Alaska’s lieutenant governor maintains an office at the state Capitol in Juneau on the same floor as the governor. (Photo by James Brooks for Northern Journal)
Rep. Andrew Gray, D-Anchorage and chair of the House Judiciary Committee has scheduled a legislative hearing on Monday to discuss the disqualification.
In a memo to Gray, attorney Andrew Dunmire said “the Lieutenant Governor was likely not legally justified in her decision to reject Mr. Sullivan’s declaration of candidacy.”
Dan J. Sullivan of Petersburg has the same first and last name as incumbent Sen. Dan S. Sullivan.
The Alaska Republican Party filed twocomplaints against the Petersburg Sullivan, saying his candidacy was merely intended to confuse voters and he was not acting as a candidate in good faith.
Dahlstrom ultimately agreed with those complaints and disqualified Dan. J. Sullivan under a state regulation that forbids the Division of Elections from listing a candidate’s name “in a manner that is confusing or misleading to voters or compromises the fairness or neutrality of the ballot.”
Dunmire, analyzing the situation, said Dahlstrom was incorrect because state regulations cannot trump the U.S. Constitution’s requirements for candidates.
“As a general matter, the U.S. Constitution is supreme in all areas of law, and an administrative regulation cannot override or contravene a constitutional requirement. Therefore, if Daniel J. Sullivan is constitutionally entitled to be recognized as a candidate for U.S. Senate, then no regulation can prevent him from appearing on the ballot,” Dunmire wrote.
Amber Lee, a consultant working with Dan J. Sullivan, said by text message on Wednesday that the Petersburg Sullivan is still deciding what he will do after the lieutenant governor’s decision.
Fewer people have signed up for the Kluane to Chilkat International Bike Relay this year than in recent years, but it still may be one for the record books.
Race coordinator Monika Kozlerová said nearly 90 riders have signed up to solo the nearly 150-mile race on Saturday. And, registrations for 8-person teams are so low Kozlerová said it may be the fewest that the race has ever seen.
“A lot of people just feel very brave and have been telling me, we’ve been doing this as 8-person teams, then four, then two. And we feel we should do it solo now,” she said.
Speaking by phone from a race-packet pickup point on Tuesday, Kozlerová attributed the proliferation of solo racers, in part, to the Yukon Cycling Association and head coach Hudson Lucier who was the fastest solo racer in the KCIBR last year with a final time of 6:43:53. His average speed was 22 miles-per-hour.
“They’ve been very competitive in preparing the team. There were races every weekend in May,” Kozlerová said. “It was a pretty big group of people.”
For this year’s race, racers can look forward to a sunny forecast, though it’s not yet clear what the wind conditions may be. But, racers will again have to contend with the unpaved section of the Haines Highway currently under construction near Mile 25.
Kozlerová said no construction will be taking place during the race on Saturday, but urged caution and a general slow-down by riders given the gravel and dirt roadway.
Last year, a number of cyclists and teams chose not to finish the whole race, instead stopping at a point near the border and turning around.
Race officials issued guidance, asking that people choose to turn around at one of the last checkpoints in Canada rather than waiting until they get to the border crossing where the road is narrow.
Kozlerová said she didn’t think many people would choose to do that again, mostly because she hasn’t heard from as many people as she did last year as they were choosing whether to complete the whole race.
“I think most have made their peace with the situation,” she said.
The Kluane to Chilkat International Bike Relay takes place on Saturday, ending at the Southeast Alaska State Fairgrounds where the annual Haines Fishermen’s Community free salmon barbecue begins at 4 p.m.
Senate Minority Leader Mike Cronk, R-Tok, listens to a speech by Rep. Will Stapp, R-Fairbanks, on Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026, during a joint session of the Alaska Legislature. (James Brooks photo/Alaska Beacon)
The 14 members of Alaska’s Senate coalition majority met behind closed doors twice on Wednesday to decide the fate of a multibillion-dollar tax break for the proposed trans-Alaska natural gas pipeline.
The state House voted 34-5 on Friday to approve the break, which also has the approval of Gov. Mike Dunleavy and pipeline developer Glenfarne, but the tax break won’t become law unless it also has the approval of the Senate.
As of Wednesday afternoon, there were not 11 majority votes for the bill, which would replace a 2% property tax on the project with a tax on gas pumped through the line.
Under current law, the pipeline would generate $47 billion for the state and boroughs along the route through 2062, according to figures from the Alaska Department of Revenue.
The House-passed bill would drop that figure to about $31 billion. The $16 billion difference is the result of the switch from a property tax to a gas tax. The state would still collect production taxes, royalties and other fees.
Lawmakers are also interested in lowering natural gas costs for Alaska residents. If built as planned, the pipeline would provide in-state gas to the Railbelt at a rate cheaper than imports.
In a newsletter, Sen. Loki Tobin, D-Anchorage, became the latest lawmaker to voice opposition to the House’s version of the bill.
“A 90% tax cut for Glenfarne raises concerns that our state and local governments may not have enough funds to support essential services such as sanitation, schools, and roads, which directly impact our communities and families,” she wrote in part, referring to the property tax cut.
Glenfarne has said the bill is critical in order to obtain financing for the Alaska LNG project, which would build an 807-mile pipeline from the North Slope to Cook Inlet and major processing plants at either end of the line.
Senators are considering amendments to the House bill that could ease the bill’s passage in the Senate, but Glenfarne has warned the Senate Finance Committee against making big changes.
“We’re encouraged by the House progress and strong outcome and are optimistic the Senate will pass a bill that works for Alaska by helping enable this project,” said Tim Fitzpatrick, a spokesperson for Glenfarne.
On Wednesday, the Senate majority canceled a scheduled meeting of the full Senate and two scheduled meetings of the Senate Finance Committee, which is considering changes to the bill.
The next meeting of the full Senate is scheduled for 11 a.m. Thursday.
Lawmakers are in a 30-day special session that ends at 11:59 p.m. Friday. If they don’t pass the tax-break bill by that deadline, the bill will die.
Dunleavy could call legislators into another special session, and while the governor’s office declined to say whether he is prepared to do so, the six members of the Senate’s all-Republican minority caucus said they have seen a draft special-session proclamation.
In separate interviews, all six said they support the House version of the bill, with only minor technical fixes needed.
Sen. Robb Myers, R-North Pole, said that while the pipeline isn’t guaranteed to happen if the bill passes, it’s guaranteed to not happen if the bill doesn’t pass.
Sen. George Rauscher, R-Sutton, offered a similar position.
“Glenfarne has to have numbers that work, or they can’t build it. We can ask for anything we want — we can demand all the taxes — but in the end, if it isn’t built, we don’t get anything,” he said.
Senate Minority Leader Mike Cronk, R-Tok, called the majority’s 11-vote rule “pathetic.”
“We should all have the ability to cast a yes or no vote on this,” he said, noting that collectively, the minority’s six members represent more than 180,000 Alaskans.
Cronk said he believes the Senate will ultimately vote on the issue.
“I’m hoping we all get our chance to say yes or no. That’s what Alaskans expect. It shouldn’t be dictated by 11 people,” he said.
Cronk and Sen. Cathy Tilton, R-Wasilla, observed that the Senate Majority already broke its 11-vote rule during the regular session by calling up a pension bill, a medical licensing bill and a bill pertaining to gambling.
Despite Wednesday’s lack of action, Sen. Robert Yundt, R-Wasilla, remained optimistic, saying he believes the Senate will ultimately bring the pipeline issue to a vote.
“A majority of the state depends on natural gas. We’re either going to be using our own or importing, and when all is said and done, I think we’re going to be using our own,” he said.
A brown bear sniffs around as it is let out of its den in 2019 at the Alaska Zoo. (Loren Holmes / ADN archive)
A brown bear at the Alaska Zoo attacked a smaller bear in a shared enclosure Saturday in the kind of violent wildlife encounter that’s normally reserved for the Alaskan wilderness.
This one unfolded in front of the public as visitors including children looked on. It also became the subject of a hard-to-watch video that had attracted 741,000 views on TikTok as of Monday afternoon.
The larger of two bears can be seen biting hard and clamping down on the smaller bear’s back repeatedly, tearing its skin and fur. The smaller bear does not appear to fight back. A third bear looks on at times but doesn’t get involved.
One observer said the attack seemed to last for as long as 30 minutes. The video shows a zookeeper administering pepper spray. The cloud hits both bears and they separate.
The smaller bear received “moderate” injuries but is expected to survive and is receiving veterinary care, the Alaska Zoo said in a statement Monday. The brown bear exhibit is temporarily closed to the public.
The smaller bear was a brown bear that was seized from a wildlife center near Haines last year and taken to the zoo, according to a wildlife biologist with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. The biologist identified the larger bear as Izzy, a brown bear that came to the zoo years ago as an orphaned cub from King Cove.
The third bear is Oreo, a longtime zoo resident that once shared a pen with Ahpun the polar bear.
The zoo has kept brown bears for 57 years and never experienced this kind of attack, according to the zoo statement.
“It’s a hard thing to witness when you are a visitor at the zoo,” Alaska Zoo spokesperson Katie Larson said Monday. “This is not something that has ever occurred at the zoo before.”
The larger bear has lived with other bears for years without incident, according to zoo officials.
The zoo statement described the attack as an “abrupt altercation” that occurred around 4 p.m. Saturday. Visitors alerted staff who responded immediately and “implemented established protocols to safely separate the bears,” officials said. The animals are being housed separately as officials evaluate next steps.
“We care deeply for the animals entrusted to us, and this incident has been difficult for our team,” the zoo said in its statement, adding that the well-being of the bears remains the highest priority. “We recognize that this was upsetting for those who witnessed it, and we share those feelings.”
Zoo officials declined to answer questions or identify the bears involved when asked Monday.
The videos don’t show the entire episode, which had a bloody end, according to a person who said they filmed the attack while a friend reported it to an employee. They said they were furious that zoo employees didn’t do more to stop the encounter sooner.
Other visitors who witnessed the attack, however, credited zoo staff for breaking up the fight and saving the smaller bear.
It’s not unusual for wild brown bears to fight each other, occasionally to the death. Bears fight over resources like food. A sow may strike out at another bear getting too close to her cubs, biologists say. Males get aggressive during mating season.
In this case, the bear that came from the Haines wildlife center had not been around other bears before coming to the zoo last year, according to Stephanie Samaniego, a wildlife biologist with Fish and Game.
The bear was held separately at first and responded well to that setting before being integrated into the main bear habitat in September, Samaniego said.
The zoo responded “promptly and appropriately” to the attack, she said. “There’s always risks when you try to incorporate … animals with other animals. But they had been doing well together since September 2025.”
The two bears will not be housed together again, Samaniego said, but no decisions have been made as to whether the smaller female will be moved from the zoo.
Steve Kroschel, the owner of the Haines wildlife center where the smaller bear originated, could not immediately be reached for comment Monday.
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Carbon dioxide, a byproduct of the proposed trans-Alaska natural gas pipeline project, could net the pipeline’s operators more than $285 million per year from the federal government, the Alaska Department of Revenue estimates in a forecast released this month.
“It’s a benefit to the project and to whatever investors there are in the project,” said Dan Stickel, chief economist for the Department of Revenue, on June 2.
The proposed project, known as Alaska LNG, envisions an 807-mile pipeline from the North Slope to Cook Inlet. At the southern end would be an export terminal that would put gas on tankers bound for Asia.
On the North Slope would be a gas treatment plant that takes in gas from production wells, then splits the gas into what’s burnable and what’s not — mostly carbon dioxide.
Burnable gas would go down the pipeline and onward to Asia after being liquefied. The carbon dioxide would be injected deep underground.
“Carbon dioxide in the gas to be liquefied can’t be tolerated, even down to a few parts per million, so one of the key prerequisites for the LNG is to remove the CO2,” said Nick Fulford, a consultant hired by the Legislature to advise it on oil and gas issues.
Under current federal law, a carbon dioxide injection plant built before 2031 can receive a tax credit of up to $85 for each ton of carbon dioxide it stores underground in the first 12 years of the plant’s operation.
Those credits, known as 45Q for the relevant section of the federal tax code, can be used directly by the pipeline operator, or they can be sold to other companies. Fulford estimated they could be worth “80-90 cents on the dollar.”
Altogether, the Department of Revenue estimates those tax credits will be worth a combined $7.4 billion. Glenfarne, the pipeline project’s lead developer, has said the pipeline project could cost as much as $54.5 billion.
Asked about the credits after a legislative hearing on Tuesday, Glenfarne Alaska President Adam Prestidge said only that the credits are “significant” for the project’s financing.
In addition to the federal tax incentive, the state of Alaska may earn money from carbon dioxide being injected underground.
Just as the state rents land to people who want to use it, a law enacted in 2024 allows the Alaska Department of Natural Resources to charge companies for the use of underground “pore space” to store carbon dioxide.
The commissioner of the department would set the rental rate, and the Alaska Department of Revenue has not estimated how much money the state would earn.
Glenfarne owns 75% of the gas pipeline project. The state-owned Alaska Gasline Development Corp. owns the remaining 25%.
Adam Kissinger, a consultant for AGDC, told lawmakers on May 29 that the federal tax credits “are a great benefit to the project, but they certainly aren’t the make or break for this project.”
Carbon dioxide makes up between 5% and 18% of the natural gas beneath the North Slope, the U.S. Geological Survey has estimated.
There are many reasons to separate the carbon dioxide out of the natural gas. When carbon dioxide reacts with water, it can create carbolic acid, a substance that can damage oil and gas equipment.
In addition, mixed natural gases are less efficient when burned, and carbon dioxide would take up space in the pipeline that could be filled with usable, burnable gas instead.
Underground, at Point Thomson and Prudhoe Bay on the North Slope, are almost 40 trillion cubic feet of mixed natural gas, Frank Richards, president of AGDC, explained to state lawmakers.
That’s enough for 30 years’ worth of shipments, he said.
Alaska LNG’s treatment plant “will remove the CO2, it will be then captured and then sequestered back into geologic reservoir for about to the tune of 7 million tons per year. This has always been the design concept, and with it, then there’s the opportunity to utilize what is known as 45Q tax credits. Now, that doesn’t mean this is truly a revenue-generating aspect of the project, but it reduces the overall cost,” he said.
While the gas treatment plant would be eligible for only 12 years’ worth of federal tax credits, the carbon dioxide could still be valuable after the last credits are issued.
If injected underground, carbon dioxide can be used to pressurize oil and gas reservoirs, helping them to produce more petroleum — a process akin to the way a shaken soda bottle releases carbon dioxide and can cause the bottle to overflow.
Currently, the North Slope’s oil and gas producers simply reinject any mixed natural gases that result when they drill for oil.
If the North Slope plant begins taking away that natural gas, oil producers may want to take back the carbon dioxide for reinjection to keep oil reservoirs pumping, Richards and Fulford said.
“Now, exactly which oil fields on the Slope could be candidates for (enhanced oil recovery) using CO2 remains to be determined,” Fulford said on May 27, “but nonetheless, I think for every ton of CO2 injected, there’s the potential for three to five barrels of oil additional production. So, I think it’s quite conceivable that CO2 will have a value to some of the North Slope producers, and that too could generate some revenue for the project, but that’s a topic which remains to be seen.”
Missoula County fire officials raised the county fire danger to MODERATE effective immediately because of warm temperatures and drying vegetation, while outdoor burning remains open with caution urged for residents and visitors.
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