Alaska
A suit over federal emissions rules caps an active year for Alaska in federal court
This year, the state has sued over a scuttled King Cove access road, challenged federal authority to regulate fishing on the Kuskokwim River, joined a suit challenging limits on so-called “ghost guns” and asked a judge to force the EPA to update its standards for wood stoves.
The state’s latest foray into federal court challenges a Biden administration regulation requiring states to set goals for reducing carbon emissions. Alaska is among the 21 Republican-led states suing federal officials over the rule.
The Federal Highway Administration rule is part of the Biden administration’s efforts to cut carbon emissions and transition to cleaner fuels. In a statement, Attorney General Treg Taylor said the administration overstepped its legal authority in the absence of action by Congress.
“Biden has made repeated attempts to use federal agencies to carry out his wishes when the law doesn’t support his extreme green agenda,” Taylor said in a statement issued Dec. 21, shortly after the lawsuit was filed.
The Biden administration has yet to respond to the case filed in federal court in western Kentucky.
It’s far from the only tangle the state of Alaska has had with the feds this year. At a news conference earlier this month, Taylor said the growing volume of litigation was an effort to defend against what he cast as threats from the federal government and advocacy groups.
“The reality is, we could sit back and allow the federal government, outside groups and bureaucrats in Washington, D.C. to dictate how we live in Alaska and how we support our families, or we can push back and fight for our sovereignty to fight for our right of self-determination, our right to do the right and responsible thing for Alaskans,” Taylor said at an event announcing Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s budget proposal, which includes $2 million for what the administration calls “statehood defense.”
The Department of Law declined to provide a current list of the state’s federal cases, instead providing a document last updated in February.
Among some notable cases from this past year, the state sued the Biden administration after it reversed a Trump-era change and reinstated the Roadless Rule in January 2023.
The Roadless Rule restricts resource development and road-building in untrammeled areas of Southeast Alaska’s Tongass National Forest. Conservationists say the rule helps protect against climate change, but state officials argue the rule change was arbitrary and restricts economic development.
The parties are due to submit briefs in district court by next March.
In another case over natural resources, the state appealed the EPA’s decision to effectively kill the proposed Pebble Mine near Bristol Bay over concerns the copper and gold prospect could damage the world’s largest wild salmon run.
The state is requesting to take the case directly to the U.S. Supreme Court, with the latest filing in November.
One of the state’s notable recent legal victories came this summer in a closely-watched case that threatened to derail the prime summer king salmon commercial fishery in Southeast Alaska. The Wild Fish Conservancy, an environmental advocacy group, argued in a Washington state federal court that the fishery illegally harmed Puget Sound killer whales.
After the district court agreed to place the fishery on hold as the case worked its way through the system, state officials and commercial fishing advocates successfully urged the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to lift the hold and allow fishing to proceed.
In another clash with the federal government, state officials are challenging a petition to place land owned by a tribal government into federal trust, limiting state authority over the land. The state argued in a June filing for summary judgment that the land-into-trust process violates the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act.
The state is also defending its positions on cases in federal court, including a class-action suit over the state’s food stamp backlog.
The state and the plaintiffs agreed to put the case on hold for six months in May after the state promised to cut the backlog in half. But that hold ran out in November, and the food stamp applicants are looking to revive the suit.
In court filings, the state argues that the federal Food and Nutrition Service, which oversees the program, is already working with state officials to work through the backlog. They argue a court case could undermine the agency’s progress and are asking for another six-month stay.
The plaintiffs say the state didn’t hold up its end of the bargain, and the backlog has grown. They say the state has been subject to federal oversight for years and has yet to fix the problem.
A decision from Anchorage-based U.S. District Judge Sharon Gleason is expected in the new year.
Eric Stone covers state government, tracking the Alaska Legislature, state policy and its impact on all Alaskans. Reach him at estone@alaskapublic.org.
Alaska
Alaska Airlines faces heat after UFC champion Khabib Nurmagomedov gets removed from flight: 'Shame on you'
Alaska Airlines is getting called out on social media after a clip surfaced showing a famous UFC fighter get into a dispute on-board until he was escorted off his flight. The video shows Russian hall of fame athlete Khabib Nurmgomedov debating airline staff in the U.S. while he was sitting in the exit row on the plane.
The video of the incident, which reportedly took place at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas on Saturday, shows an employee telling the 36-year-old mixed martial artist he either has to switch seats or get off the plane. “They’re not comfortable with you sitting in the exit row,” the worker added.
“It’s not fair,” said Nurmgomedov, who was reportedly flying to Los Angeles, to which the worker replied, “It is fair. Yes, it is.”
Nurmgomedov explained that when he was checking in for the flight, he was asked he if knew English, to which he said he did. The airline worker responded, “I understand that, but it’s also off of their judgement. I’m not going to do this back-and-forth. I will call a supervisor.”
The employee reiterated the athlete could either take a different seat on the plane, or staff could “go ahead and escort” him off the flight. She asked “which one are we doing?” and then replied to Nurmgomedov saying they were going to have to rebook him on a different flight.
Across social media, people have been calling out Alaska Airlines asking why they had him removed from the plane. Many called for others to boycott the airline, and some claimed the staff were profiling Nurmgomedov, who is Muslim.
“Why did you remove Khabib from your plane? His fans need to know! I hope he sues you,” an Instagram user wrote on the airline’s most recent post.
“Are you aware of who Khabib is? His legacy surpasses that of the entire airline,” another chimed in.
“Shame on you, Alaska Airline. We all boycotting them,” a TikTok user added.
“What is the reason!? Because they don’t feel comfortable he’s sitting by a window?” another questioned.
Neither Nurmgomedov or Alaska Airlines have yet commented on the situation.
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – With a storm approaching and high winds in the forecast for a portion of Southcentral Alaska, experts recommend preparing for potential power outages and taking safety precautions.
Experts with the State of Alaska, Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management recommended taking the initiative early in case of power outages due to strong weather.
Julie Hasquet with Chugach Electric in Anchorage said Saturday the utility company has 24/7 operators in case of outages.
“We watch the weather forecast, and absolutely, if there are power outages, we will send crews out into the field to respond,” Hasquet said.
She echoed others, saying it’s best to prepare prior to a storm and not need supplies rather than the other way around.
“With the winds that are forecast for tonight and perhaps into Sunday, people should just be ready that it could be some challenging times, and to be aware and cautious and kind of have your radar up,” Hasquet said.
For the latest weather updates and alerts, download the Alaska’s Weather Source app.
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Copyright 2025 KTUU. All rights reserved.
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – More than 100 music professionals and music makers from Anchorage and across the state signed up to visit ‘The Nave’ in Spenard on Saturday for the annual Alaska Music Summit.
Organized by MusicAlaska and the Alaska Independent Musicians Initiative, the event began at 10 a.m. and invited anyone with interest or involvement in the music industry.
“The musicians did the work, right,” Marian Call, MusicAlaska program director said. “The DJ’s who are getting people out, the music teachers working at home who have tons of students a week for $80 an hour, that is real activity, real economic activity and real cultural activity that makes Alaska what it is.”
Many of the attendees on Saturday were not just musicians but venue owners, audio engineers, promoters and more, hence why organizers prefer to use the term “music makers.”
The theme for the summit was “Level Up Together” a focus on upgrading professionalism within the musicmaking space. Topics included things like studio production, promotion, stagecraft, music education policy.
“We’re kind of invisible if we don’t stand up for ourselves and say, ‘Hey, we’re doing amazing stuff,‘” Call said.
On Sunday, participants in the summit will be holding “office hours” at the Organic Oasis in Spenard. It is a time for music professionals to network, ask questions and share ideas on music and music making.
“You could add us to the list of Alaskan cultural pride,” Call said. “You could add us to your conception of being Alaskan. That being Alaskan means you wear Carhartts, and you have the great earrings by the local artisan, and you know how to do the hand geography and also you listen to Alaskan music proudly.”
The event runs through Sunday and will also be hosted in February in Juneau and Fairbanks.
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Copyright 2025 KTUU. All rights reserved.
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