Latest news with #Anchorage-based
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Yahoo
Woman injured in moose trampling at Anchorage's University Lake Park
May 21—A woman was injured Tuesday by a cow moose with a calf at Anchorage's University Lake Park, authorities said. The woman was on the popular trail around the lake when she was trampled, according to Anchorage Police Department spokesman Chris Barraza. Officers responded to a call just after 1:45 p.m. and found the woman with "trauma to her lower body," Barraza said. Anchorage Fire Department medics took her to a hospital, a spokesperson said. Police described the woman's injuries as not life-threatening. The stomping marked the second such incident involving moose with calves in Anchorage in under a week. A woman and a dog were injured by a moose Friday evening at Kincaid Park. The woman in Tuesday's incident had a dog with her, according to Cory Stantorf, an Anchorage-based wildlife biologist with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. She was in an area where trees meet open fields near Alaska Pacific University. The dogs in both cases were reportedly unleashed, Stantorf said. Cow moose tend to be more aggressive when they're protecting calves, and the presence of dogs can escalate an encounter, he said. State and municipal officials have posted warning signs in the area of the lake, as well as at Kincaid Park. This time of year, when cow moose are calving and are protecting very young or newborn calves, is the most common time for reports of injuries from tramplings, Stantorf said. "We have a lot of newborns on the ground with a lot of defensive cows," he said. "People just need to be aware that when they're out walking, hiking, they need to be on alert for cows with newborn calves. And really, give any cow a wide berth and assume it has a calf with it." He has not had a chance to interview either of the women involved in the recent incidents. Generally, biologists try to get as much information as possible to help get safety messages to the public. This past winter was easier on moose than usual, with low-snow conditions providing more access to brush and other browse the animals feed on. But there's nothing unusual about conditions this spring that would prompt the recent spate of encounters, Stantorf said. "We have a good number of moose that call Anchorage home," he said. "It's just unfortunate that these folks were in the same place at the same time" with a moose with at least one calf.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Alaska utility execs to lawmakers: Let's revive Susitna hydroelectric megaproject
A rendering of the proposed Susitna hydroelectric development. (Alaska Energy Authority image) With urban Alaska facing a shortfall in the natural gas long used to generate the vast majority of its power, renewable energy advocates have been pressuring the region's utilities to advance large-scale wind and solar development to meet future power demands. But no such projects have been built in the past few years, even with generous tax credits available from the federal government. And now, the utilities are pitching the idea of cutting their dependence on gas by resurrecting a dormant but divisive megaproject: a huge hydroelectric dam along the Susitna River estimated, a decade ago, to cost $5.6 billion. The pitch, sent to three key budget-writing members of the state House, came earlier in May in a formal letter from the heads of Anchorage-based Chugach Electric Association, Kenai Peninsula-based Homer Electric Association, Fairbanks-based Golden Valley Electric Association, Matanuska Electric Association and Seward's municipally run electric utility. [Read the letter] 'In an era when Alaska is facing production declines and difficulty securing natural gas, pursuing energy projects with proven technology, like hydro, provides the utilities with additional generation options while preserving existing natural gas resources,' the executives wrote. They added: 'We need multiple options to solve the biggest issue impacting Alaska utilities today: fuel availability.' The Susitna hydroelectric project has been contemplated, off and on, for decades, before development was suspended by former Gov. Bill Walker in 2016 amid a state budget crisis. The project could generate 50% of urban Alaska's electricity demand, according to the state agency that's led the study process, the Alaska Energy Authority. The letter from the utility executives asks the three co-chairs of the House Finance Committee to revive the state's partially completed efforts to secure a federal license for the project. Officials estimate that finishing the licensing process could cost as much as $100 million, on top of some $200 million that's already been spent. Lawmakers are nearing the end of their annual budget writing process, and amid declining state revenue, they haven't added any cash for the hydro project yet. They're also still considering legislation to require the utilities to generate higher amounts of power from renewable sources by target dates. Reached between meetings Wednesday, Anchorage Rep. Calvin Schrage, one of the letter's recipients, declined to comment. The utilities' request to revive the Susitna project is exasperating advocates for other forms of renewable energy, who say that hydroelectric development is economically and politically unrealistic given its huge cost and potential impacts to the river's yearly runs of hundreds of thousands of salmon. 'It feels like an unfortunate distraction from the urgent work that we need to be doing to secure affordable energy,' said Alex Petkanas, climate and clean energy program manager at the Alaska Center, a conservation group. 'We have the studies and the information we need about wind power in Alaska, wind availability in Alaska, and wind reliability. So, to see them spending time on a controversial project rather than pursuing solutions like wind energy that are within our reach feels like a mistake.' Hydroelectric projects like the Susitna development appeal to utility executives because they provide what's known as 'dispatchable' power — electricity that's available whenever it's needed. The utilities have expressed more skepticism about wind and solar developments because of their variability, though a recent study commissioned by the utilities found that urban Alaska's grid could boost its use of wind power seven-fold without jeopardizing reliability. The next step for the hydroelectric project wouldn't require the full amount of cash to secure the federal license, said Curtis Thayer, the energy authority's executive director. Instead, he said, lawmakers would have to budget 'a few million dollars' to better understand how much work is needed before the license could be issued. 'We need to spend a little bit of money to refresh all those numbers to really decide if this is a viable project to move forward,' Thayer said. He asserted that the billions of dollars that would be required for construction is 'not an issue,' because private investment firms would finance the project in exchange for guaranteed returns. For developments that have received federal licenses, 'there are people that are standing in line to invest,' Thayer said. The Susitna proposal faces intense opposition from conservationists and some residents along the river, who say that the development would harm salmon by dramatically reducing water flow in the summer, when power demand is lower, and artificially boosting it during the winter, when demand is high. The Susitna River Coalition, a nonprofit that's led efforts to block the dam, says its construction would cause the 'eradication' of the river's 'unique ecosystems, the destruction of one of Alaska's most valued salmon spawning and rearing habitats, and the flooding of 40,000 acres teeming with wildlife, while costing the state billions of dollars that are needed elsewhere.' Critics of hydroelectric development point out that elsewhere in the United States, dams are being removed, not built, because of their harmful effects on salmon and other migratory fish species. They also say that construction costs regularly exceed projections. Opponents of the Susitna project also questioned the process that led to the letter being drafted and sent by the executives of the cooperatively owned utilities, which are governed by citizen boards of directors. Those opponents said that not all the utility executives had consulted with board members before the letter was sent — an assertion that two members confirmed to Northern Journal, though they asked to remain anonymous to describe internal conversations. 'Utility staff should not be contacting the Legislature or taking positions without board knowledge or approval,' said Petkanas. A spokesperson for the largest urban utility, Chugach Electric Association, could not be reached for comment Wednesday, while the spokesperson for the next-largest, Matanuska Electric Association, did not respond to a request for comment. But Mark Wiggin, board chair of Chugach Electric Association, said he was informed about the letter in advance. 'There's an overarching interest by all of us to find some way to maintain our energy grid,' Wiggin said. 'However we do that, without having to import all that gas, would be a good thing.' Disclosure: Northern Journal reporter Nat Herz works as a volunteer crew member (paid in fish, not cash) for two weeks each summer at a small commercial fishing business at the mouth of the Susitna River. Nathaniel Herz welcomes tips at natherz@ or (907) 793-0312. This article was originally published in Northern Journal, a newsletter from Herz. Subscribe at this link. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
University of Alaska reports four international students have had visas revoked without notice
Students exit the University of Alaska Anchorage consortium library on Sept. 6, 2024. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon) The federal government has revoked the visas of four international students at the University of Alaska Anchorage, without explanation or prior notice to students or the university, university officials said on Monday. 'This week, we learned that the federal government has revoked visas for four individuals affiliated with UAA — one current student and three recent graduates in post-graduation training — without prior notice,' said UA President Pat Pitney in a university wide email on Monday. No students at the University of Alaska Fairbanks or University of Alaska Southeast have been affected to date, Pitney said. She said university staff are monitoring immigration records daily, and working to support students. She urged affected students to contact international student services offices of their campus for support. 'These immigration issues do not impact a student's academic standing at UA,' Pitney added. 'Our international students and scholars are vital members of our community, and we remain fully committed to supporting their success.' The federal government did not provide the student or university a specific reason for the visa cancelations, according to Jonathon Taylor, university director of public affairs. When asked if any of the students were detained by the Alaska Department of Corrections, a spokesperson said they were not able to immediately respond by Monday afternoon. Students can generally stay in the U.S. but can no longer leave and re-enter without applying for another visa. If there are changes to a student's immigration status, then the government is required to provide a reason, said Nicholas Olano, an Anchorage-based immigration attorney with Nations Law Group. 'The question is, are the regulations being followed here? And that is what needs to be looked at carefully. Are these people giving proper notice?' he said. Olano said usually an individual must be convicted of a crime for immigration status to be affected, but under the Trump administration it can be for simply an arrest, or allegations of misconduct. 'What is happening now is by all means extreme,' he said. Over 1,000 international students have had visas revoked at over 180 colleges and universities, according to a national tracking project by Inside Higher Ed, a news site. Several students have filed lawsuits arguing the government has failed to justify canceling visas or terminating immigration status, and denied them due process. Many cases are related to protests or statements in connection with the Israel-Hamas war. An executive order Trump issued early in his term cited 'an unprecedented wave of vile anti-Semitic discrimination, vandalism and violence,' and called on the government to use 'all available and appropriate legal tools, to prosecute, remove, or otherwise hold to account the perpetrators of unlawful anti-Semitic harassment and violence.' Last week, the Trump administration announced it would screen immigrants' social media for what it termed 'antisemitism.' However, students and advocates nationally have said many students are targeted for their involvement in peaceful protests to support Palestinians affected by the ongoing war, and the Trump administration's actions target First Amendment protected rights to freedom of speech. Olano said it's a 'huge difference' between participating in a protest and a criminal infraction leading to a notice to appear before an immigration judge and be placed in deportation proceedings, but he advised students to take extra caution. 'It's horrible; I'm having to say this because I think that the First Amendment, the Constitution, covers every single individual that is in the United States presently,' he said. 'But at this moment, you should not exercise your right to free speech because you can have consequences. That's the most un-American thing ever. But I'm saying it.' Olano advised students to contact an immigration attorney, adding that legal resources and information are available by contacting the ACLU of Alaska. In addition to the effect on international students, Olano expressed concern for the state's economy and future. 'This is going to hurt Alaska in the long run,' he said. 'In the short term, too. We're going to see less students that bring money from their countries to spend here at the universities. Because international students pay significantly higher tuition fees than the local students, and those monies are going to stop coming in. We are going to lose prospective employees for companies. And with all that is going on, Alaska is going to be hurting even more for people.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium leader working toward hospital ownership
Natasha Singh, the president and CEO of the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, is on campus on March 6, 2025, with the Alaska Native Medical Center in the background. One of the top priorities for the health consortium is to get ownership of the hospital. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon) With a new leader at the helm, the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium is working toward a long-held goal: ownership of the Anchorage hospital that it already manages. The Alaska Native Medical Center, the state's largest Native hospital, stands out as the only facility in the tribal consortium's sprawling Midtown campus that is owned by the Indian Health Service. That split between ownership and management has turned out to be burdensome, said Natasha Singh, the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium's newly appointed president and chief executive. The consortium's ambition is to become the hospital owner by the end of the year, she said. The desire to take ownership has become more urgent as hospital use has grown. Under Indian Health Service ownership, the building has not been expanded. And the consortium was reluctant to take on responsibility for doing so without ownership of the facility. 'But we're at a breaking point,' Singh said. 'Our patients have increased by 70,000 since the doors first opened, yet the doors haven't expanded.' That is why the ANTHC board last year decided that the space crunch had become dire enough to justify action. The board approved a $250 million expansion of the emergency department, with 18 new rooms and three new floors. That new section is considered to be Phase 1 of a hospital expansion. The 18 new rooms have just opened and are ready for service, while the rest of the expanded area is expected to open soon. Board members were 'looking out for patient safety when they approved Phase 1,' Singh said. There are plans for a Phase 2, which would add another 60 rooms over three more floors, she said. While ANTHC is the prime operator at the hospital, the Anchorage-based Southcentral Foundation also provides some services there. If the consortium owned the hospital, it would have access to private-sector funding and other tools to pay for expansions and improvements like those at the emergency department, Singh said. Making the ownership switch requires some formal steps and possibly an act of Congress, she said. But several tribal health organizations elsewhere in the state have already taken ownership of their regional clinics and hospitals, so it is a well-known process, she said. Tribal organizations that now own health facilities that they operate include the Tanana Chiefs Conference, where Singh served as lead counsel for several years. The consortium, established in 1997, is the nation's largest Native health organization. Through partnerships with more than two dozen tribal health organizations around the state, ANTHC is responsible for managing the services previously provided by the Indian Health Service. Funding agreements and other aspects of the government-to-government relationship are established through the Alaska Tribal Health Compact, which is updated periodically. The Alaska compact is unique in the nation as the only one covering multiple tribes. Through it, health care services are provided to members of all 229 federally recognized tribes in Alaska. In her position with the Tanana Chiefs Conference, Singh was one of the main negotiators on behalf of ANTHC during periodic compact renewals. Singh, a Tribal member of Stevens Village in Alaska's Interior, was chosen by the board earlier this month to be the ANTHC president and chief executive. She had served for nine months as interim president and chief executive officer, and previously, she was the consortium's executive vice president and vice president for legal affairs. Along with the work toward gaining ownership, Singh and the consortium face new challenges posed by the Trump administration's deep funding cuts and cancelations of programs on which tribal members rely. The Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, through its environmental health program, has been a big player in programs and funding sources that are now under attack from the new administration. That includes water and wastewater improvements that have been in the works for several years but were propelled by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 It also includes projects funded by the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 to help communities address climate change impacts like accelerated erosion and permafrost thaw. Singh said the consortium is trying to make the case to federal agencies and to the state's congressional delegation that promises of funding to tribes, which are sovereign governments, should be honored. 'I guess I am cautiously optimistic that we will be able to defend our infrastructure grants, given that the funding goes directly towards protecting our economic infrastructure across the state,' she said. Caution is key, she said, because the grants are administered on a reimbursement basis, meaning that the consortium could be on the hook for costs if funding is cut in the future, she added. In addition to expanding the hospital's emergency department and working to ensure that planned rural infrastructure projects are completed, the consortium is building a $69 million short-term skilled nursing facility on the Anchorage campus. The facility is to provide care for patients who do not need full hospitalization but are not in strong enough condition to be at home. The need for this type of care is expected to increase as Alaska's population ages. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Geothermal lease sale scheduled for volcano in Alaska's Cook Inlet
Mount Augustine is seen on Aug. 17, 2021, from a campsite on the island. The Alaska Division of Oil and Gas has scheduled a lease sale for companies seeking to explore the island's geothermal resources. (Photo by Matthew Loewen/Alaska Volcano Observatory / U.S. Geological Survey) Companies will soon be able to bid on opportunities to tap a volcanic island in Cook Inlet to generate renewable energy. Alaska officials have scheduled a geothermal lease sale covering a little more than half of Augustine Island, which consists almost entirely of 4,133-foot Augustine Volcano. The state Division of Oil and Gas will start accepting bids on April 3 for leases, the division said in its sales notice. The lease sale is offering 24 tracts spread out over 55,700 onshore and offshore acres. The onshore acreage comprises the north side of the island. The southern side of the island is not available. Anchorage-based GeoAlaska already holds licenses there and has an exploration program underway. Augustine, about 175 miles southwest of Anchorage and about 70 miles west of Homer, is one of the active, ash-spewing volcanoes that have occasionally disrupted air traffic and communities in the Cook Inlet region. Its last explosive eruptions came in a series from late 2005 to early 2006 and resulted in diversions of air traffic, according to the Alaska Volcano Observatory, the federal-state office that monitors Alaska's numerous active volcanoes. A previous series of explosive eruptions in 1986 sent ash to Anchorage. Additionally, Augustine has been shaken at various times by swarms of earthquakes that are signs of unrest, most recently in 2016, according to the Alaska Volcano Observatory. The division scheduled the lease sale after three different companies expressed interest in exploring Augustine's geothermal resources. Geothermal energy is the heat within the ground. It is considered renewable because it is produced continuously by geological processes. Alaska has abundant geothermal resources. One source is the string of active volcanoes that stretch from Southeast Alaska to the Aleutian Islands, including Augustine and other Cook Inlet volcanoes. 'We've got a lot of potential. We do have a lot of volcanoes,' said Sean Clifton, a policy and program specialist at the Division of Oil and Gas. Other sources of geothermal energy are the hot springs that thread through much of the state, from Southeast Alaska to the Bering Strait region. It is too early to know whether companies will take the new opportunity to explore Augustine, Clifton said. More broadly, there are signs of strong interest in geothermal development, he said. That is despite the change in presidential administrations from the pro-renewable policies of former President Joe Biden to the fossil-fuel emphasis of President Donald Trump, he said. Some federal geothermal incentives remain in place, Clifton noted. 'There are still federal programs that I don't think are threatened by any of the recent changes in the new administration at the federal level,' he said. And Alaska's terms for this lease sale should be attractive to bidders, he said. He cited the 'really low royalties' paid to the state, set at 1.75% for the first 10 years and 3.5% for the years thereafter, and 'really low rental rates,' set at $3 per acre. To date, there has been limited Alaska geothermal energy development. The best-known site is the Chena Hot Springs Resort near Fairbanks, where all power is generated by the springs' heat. Geothermal energy has also been used sporadically since the early 1900s for small-scale farming at Pilgrim Hot Springs near Nome. Farming there was revived in recent years. Attempts to harness geothermal energy at some Alaska volcanoes have not yet resulted in any energy production for communities. Along with Augustine, 11,069-foot Mount Spurr, about 80 miles west of Anchorage, and 5,905-foot Makushin Volcano, 16 miles from Unalaska, have been subjects of exploration projects over recent years. Some projects are ongoing. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
