Author: alaskaadmin

The Haines Borough Assembly will explore options for a possible private lease of the Port Chilkoot Dock at its July 28 meeting. The Assembly could vote on a moratorium for new tour permits for the Chilkoot Corridor. And, they’ll discuss a proposed alcohol tax that would be placed on the ballot. KHNS’ Melinda Munson talked to the Chilkat Valley News’ Will Steinfeld to find out more.

Melinda Munson: It looks like one of the major topics is going to be the cruise ship dock.

Will Steinfeld: We’ve been waiting for this one, right? … So we have a little more info on the Port Chilkoot Dock, the Haines’s cruise ship facility. 

And if you remember a couple months ago, this company Global Ports Holding, came in unsolicited, kind of seemingly out of left field, and said, ‘Hey, we would like to lease your dock in some way, operate it, collect the revenue, bring a bunch of benefits to you.’

And since then, the borough has been considering, should we do some kind of deal like this? Have an outside company manage our cruise ship dock. 

I think where we’ve been at for a long time, is Global Ports theoretically formulating some kind of official offer for the Assembly to consider, for the borough staff to consider. We haven’t gotten it for a long time. This week, Global Ports has submitted a letter to the borough that seems to say the borough is going forward with a competitive bidding process. 

So what that would be is the borough puts out this request for proposals … Instead of having the borough just consider this one offer from Global Ports, they might have a whole suite of offers to consider. And we’ve heard from other companies in the region that they would be interested in participating in something like this. 

We haven’t heard that from the borough yet, and there’s some different language between how Global Ports is describing it and how the borough is describing it. Global Ports says in their letter that the borough, their wording is “intends” to proceed with competitive bidding, which makes it sound like it’s probably going forward. We haven’t heard a public announcement of that from the borough manager, Alexa Fullerton. And the way she writes it in the assembly documents for this week is that there’s a potential request for proposal for management. So “potential” versus ”intends”  to proceed seems like different levels of certainty about this. But we’ll find out more on Tuesday whether it’s going forward. 

And so the gist of the letter from Global Port Holdings seems to be that they have invested a lot of time and money thus far into the idea of a private lease and would like some kind of … acknowledgement?

I think acknowledgement is right. And they’re not saying we don’t want this to happen. They’re saying we would participate …  But they say, like you said, we’ve invested a lot into this, and so we want some kind of benefit. Or some would call it a leg up maybe , or a recognition of the investment they put in. What they’ve asked for in the letter is best and final offer status, which seems like it would mean they can match whatever offer that comes in from a different company. 

And they’re talking about having given commercially sensitive and proprietary information to the borough in previous talks, and not wanting that released publicly as the basis for this request for proposals. So we’ll see what the borough agrees to. It seems like there’s maybe room for negotiation here. But we just don’t have a ton of info to know what the conversations have been like between the borough and the company, and what might happen going forward. 

Moving on from the cruise ship dock, there has been a recommendation from the Chilkoot Corridor working group for a moratorium on new permits. Tell us what’s going on with that topic. 

This one will be just a simple vote – this meeting on whether to do this moratorium or not. If they simply voted it through for a year, the borough would not give out new tour permits in the whole Chilkoot Corridor area. So that’s the state park facility around the lake. That’s the bridge area. Just that general tour zone that all these tours go to.

I think this comes out of a lot of discussion that people are familiar with over many years about how to manage crowding in that area. How to manage interactions between bears, and tourists, and residents and wildlife interactions. This group’s job at Chilkoot Corridor Working Group was to come up with some kind of solution or ideas about how to make the area function better, and this is t one of them. So we’ll see how the Assembly goes on on this one. 

Okay, Will. And then a possible alcohol tax will be discussed at Tuesday’s meeting.

I think it’s important to say that what they’re considering is to put this on the ballot for the voters to decide ultimately. 

But the content of it is just a new 2% sales tax on alcohol. When you buy alcohol, that new 2% sales tax would just go into the General Fund… 

There’s a bunch of ways residents will have input into this. First, the Assembly needs to vote to put it on the ballot in the first place, and that’ll include two public hearings that people can get their input on. If that passes the Assembly, it’ll be on the ballot. And then the residents in October will vote whether to put this into place.

A really important question, Will, that has nothing to do with the assembly meeting that’s coming up. Did you make it to the fair, and did you see the pig races? 

I saw the pig races. I was kind of disappointed when I heard pig races, I thought it would be people on the pigs. There were no people on the pigs, but it was still very cool. 

Every year is a new fair where we learn something new about rural Alaska.

The post Listen: Haines assembly to discuss leasing Port Chilkoot dock, alcohol tax and more appeared first on Chilkat Valley News.

On a bright June morning in Soldotna, a homeowner steps into the yard with a cup of coffee and notices a bumblebee working its way across a patch of blooming chives. It’s a small moment, but one that reflects a larger truth: the choices Alaskans make in their gardens, on their land and in their communities can have a meaningful impact on the state’s native bees.

Alaska is home to more than a hundred species of native bees, from familiar bumblebees to tiny solitary bees that nest in the ground or in hollow stems. These insects pollinate wildflowers, berry bushes and many of the plants that support wildlife and local food production. As Alaska’s climate changes and invasive species spread, the role of everyday Alaskans in supporting pollinators has never been more important.

Plant flowers that feed bees

One of the simplest and most effective ways to help native bees is to plant flowers that provide nectar and pollen throughout the growing season. Early‑blooming willows, mid‑summer fireweed and late‑season asters offer food when bees need it most. Even small patches of flowers in yards, community gardens or along driveways can make a difference.

Native plants are especially valuable because they adapt to Alaska’s climate and support the bees that evolved alongside them. But many common garden plants — such as chives, raspberries and sunflowers — also provide excellent forage.

Plant native flowers in clumps rather than scattering individual plants, because larger patches are easier for bees to find and allow them to gather food more efficiently.

Protect nesting habitat

Unlike honeybees, most native bees in Alaska do not live in hives. Many nest in the ground, while others use hollow stems, old rodent burrows or natural cavities in wood. Leaving parts of your yard slightly wild—with bare soil, dead stems or undisturbed corners—can provide nesting habitat for solitary bees.

Avoiding heavy mulch, landscape fabric or frequent tilling can also help ground‑nesting bees find places to raise their young.

Limit pesticide use

Pesticides can harm bees directly or reduce the availability of flowers they depend on. If you choose to use pesticides, apply them sparingly, follow label instructions carefully and avoid spraying when flowers are in bloom or when bees are active.

Many gardeners find that healthy soil, diverse plantings and natural predators reduce the need for chemical treatments.

Support local efforts to monitor bees

Community science programs, including the Alaska Bee Atlas, rely on volunteers to help document where bees live and how their populations are changing. Participating in these efforts — or simply sharing observations from your yard — helps scientists build a clearer picture of Alaska’s pollinators.

Even small contributions, such as photographing bees or planting a pollinator‑friendly garden, can support statewide conservation efforts.

Reduce the spread of invasive plants

Invasive species such as white sweetclover and bird vetch can outcompete native plants and alter the availability of food for bees. Learning to identify invasive plants, removing them when possible, and choosing non‑invasive garden species can help protect Alaska’s natural habitats.

Local Cooperative Extension offices and conservation districts offer resources to help homeowners manage invasive plants responsibly.

A shared responsibility

Supporting native bees does not require large tracts of land or specialized knowledge. It begins with simple choices — planting flowers, protecting nesting sites, reducing pesticide use and staying informed about changes in Alaska’s ecosystems.

On that June morning in Soldotna, the homeowner watches the bumblebee disappear into the chives and realizes that small actions can add up. Across Alaska, thousands of similar moments are helping create a landscape where native bees can thrive.

This is the fifth of a six commentary series about Alaska’s native bees.

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The Alaska Legislature opened its third special session of 2026 with no bill, few lawmakers and little hope.

A handful of legislators gathered Monday in the state Capitol at Juneau to begin a 30-day session called by Gov. Mike Dunleavy after the failure of a compromise bill that would have provided a tax break to the developer of the proposed trans-Alaska natural gas pipeline.

Dunleavy and the state House opposed the addition of a corporate income tax on a handful of privately owned oil and gas companies that don’t currently pay one. That provision was intended to get support for the bill in the Senate.

But on Monday, the governor had no new alternative bill ready for legislators as the special session began. 

In a statement on social media, Dunleavy said, “Before reintroducing the legislation, my administration is going to continue meeting with all parties to determine the best path forward to an agreement.”

Answering questions about those meetings, the governor’s office said it had nothing more to add. 

‘I don’t believe the Legislature can do much now’

The pipeline’s lead developer, Glenfarne, has said that a reduction in the state’s petroleum property tax is necessary for it to obtain the financing needed to build the pipeline.

Passing a bill into law requires 21 votes in the House, 11 in the Senate, and the assent of the governor. In a special session called by the governor, lawmakers may only work on topics designated by the governor. In Dunleavy’s latest proclamation, he limited work to the proposed gas pipeline.

“It sounded like (the governor) is hopeful that there could be maybe some new developments, but that’s going to be his negotiation. I don’t believe the Legislature can do much now at this point,” said House Minority Leader DeLena Johnson, R-Palmer, at the Capitol on Monday.

With no legislation to consider, members of the House and Senate held pro forma “technical sessions” before adjourning until Friday, when a bill could be available.

Because no substantive action was expected on Monday, only two legislators traveled to Juneau on the first day of the special session. Speaker of the House Bryce Edgmon, I-Dillingham, and Johnson were joined by Rep. Sara Hannan, D-Juneau. In the Senate, Sen. Jesse Kiehl, D-Juneau, presided over an otherwise empty chamber.

The state House has 40 members, the state Senate has 20. 

Down the hall from the House and Senate chambers, a group of cruise ship tourists watched a video about the history of the Capitol in a darkened committee room. At 10 a.m., there were more tourists than legislators.

Edgmon said that until the governor introduces a substantive bill, legislators will mostly stay away from the Capitol.

“The plan in the House is to have technical sessions, as you just saw, and to save time and certainly money (by) not bringing the Legislature back until we have something in front of us that’s worthy of bringing the entire body back … because it’s quite expensive to bring the Legislature back into session,” he said.

Typically, legislators have budgeted $1 million for a 30-day special session.

Fate of ‘pass-through’ tax is a key question

The current deadlock in negotiations is a “pass through entities tax” that would levy a form of the state’s corporate income tax on privately owned oil and gas companies, including Armstrong Oil and Gas, HEX, and Hilcorp.

Corporate income tax change remains key sticking point for Alaska gas pipeline bill

That tax was added to the bill in the Senate to garner the votes of senators who are skeptical of the underlying bill, which would replace the state’s petroleum property tax with a tax on gas pumped through the as-yet-unbuilt pipeline.

The result would be billions of dollars in deferred tax revenue over a 30-year period for the state and municipalities along the route. But some lawmakers worry that the switch could also result in lower oil and gas production taxes because of writeoffs available for companies who spend on oil and gas infrastructure.

The new tax would offset that possibility, but has drawn opposition from the governor and from legislators who worry about the effects of imposing a tax on companies that are actively drilling for oil and gas within the state.

Hilcorp is expected to drill 27 gas wells in Cook Inlet this year, at a time when the region is facing a shortage of natural gas. Some legislators say Hilcorp lobbying was a key factor in the defeat of the compromise bill earlier this month. 

Edgmon said he spoke with Dunleavy on Sunday. With the state’s primary election on Aug. 18 and general elections in November, time is running out for any chance of action, Edgmon said.

“Every day that goes by gets that much more difficult to reconvene the Legislature and to get them refocused on a bill,” Edgmon said. 

“And so I think the clock is ticking very loudly right now, and the governor realizes that.”

Dunleavy cannot run for another term in office, and January will see a new governor and a new Legislature. If a bill doesn’t pass before then, Johnson said, “general fatigue” about the idea of a gas pipeline is part of the reason why.

“I think it’s the years of times that we tried to take this up and we never moved it forward. And so there’s just this sense that somehow it can’t be done,” she said. “I mean, I know there’s a sense of having this roadblock out there, and I think that’s kind of pervasive.”

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