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Alaska Legislature comes to tentative budget deal with over $3,800 in cash payments

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Alaska Legislature comes to tentative budget deal with over $3,800 in cash payments


JUNEAU, Alaska (KTUU) – The Alaska Legislature has a tentative funds deal in place that may pay out roughly $3,800 to every eligible Alaskan this 12 months.

The money funds within the funds are break up between a 50-50 Everlasting Fund dividend at over $2,500 and a one-time vitality aid test at $1,300. Three quarters of the Legislature might want to approve drawing from a financial savings account to pay for half of the vitality aid test, that means if that fails, the ultimate money cost determine would drop to round $3,150.

The Home of Representatives and the Senate will nonetheless must cross the ultimate funds invoice on Wednesday, the final day of the legislative session. Gov. Mike Dunleavy would additionally must log off on the funds when it reaches his desk.

The ultimate amount of money funds within the funds has been the topic of days of closed-door debates and delays. The $3,800 quantity has been pitched as a compromise between the $5,500 in the Senate’s funds and the $2,500 in the Home’s funds.

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The governor urged the Legislature to approve “at the very least” a $3,700-dividend final month, and he needed it to be as shut as doable to a full statutory $4,200 dividend.

“Governor Dunleavy appears to be like ahead to studying what quantity the convention committee determines can be appropriated for this 12 months’s PFD,” mentioned Jeff Turner, a spokesperson for the governor’s workplace, in an e mail on Monday.

Some within the Legislature have been pushing for a bigger dividend this 12 months, nearer to the $5,500 determine, arguing that top inflation and excessive vitality costs justify a bigger test. Others have mentioned that there could possibly be deficit issues, significantly if the oil value drops.

Anchorage Democratic Sen. Invoice Wielechowski has been a long-time supporter of a statutory dividend, and mentioned he would like that quantity, however he famous that this 12 months’s determine could be 90% of the $4,200 full PFD. Rep. Bart LeBon, R-Fairbanks, raised comparable issues.

The ultimate funds comprises another huge ticket gadgets:

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  • Virtually $400 million could be appropriated to assist restore the crumbling Port of Alaska and to broaden the Port of Nome
  • The funds features a most of $349 million to pay oil and tax credit owed to producers for a now-defunct program that was meant to extend manufacturing
  • $300 million would exit to native governments to assist pay for old fashioned building prices, which had been vetoed by a number of governors
  • $57 million could be added to the per scholar college funding system. Gov. Mike Dunleavy has threatened to veto a faculty funding improve with no studying invoice additionally passing

The legislative session should finish my midnight on Wednesday.

Copyright 2022 KTUU. All rights reserved.



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Alaska

New fire starts near Fort Knox Gold Mine northeast of Fairbanks

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New fire starts near Fort Knox Gold Mine northeast of Fairbanks


Home Active Wildland Fire New fire starts near Fort Knox Gold Mine northeast of Fairbanks

Alaska Division of Forestry & Fire Protection is responding to the Last Chance Creek Fire (#305) 4 miles southeast of the Fort Knox Gold Mine mill and 8 miles east of Gilmore Trail above Steel Creek. Fairbanks Area DOF helitack, four engines, one dozer, six smokejumpers, two Fire Boss water scooping aircraft, and retardant Tanker-544 have all responded to the 2-acre fire. Air Attack is overhead coordinating the firefighting effort on the ground and in the air. 

Aerial resources have been effective and suppression efforts will continue through the night. Additional updates will be available Saturday on AKFireInfo.com. 

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A satellite image map showing the location of a wildland fire.
Public Information Map of Last Chance Creek Fire (#305) for Friday, June 28, 2024. Click on the map to download a PDF file to enlarge or print.
‹ Smoke continues to hamper efforts on Globe Fire

Categories: Active Wildland Fire, Alaska DNR – Division of Forestry (DOF)

Tags: Fort Knox Gold Mine, Last Chance Creek Fire



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Alaska

Alaska Oil, Gas Rule Draws Lawsuit Alleging Agency Overreach (1)

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Alaska Oil, Gas Rule Draws Lawsuit Alleging Agency Overreach (1)


An organization of communities in Alaska’s far north sued the Bureau of Land Management Friday over a rule they said “turns a petroleum reserve into millions of acres of de facto wilderness.”

The lawsuit appears to be one of the first to be filed under the Administrative Procedure Act in the wake of the US Supreme Court’s Loper Bright decision dismantling the Chevron doctrine.

Voice of the Arctic Iñupiat alleges that BLM’s “NPR-A Rule” forbids oil and gas development in 10.6 million acres of Alaska, and effectively ends any further leasing and development in an additional 13.1 million acres.

The rule is “directly contrary” to Congress’s purpose in creating the Natural Petroleum Reserve in Alaska—to further oil and gas exploration and development, Voice said in its complaint filed in the US District Court for the District of Alaska. BLM “disingenuously” claims that the rule “speaks for Alaska Natives,” the group said.

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The rule violates several federal laws, including the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976. It is therefore arbitrary and capricious under the APA, the complaint says.

Voice is represented by Ashburn & Mason P.C.

The case is Voice of the Arctic Iñupiat v. Bureau of Land Mgmt., D. Alaska, No. 24-136, complaint filed 6/28/24.



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Korea- Alaska Friendship Day Festival | 650 KENI | Jun 29th, 2024 | Dimond Center east side of the parking lot

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Korea- Alaska Friendship Day Festival | 650 KENI | Jun 29th, 2024 | Dimond Center east side of the parking lot


K-food, K-pop, K-culture Enjoy amazing Korean food, and a variety of performances including Chicago’s K-Pop dance team: Prism-KRU, Cover Dance Festival World Champions in 2022 & 2023.

Win prizes and be sure to check out all vendors!

The Korean American Community of Anchorage Celebrating 50 years as a Korean American community in Anchorage.

Lucy will be broadcasting live from 11-12p!

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