We find ourselves in a major transition, a time the like of which most of us have never known. The uncertainty of this moment has filled us with varying levels of fear and anxiety. Collectively we are facing a pandemic, a collapsing stock market, dropping oil prices and the continuing impacts of increasing climate change. Every one of us has …
State ‘will be lenient’ on air and water quality enforcement amid COVID-19 pandemic
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – State regulators are scaling back enforcement of air and water quality protections until at least June and are asking regulated entities to self-report violations during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Governor Dunleavy has instructed his commissioners to do everything that we can in our power to stabilize the economy, to let the regulated community know, to let Alaskan …
Leg with Louie: From the Smoke, Another Policy Option
Legislation is moving along to provide property tax incentives for energy-efficient new construction, refurbishments, remodels, and renovations. The bill also authorizes municipalities to offer property owners air quality tax credits for improvements, “including new construction, refurbishments, remodels, and renovations that aid in improving the air quality in the municipality.” The bill leaves the task of defining what qualifies explicitly for …
Leg with Louie: Tell the House to Trust Alaskans
This is a blog, and it is an action alert. Your help is needed ASAP, so please click the action link. The House Resources Committee will take up amendments to HB 138 on Monday. This legislation, sponsored by Representative Chuck Kopp, will make it impossible for Alaskans to protect waters of high ecological value as Tier III waters under the …
Leg With Louie: Obituary for House Resolution 12
The short, happy life of HR 12 ended this week. HR 12 was born last spring and died this winter, and we won’t spend long mourning it, but we will mark its passing with a few brief words: HR 12 was a house resolution that sought to establish a House Special Committee on Climate Change. At the time of its …
Leg with louie: The Condition our Condition is in
Our Governor does not look comfortable standing tall to the scrutiny of our 60 State Legislators. No, he looks short of breath and even nervous. I have met the man and shook his hand, and by gosh, he looks dashing when he smiles. If I were working in his office, I would find a way to employ a smile coach …
A First Step in Building a Healthy Economy for all: Alaska’s First Just Transition Summit
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 13, 2020 FAIRBANKS, AK: January 8-10. Local community organizations Native Movement, Fairbanks Climate Action Coalition (FCAC), Native Peoples Action, Gwich’in Steering Committee, The Alaska Center, Alaska Public Interest Research Group (AKPIRG) and Alaska Community Action on Toxics came together to create an open space for community dialogue and planning. Over the past 30 years, Alaska has …
Leg With Louie: hope for the future in the dim light of a dawning decade
Under a newly proposed Trump Administration rule, Environmental Impact Statements on major federal actions, say permitting a Pebble Mine or a transnational oil pipeline, would be limited to a maximum of two years of agency and public review and among other limitations, the analysis of cumulative impacts is not allowed. Trump’s new EIS rule change would institutionalize the same shoddy, …
Youth-led protest held on Delaney Park Strip against climate change
ANCHORAGE (KTUU) – Dozens of protesters gathered at the Delaney Park Strip, urging state lawmakers to combat climate change and for the governor to reinstate an environmental action committee. The protest was part of Fridays for Future, a movement started by 16-year-old Swedish activist Greta Thunberg who would go on strike from school every Friday to call for more environmental …
Local youths lead a growing Alaska climate justice movement
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 …