The committee’s version of the bill would phase out refundable tax credits over the next three years.
Energy & Mining
A wrench and a spark shut down TAPS for nine hours
The April 20 fire forced the evacuation of more than 50 people working at a remote pump station near Coldfoot, at the edge of the Brooks Range.
Shell relinquishes offshore leases in Alaska’s Chukchi Sea
An exploratory well drilled last year did not find oil in commercial quantities. Shell said high costs and an unpredictable federal regulatory requirement also contributed to the decision to halt drilling off Alaska.
Solar to help power diesel dependent Northwest Arctic
The Department of Energy awarded federal funding to install panels in Kotzebue, Buckland and Deering, but decreasing the region’s dependency on diesel is easier said than done.
Is American Oil ‘Dead’? T. Boone Pickens Says Yes … But Only For Now
Prospects in the industry are dim, and even the billionaire investor, who made his fortune in oil, has turned to alternative energies. Still, the self-described “realist” says they aren’t the answer.
State fines Hilcorp $20,000, cites pattern of violations
In its decision, the AOGCC called the Milne Point Unit incident “emblematic of ongoing compliance problems” at Hilcorp’s operations, saying the disregard for regulations “is endemic to Hilcorp’s approach” in Alaska.
Audit: Alaska critics of British Columbia mines are right
British Columbia’s top auditor says the province has failed to protect the environment from mines and mineral exploration projects.
For first time, Cook Inlet oil and gas lease sale has no bidders
“Companies are looking to make investments, they need some degree of certainty, and there is nothing but uncertainty right now in the Alaska oil and gas industry,” an AOGA representative said.
Homer area hydroelectric plant expansion pending
A pending capacity-building project at the Bradley Lake Hydroelectric near Homer will slightly change the nature of Kachemak Bay’s waters, which may affect fisheries.
Critics question mine exploration near Alaska eagle preserve
Vancouver, British Columbia-based Constantine Metal Resources Ltd. has applied to expand exploration near the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve in Haines.