Alaska Resources Day

Alaska resource and business groups advocate for Alaska amid unsettling announcements

By Rindi White

ssociated General Contractors, or AGC, of Alaska joined the Alaska Chamber and other Alaska trade associations and business advocacy groups—ten in all—in co-hosting the inaugural Alaska Resources Day in Washington D.C. The event celebrated the success of resource industries operating in Alaska; as US Senator Lisa Murkowski described it in an April 18 speech on the US Senate floor directed at President Joe Biden, the range included “everything from oil and gas to mining, to seafood, and tourism. It was a good day spent educating folks about Alaska’s commitment to and, really, our record—a very strong record—of responsible development to benefit Alaska and the nation.”

While in Washington, the group of trade associations and business advocacy groups representing Alaska took part in several other events, including a lunch with chiefs of staff from all Alaska Congressional delegation members, the Alaska State Society Cherry Blossom Festival, a panel discussion focusing on Alaska that was part of the Greater Tacoma Chamber of Commerce’s annual D.C. Fly-In, and a national briefing that included updates from the US Chamber of Commerce, AGC of America, National Mining Association, US Travel, and others.

Unfortunately, the Resources Roundtable, an event to which Alaska Congressional delegates could invite colleagues who might not be familiar with the value of Alaska’s resources to the nation, was sidelined in part by a call to consider two impeachment articles against US Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas (both rejected), but Representative Mary Peltola attended and brought along her colleague Pete Stauber of Minnesota. Murkowski and Senator Dan Sullivan were able to rejoin the group during a reception held in the penthouse of the American Petroleum Institute building not far from the US Capitol Building.

The event was also sidelined by an announcement that the Administration was going to announce two decisions restricting resource development in Alaska: a rejection of the Ambler Access Project, which would build a road to the Ambler Mining District, and a decision to tightly restrict development within the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, or NPR-A.

Alicia Amberg, Executive Director of AGC of Alaska, expressed strong criticism on behalf of the construction industry. “The federal government’s refusal to grant access and the necessary permits for the Ambler Road is not just a denial of Alaska’s development rights—it’s a reckless disregard for our national and environmental integrity.”

Regarding NPR-A, “The new rules threaten Alaska’s economy. They ignore input from many communities, including those in rural parts of the state, which impact Alaska Native people and shareholders. These rules will result in us relying more on oil from foreign countries, many of which openly oppose US interests,” Kati Capozzi, CEO of the Alaska Chamber, said in a joint press release about the NPR-A rule. “There is good reason Alaska’s Congressional Delegation has stood together in opposing this rule. With growing global turmoil, this is the worst time to tie our economic hands behind our back.”

Murkowski, in her address to Biden April 19, advocated a shift in perspective about tapping Alaska’s resources.

“Given a choice between China and Africa or Alaska for minerals, it should be Alaska every time. And given a choice between Iran and Russia and Venezuela or Alaska for oil, it should be Alaska every time,” Murkowski said.