Economy & Business
RSSEconomy & Business in Alaska is the mix of government decisions, contracts, grants and private projects that shape the state's economy. It covers municipal budgets, infrastructure and airport planning, federal grants and contracts, employment trends, and energy development across Alaska.
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Week of May 11
Alaska House panel expands farm tax breaks to flowers, hay
Alaska House panel voted to restore farm tax breaks for flowers and hay production, reversing a 2024 limit that cut non-food crops from the program.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min read
House panel advances domestic violence protective order extensions
House panel advanced a bill letting judges extend domestic violence protective orders to five years instead of one, sparing victims from annual court renewals.
by Alaska News6mo ago4 min read
Point Thomson Gas Blowdown Could Cost Alaska 65M Barrels of Condensate
Switching Point Thomson from gas cycling to blowdown for the proposed gas pipeline would sacrifice roughly 65 million barrels of condensate, state regulators told lawmakers Wednesday.
by Alaska News6mo ago5 min read
Alaska Marijuana Board schedules special session on Anchorage ordinance
Alaska Marijuana Control Board scheduled a special meeting for June 3, 2026, to address AO360, an Anchorage ordinance, though the notice did not specify what issues the board will tackle.
by Alaska News6mo ago2 min readInterior Secretary Burgum to address Alaska energy conference
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum will speak at the Alaska Sustainable Energy Conference in Anchorage on May 19 alongside Governor Dunleavy, his second year attending the event.
by Alaska News6mo ago2 min read
Donlin Gold targets 2027 investment decision on $10B Alaska mine
Donlin Gold plans to decide by mid-2027 whether to build a $10 billion gold mine near Crooked Creek, with construction running 2028-2031 and creating 2,000 to 3,000 jobs.
by Alaska News6mo ago4 min read
State partners with Skagway startup to sell Alaska-made goods online
Alaska's Made in Alaska program launches a free online marketplace with Skagway startup Voyij on June 1, giving permit holders access to 10 million cruise and airline customers at no upfront cost.
by Alaska News6mo ago2 min readMcCarthy Road opens for season with difficult conditions, 35 mph advisory
McCarthy Road opened May 8 for the season with a 35 mph advisory due to soft shoulders, potholes, and rough conditions on the 60-mile gravel route to McCarthy and Kennicott.
by Alaska News6mo ago2 min readMore from Economy & Business
Alaska Gear Company wins 2024 Manufacturer of Year; 2025 nominations open
Alaska's Made in Alaska Program is accepting nominations through May 29, 2026 for its 2025 Manufacturer of the Year award, which recognizes Alaska-based manufacturers for growth and innovation.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago2 min readSenate panel advances Whittier land transfer bill without objection
Alaska Senate committee unanimously advanced a bill to transfer railroad land to Whittier for harbor expansion, housing, and business development.
by Alaska News6mo ago2 min read
Gas tax hike could net Alaska $590M over pipeline life, analysis shows
Raising Alaska's gas production tax by 1 percentage point could generate $590 million over 30 years once the Alaska LNG project exports begin in 2033, without raising in-state gas prices.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min read
Anchorage treatment facility debate exposes gaps in public process
Anchorage fast-tracked approval for a Fairview treatment center without notifying neighbors first, exposing gaps between federal procurement rules and community engagement.
by Alaska News6mo ago4 min read
Unalaska council to hear appeal in TSYS business dispute May 12
Unalaska City Council will hear a business appeal involving TSYS on May 12 at 6 p.m. at City Hall, with details available on the city website.
by Alaska News6mo ago1 min readAlaska lawmakers debate farm tax break for horses, flowers
Alaska House committee narrowed a farm tax bill Tuesday, removing horses and flowers from eligibility and angering the bill's sponsor.
by Alaska News6mo ago4 min read
Planning commission postpones wetlands plan update over staffing gaps
Anchorage's Planning Commission postponed wetlands plan updates Monday after staff admitted no one on payroll can use the technical tools needed to manage wetlands permits.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min read
Senate panel debates gas pipeline tax structure in 26th hearing
Senate panel debated tax rates for Alaska LNG Monday, with focus on where gas gets taxed and how the state collects revenue under a proposed volumetric system.
by Alaska News6mo ago4 min read
About Economy & Business
Economy and business in Alaska is the mix of government decisions, contracts, grants and private projects that shape the state's economy. It is the broad subject that holds narrower topics such as business, energy, oil and gas, mining, aviation and tourism.
Much of it runs through public bodies, with municipal assemblies approving contracts and planning decisions, state agencies leasing land and selling gravel and rock, and AIDEA lending to industry. Recurring questions concern infrastructure such as harbors, airports, roads and water and sewer lines, along with housing and zoning rules, energy supply, labor contracts, federal grants and military construction.
Its decisions reach every part of the state, from Anchorage and the Mat-Su to Kodiak, Cordova, Haines and the North Slope. Federal and military spending, resource development and Alaska Native corporation ventures all feed into the economy.
More from Economy & Business
Week of May 4
Alaska House panel debates insurance gaps for gig delivery drivers
The House Labor and Commerce Committee is debating Senate Bill 35 to require delivery companies to provide $1 million in liability insurance for gig drivers.
by Alaska News6mo ago4 min read
Alaska House Rewrites LNG Tax Bill, Raising Rate While Empowering Boroughs
Alaska House raised the LNG pipeline tax to 15 cents per thousand cubic feet and gave boroughs power to negotiate property taxes on gas facilities instead of a uniform state rate.
by Alaska News6mo ago5 min read
Palmer meeting set for Glenn Highway safety project feedback
DOT&PF meets June 3 in Palmer to gather public input on Glenn Highway safety improvements, with comments accepted through July 3.
by Alaska News6mo ago1 min readAlaska LNG Tax Bill Stalls as Lawmakers Demand Project Cost Data
Alaska lawmakers lack confidential cost data to set taxes on the proposed Alaska LNG project with only days left in the session.
by Alaska News6mo ago5 min read
Kenai health office closed May 7 due to plumbing problems
Alaska Department of Health's Kenai office at 630 Barnacle Way closes May 7 for plumbing repairs, with remote workers staying home and essential staff reporting as usual.
by Alaska News6mo ago1 min readInterior transfers 1.4 million acres in Dalton corridor to Alaska
Interior transferred 1.4 million acres along the Dalton Corridor to Alaska, completing 96% of the state's statehood land entitlement, though some Alaska Native tribes have sued over the selections.
by Walter AlaskaNews6mo ago2 min readHouse Panel Advances $40M Community Impact Fund for Gas Pipeline
House Resources Committee voted 7-2 to increase a community impact fund for Alaska LNG pipeline municipalities to $40 million, over the project developer's objection that it exceeds economic modeling.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min read
ConocoPhillips Cuts 12.5% of North Slope Workforce as Oil Prices Fall
ConocoPhillips laid off 12.5% of its North Slope workforce in September following its merger with Marathon Oil, affecting workers at Kuparuk, Alpine, and Willow fields as oil prices fell.
by Alaska News6mo ago2 min readFrom Engine Trouble Strands Columbia Ferry at Whittier Dock for Four Hours
Engine trouble stranded the Alaska Marine Highway System ferry Columbia at Whittier for four hours on May 5, delaying hundreds of passengers and dozens of vehicles headed to Prince William Sound.
by Alaska News6mo ago2 min readHouse panel holds wildfire evacuation bill over cost, scope concerns
House panel held a wildfire evacuation bill over concerns that maintaining roads and airports in fire-prone areas could cost over $100 million statewide.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min read
Alaska bill would require human operators in autonomous freight trucks
Alaska bill would require a human operator in commercial freight trucks over 10,000 pounds, effectively blocking fully driverless rigs from the state.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min read
Senate panel proposes doubling Dalton Highway surcharge in gas line bill
Senate committee doubled the Dalton Highway maintenance surcharge to 30 cents per barrel in the gas pipeline bill, but questioned whether $1 billion in tax cuts justify the cost to Alaska.
by Alaska News6mo ago4 min read
Senate panel debates $1B tax break for Alaska LNG amid cost secrecy
Alaska Senate panel split on tax breaks for $46 billion LNG project, with one lawmaker refusing to vote without cost details and warning the state could lose $1 billion annually in taxes.
by Alaska News6mo ago4 min read
House panel hears tax proposal for Alaska LNG project
House panel heard a proposal to cut Alaska LNG's property tax burden from $750 million yearly by 2033 to about $200 million through a volumetric tax on gas volume.
by Alaska News6mo ago4 min read
Dunleavy says Alaska gas pipeline depends on property tax overhaul
Governor Dunleavy demands the legislature pass a property tax overhaul within three weeks to make a $44 billion to $50 billion North Slope gas pipeline financially viable.
by Alaska News6mo ago5 min read
Senate panel doubles oil surcharge for Dalton Highway maintenance in gas pipeline bill
Alaska Senate panel doubled the oil surcharge for Dalton Highway maintenance to 30 cents per barrel, generating roughly $50 million yearly, while cutting local government tax revenue by 90 percent.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min readHouse Finance cuts West Susitna road funding from capital budget
House Finance cut $95 million for the West Susitna Access Road from the capital budget. Lawmakers fear the project will drain federal funds from other state needs.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min read
Alaska LNG project could tap Defense Production Act for federal support
The Alaska Senate Resources Committee is weighing federal aid for the $47 billion Alaska LNG project. Experts warn this could set a massive precedent for future infrastructure funding.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago4 min read
Week of Apr 27
Senate adds $156M to capital budget, prioritizes deferred maintenance
Alaska Senate added $156 million to the capital budget for deferred maintenance at schools, universities, and state facilities after oil prices rose beyond the governor's projections.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago5 min read
Anchorage faces mobile home park crisis as South Park Estates closes
South Park Estates mobile home park is closing due to unfixable water damage, leaving over 30 households with few options in Anchorage's tight affordable housing market.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago4 min read
House panel ties Alaska gas line tax breaks to Fairbanks spur line
House panel tied tax breaks for Alaska's LNG project to building a spur line delivering affordable gas to Fairbanks and military bases, shifting the debate over who pays for Interior access.
by Alaska News6mo ago4 min read
Generations Southeast brings CDL simulator training to Juneau, Prince of Wales
Generations Southeast installed virtual driving simulators in Juneau and Klawock so residents can train for commercial driver licenses without leaving Southeast Alaska.
by Alaska News6mo ago2 min read
Housing agency buys 600+ acres statewide to spur development
Alaska Housing Finance Corporation bought 600+ acres statewide with $12.5 million to spur single-family housing development, with developer proposals due in June and construction expected summer 2027.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min read
Anchorage to transfer Nordstrom building to development authority
Anchorage is transferring the vacant Nordstrom building to a development authority to redevelop it as mixed-use housing and commercial space downtown, with a public hearing set for March 24.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago2 min read
