Thursday, April 23, 2026

Nathaniel Herz, Northern Journal

Nathaniel Herz, Northern Journal
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https://northernjournal.com/
Nathaniel Herz is an Anchorage-based journalist and the author of Northern Journal. To support Northern Journal, subscribe here.

Alaska’s embattled economic development agency approves $700,000 PR budget

Amid continuing opposition to its oil drilling and road projects, the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority says the public should know about its less controversial small business loan programs.

Trawl allies fire back as Alaska candidates’ anti-industry rhetoric heats up

Gubernatorial hopefuls are blasting Alaska's trawlers for catching salmon. Now industry allies have launched a radio ad campaign.

‘The salmon people’: How Alaska’s only Native reservation saved its fishing culture

A half-century ago, the Indigenous Tsimshian village of Metlakatla, in Southeast Alaska, preserved its reservation when others in Alaska were terminated. Today, the reserve sustains a thriving fishing industry — and the tribe is fighting in court to expand its territory.

In new agreement with state, Indigenous landowners soften resistance to Ambler Road

Three Alaska Native corporations and the state agency pushing the Ambler Road quietly signed a nonbinding agreement late last year.

Anchorage spent more than $200,000 to support the Trump-Putin summit. Will it get the money back?

Other cities’ efforts to recoup spending to protect Trump have failed. “We have sent demand letters, phone calls and made public statements. We have received no response.”

Amid gas crunch, Alaska could revoke leases from a company whose drilling has stalled

The Dunleavy administration is threatening to strip Texas-based BlueCrest Energy of oil and gas leases near Anchorage, saying it’s failed to advance development that could delay urban Alaska’s impending gas shortage.

New Alaska Bitcoin mine would use as much power as the state’s largest coal plant produces

The startup planning the operation near the North Slope oil fields would power its computers not with coal but with another fossil fuel: natural gas that’s currently going unused.

The last skipper in Ouzinkie: How Gulf of Alaska villages lost their Native fishing fleets

A permitting system designed in the 1970s was supposed to make Alaska’s commercial fishing industry more sustainable and more profitable. But over the last 50 years, it has hollowed out many Indigenous coastal villages where residents no longer can earn a living by harvesting salmon.

Scores of Alaskans face another eye-watering spike in their health care costs next year. Does anyone care?

Premiums for Alaska health insurance plans on the federal marketplace have spiked more than 50% over the past three years.

Hilcorp again eyes Interior Alaska for oil exploration

Hilcorp has previously explored in the area in a partnership with Doyon, the Native-owned regional corporation for Interior Alaska. 

Small Cook Inlet producers say they need state government help before drilling for new natural gas

One company, Bluecrest, said it will need more support even after a state agency agreed to forgive some $7 million in loans. Another company, HEX, says it needs the state to agree to a royalty reduction before it will drill a well.

Alaska’s embattled economic development agency signs contracts with seven law firms

AIDEA has long used outside attorneys. What’s new is selecting firms in advance, which the agency's leader says allows work to happen more quickly than going through the state’s procurement process each time an issue comes up.

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