Alaska Journal of Commerce

For the past three years, the late run of Kenai River king salmon has been too small to meet the escapement goal, leading Alaska state biologists to place restrictions on close-to-shore sockeye fisheries.

Some of the same supply chain challenges that are driving prices higher for everything from appliances to coffee beans are also pushing the Anchorage airport’s cargo business to new heights.

Department of Natural Resources representatives declined to attend a July 27 legislative hearing on the proposed changes because they are in a “quiet period” while they respond to public comments, said House Fisheries Committee chair Geran Tarr.

The corporation has achieved full-year returns greater than 20 percent just three times in the history of the fund, the greatest being a 25.6 percent return in 1985.

The filing indicates leaders of Hilcorp and the other Prudhoe owners have agreed to drill up to six wells in the Orion participating area by next spring.

The launch from Russia keeps OneWeb on track to offer broadband capacity to Alaska, with access sold through local retailers, before the year’s end.

The state’s first-of-its-kind reinsurance program, approved by lawmakers in 2017, lowers the cost of health insurance premiums for individual market enrollees.

Nearly 30 years after ExxonMobil agreed to pay $900 million to help restore resources damaged by the disastrous 1989 Prince William Sound oil spill, more money remains than was once expected.

The price for Alaska North Slope crude has been on a consistent upward trend in recent weeks and closed June 22 at $74.64 per barrel.

The cost and logistical challenges common to rural Alaska projects, along with land ownership issues, have precluded development of geothermal energy from Makushin Volcano.

By Saturday, 289,784 sockeye had been counted, significantly ahead of last year’s count and on track to reach the Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s in-river escapement goal.

Small independents did the bidding in Wednesday’s oil and gas lease sale that netted the Alaska Department of Natural Resources $451,594 from eight bids.

A legislative audit detected 91 issues with the state’s money management and reporting last year.

A state biologist said he’s hopeful the late, cool spring and resulting colder water have held many fish back from entering the river on a more traditional schedule.

Industry sources who have followed the Great Bear-Pantheon work generally said the porosity and permeability of the rock formations — and the ability to easily get the oil out of them — will most likely determine the ultimate size and success of the project.