Youth around Alaska have been at the forefront of recent actions: over 300 people in Fairbanks joined 4 million people globally as part of the youth climate strikes and sixteen young Alaskans are suing the state for contributing to climate change. Young people are mobilizing at unprecedented scales to fight for our futures. Here in Fairbanks, we have drafted seventeen …
Alaskans Taking the lead for renewable future
E2’s latest Clean Jobs America report states that in 2018 3.26 million Americans were employed by the clean energy economy with an expected growth rate to be 6 percent at the end of this year. Those are huge numbers nationally and are making even bigger impacts at state and local levels. The transition to clean energy continues to build the …
Stand up. Get counted. Be heard.
The decennial U.S. census will shape decisions and structures in our country for the next ten years. Among its many impacts, the census determines electoral districts, funding for services, and civil rights enforcement, making it critical that the people in this country are accurately accounted for. We are already seeing tactics from this administration ― like defunding the census effort …
Press Statement: Corrupt Permitting Process Threatens Bristol Bay and Silences Alaskans
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 2, 2019 ANCHORAGE, AK – The official comment period for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the proposed Pebble Mine closed yesterday and Alaskans from around the state fear their voices are not being heard. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a memo last week announcing that it would resume the process for revoking the Proposed …
Press Statement: Alaskan Voices are Heard on Pebble at Federal Level, But We Demand More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 19, 2019 Anchorage, AK- Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed amendment 90, being called the “Huffman Amendment,” to the Energy and Water Appropriations Act (H.R. 2740) bill that would suspend funding for permitting of the proposed Pebble mine in federal fiscal year 2020. The Alaska Center salutes Representative Huffman and House members for taking decisive …
Leg With Louie: Summer Homework
Friends, I know it is sad to think about, but someday the fanfare will fade, the bloggers and pundits and lobbyists will move on to other questionable endeavors, and the special session will conclude. Our lawmakers will voyage in the annual diaspora to their home districts where they will convert to members of the community again, and be welcomed back …
Alaska High School Students Join Youth Climate Strike
High school students from Anchorage and the Valley skipped the end of their school day on Friday, not to enjoy the weather but to fight for their futures. Rallies took place around the world on Friday as part of the Fridays for Future movement and the Youth Climate Strike. The international movements aim to prevent the worst effects of climate …
Leg With Louie: A process you never knew you had, and you are about to lose
In 2006 the very unpopular administration of Governor Frank Murkowski approved a regulation allowing the dumping of water pollution into salmon spawning and rearing areas. This regulation was an extreme change to the rules protecting our salmon. Before it went into effect statewide, a review and certification by the Environmental Protection Agency were required. This regulation was so incredibly offensive to everyone besides …
Leg with Louie: It was a dark and stormy Juneau….
The sun came out in Juneau today, ominous and strange after days of rain. By noon the temperature was plunging toward a projected single-digit nadir and the wind was pushing snow off the peak of Mt. Juneau. Flags – Alaskan, American – went haywire in the wind. In contrast to the outdoors, the hallways of the state capitol were warm …