Oil industry funding for Ballot Measure 1 opposition pushes overall spending to a record $25 million
Advertising costs are high because of Alaska’s U.S. Senate race, both sides say.
Energy
Ballot Measure 1 is complex, and so are Alaskans' views of the oil industry. So what’s driving their decisions to vote yes or no?
Political observers believe many Alaskans will gloss over the details of the oil production tax proposal and instead base their votes on preexisting views of the industry.
Kake seeks to build biomass heating system for cheaper energy
The system would use leftover wood from thinning of second growth forests or from timber operations in Southeast Alaska.
Trump administration approves ConocoPhillips’ Willow oil project in National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska
The approval sets the stage for construction in a largely undeveloped Arctic region that has seen increased industry attention in recent years.
Trump administration releases new Arctic refuge seismic proposal submitted by Native village corporation
Environmental groups decried the action, saying the Trump administration is rushing to lay the groundwork for oil development ahead of the election.
Ballot Measure 1 opponents win early dispute over whether Outside oil company headquarters should be disclosed in ads
A state agency rejected an expedited hearing request from a former state lawmaker. The complaint remains in play, but it won’t be considered until after the election.
Both sides of the Ballot Measure 1 debate say voting with them will save the PFD. Here’s what’s behind those arguments.
Some questions raised: Will increased revenues really boost the dividend? Will investment that’s needed to seed the Alaska Permanent Fund shrink?
Watch: Oil tax increase supporters and opponents debate Alaska’s Ballot Measure 1
On Nov. 3, voters will decide the fate of Ballot Measure 1, a citizen-led effort to increase oil production taxes on the state’s biggest oil companies.
Cook Inlet oil activity slows in response to continuing low prices
Glacier Oil and Gas, an Anchorage-based independent producer, wants to put two facilities into “cold-shutdown and unmanned” status.
Villages sue Trump administration over proposed mining road that would cut through remote Interior Alaska
A consortium representing 42 tribes is leading the lawsuit, after the federal government issued a right-of-way permit for the road this summer.
Dunleavy administration seeks court clarity on rejection of plan to sell bonds to pay oil tax credits
The administration is asking the Alaska Supreme Court to clarify whether the ruling impacts hundreds of millions of dollars worth of bonds sold for local governments across the state.
White House official holds up polar bear study that could affect oil drilling in Alaska
U.S. Geological Survey Director James Reilly has refused to make public the study by his own scientists of the number of female polar bears that den and give birth on land near the southern Beaufort Sea.
Spending in Alaska oil tax battle reaches new heights, with more than $17 million raised
The fundraising, with most of the money coming from oil companies, could be a record for a ballot initiative.
Environmental regulators seek more money for Alaska’s spill response fund
The conclusion that the fund needs additional help comes as the state is facing a fiscal year 2022 budget deficit of roughly $2 billion.
BP hits 25-year low a week after unveiling climate strategy
Investors are reacting with skepticism to BP’s pledge to turn itself into a clean-energy giant.
Conservation groups seek review of regulatory decision on Alaska LNG pipeline
The Alaska gas project still needs investors, funding and customers.
Shell Offshore files plans to return to Alaska’s North Slope
Meanwhile, ConocoPhillips says it will likely wait until the results of the oil tax initiative are known before planning next year’s work.
Big Oil’s green makeover: BP reinventing itself as an energy company
The company is shrinking its oil and gas business, revving up offshore wind power and developing solar and battery storage.
Oil tax measure group cries foul over ‘attack ad’ that links it to Alaska environmental organization
The group behind the measure says the ad wrongly implies that they are bankrolled by Outside environmentalists. The Alaska Chamber says it wants Alaskans to understand who is endorsing the measure.
Federal charges brought against former head of company that hopes to begin search for oil in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
The former SAExploration CEO and a co-conspirator set up a company to appear independent, looking to take advantage of Alaska’s oil tax credits to offset costs, the charges say.