by Bill AlaskaNews3d ago2 min read

Fairbanks planners take up request to rezone 10 Hamilton Acres lots for duplexes

Fairbanks planners take up a request tonight to let ten Hamilton Acres lots have duplexes. Four already have them, despite single-family zoning.

by Walter AlaskaNews3d ago2 min read

Northwest Arctic Borough seeks designs for heated public safety storage in five villages

The Northwest Arctic Borough wants designs for heated buildings to keep fire, search and rescue and VPSO gear out of the cold in five villages.

by Walter AlaskaNews3d ago2 min readFrom Nov 6

Mat-Su Borough would spend $850,000 in fire reserves on Big Lake station water supply

Big Lake's fire station refills fire trucks too slowly, so the Mat-Su Borough wants to spend $850,000 upgrading the station's water supply system.

by Walter AlaskaNews3d ago1 min read

Atigun Pass on the Dalton Highway reopens to one lane after avalanche closure

Dalton Highway's Atigun Pass reopened to one lane Monday after an avalanche closure, with vehicle recovery work still underway near Milepost 243.

by Maggie AlaskaNews3d ago1 min read

Follows: State closes Dalton Highway over Atigun Pass due to high avalanche activity

BLM proposes cutting public comment time on its major land plans from 90 days to 30

: BLM proposed cutting public comment on big land plans from 90 days to 30 and making full impact statements optional. It oversees 70 million Alaska acres.

by Maggie AlaskaNews3d ago3 min read