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P E N I N S U L A
Friday-Saturday, January 4-5, 2019 Kenai Peninsula, Alaska
Vol. 49, Issue 81
Report: Warmer temperatures could cost Alaska up to $700M ANCHORAGE (AP) — The effects of climate change could cost Alaska hundreds of millions of dollars per year in the coming decades, according to a new study. The Institute of Social and Economic Research at the University of Alaska Anchorage has projected that the warmer climate could cause the state a net loss of $340 million to $700 million per year, the Alaska Journal of Commerce reported Wednesday. The report published by the institute in November focuses on the net costs of five widely reported effects over the next 30 to 50 years. The projections are based on the state’s annual average temperatures rising by 1 to 2 degrees Celsius by 2050. The economic effects would not be distributed evenly across the state “as rural communities face large projected costs while more southerly urban residents experience net gain,� the report states. A major part of the overall cost is from infrastructure damage caused by thawing permafrost and coastal erosion, accounting for an expected $250 million to $420 million per year. An additional $110 million to $270 million is expected to be needed annually to maintain certain parts of Alaska’s infrastructure, according to the Fourth National Climate Assessment by the U.S. Global Change Research Program. The state’s current erosion problems, particularly along the western coast, are likely to get worse, according to the report. “Longer sea ice-free seasons, higher ground temperatures, and relative sea level rise are expected to exacerbate flooding and accelerate erosion in many regions, leading to the loss of terrestrial habitat in the future and in some cases requiring entire communities or portions of communities to relocate to safer terrain,� the reports states.
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Dunleavy asks for disaster declaration Judge By BECKY BOHRER Associated Press
JUNEAU — Gov. Mike Dunleavy on Thursday requested a major disaster declaration from the federal government following the Nov. 30 earthquake that rocked Anchorage and other parts of south-central Alaska. Dunleavy told reporters from Anchorage that the declaration, if approved, would free up money to help the state recover more quickly from the magnitude 7.0 earthquake. In his letter seeking the declaration, he wrote federal assistance is “essential to long-term recovery.� Initial damage assessments and costs for needs such
ongoing partial federal government shutdown would affect the state’s request. But he said people at the federal level with whom state officials have been communicating are aware of the state’s situation and the government’s “obligation� to provide assistance. Mike Anderson, a spokesman for Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan, said by email that the state’s congressional delegation was working to minimize any potential This Nov. 30, 2018 file photo shows cases of beer jumbled in a disruptions to the Federal walk-in cooler at Value Liquor after an earthquake in Anchor- Emergency Management age. (AP Photo/Dan Joling, File) Agency during the partial shutdown. as temporary housing were state. Bryan Fisher, state coordiaround $100 million, accordDunleavy said he was nator in Alaska’s emergency ing to figures provided by the awaiting word on whether the See QUAKE, page A3
Worst cook in America? Ninilchik man competes on Food Network’s reality TV show By VICTORIA PETERSEN Peninsula Clarion
Ninilchik’s Charles Oakley is one of the Worst Cooks in America. Oakley is the first Alaskan to compete on the Food Network reality TV show, which takes a number of contestants with little skill in the kitchen through a culinary boot camp where they compete to win a cash prize of $25,000 and a Food Network cooking set by presenting the best three-course meal to several food critics. Oakley’s wife, Melissa, has always had a rule in the house when Charles was cooking: the fire extinguisher must be close by. “I am the only person in history that has started a gas fire on an electric stove,� Oakley said. Since competing in season 15 of the Food Network show, Oakley said his wife has loosened the fire extinguisher rule. See COOK, page A2
Contestant Charles “Chaz� Oakley, as seen on “Worst Cooks In America,� Season 15. (Photo courtesy of Food Network)
dismisses Alaska bonding plan lawsuit By BECKY BOHRER Associated Press
JUNEAU — A state court judge has dismissed a challenge to former Gov. Bill Walker’s plan to use bonding to pay Alaska’s oil and gas tax credit obligations. Superior Court Judge Jude Pate, in a written order dated Wednesday, granted the state’s request to dismiss the challenge by resident Eric Forrer. Pate said his role is not to make economic policy judgments or second-guess the Legislature but to apply the law of the state Constitution as interpreted by the Alaska Supreme Court. Lawmakers last year passed legislation to establish a new state corporation that would be empowered to sell up to $1 billion in bonds to pay off remaining tax credit obligations. Legislators previously voted to end a tax credit program geared toward small producers and developers because they said it was no longer affordable. Pate said key to his order were a section of the constitution dealing with state debt and a state Supreme Court case involving a lease-purchase agreement. Within that context, Pate wrote that the bonding proposal passes constitutional muster. Jahna Lindemuth, as attorney general under Walker, last year wrote the proposed bonds at issue with Walker’s plan would be “subject-to-approSee SUIT, page A2
State Troopers conclude holiday enforcement campaign By BRIAN MAZUREK Peninsula Clarion
The Alaska Department of Public Safety has released its annual report on the holiday highvisibility enforcement efforts by State and Wildlife troopers. According to a Jan. 2 release by the Department of Public Safety, from Dec. 13, 2018 to Jan. 1,
2019, troopers made the following contacts: r NJTEFNFBOPS %6* BSrests, 0 felony DUI arrests r ESJWFST DIBSHFE XJUI ESJWing with a suspended or revoked license. r 3&%%* 3FQPSU &WFSZ Dangerous Driver Immediately) alerts reported, with 15 drivers contacted and ultimately deter-
mined not to be driving under the influence r EBNBHF POMZ DSBTIFT 18 injury crashes, and 2 fatal collisions were investigated by troopers r 0G UIF DJUBUJPOT JTTVFE 253 were issued for speeding and 12 issued for seatbelt or other occupant restraint violations. The enforcement campaign
is part of an annual effort to remind Alaskans to drive sober and safely during the holiday season. “The focused enforcement by the Alaska State Troopers and Alaska Wildlife Troopers over the holiday is intended to prevent major injury and fatality crashes through enhanced enforcement,� the Jan. 2 release states. “While the troopers are out to curb DUIs,
they will also be on the lookout for additional driver behaviors that often contribute to fatal crashes, such as speeding and driving too fast for conditions.� The campaign is part of the national “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over� program, which was originally launched in 2012 and is spearheaded by the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration.
Land swap to lead to logging in Southeast By ALEX MCCARTHY Juneau Empire
The Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority board approved a land exchange with the U.S. Forest Service, with the aim of getting timber projects off the ground in Southeast. Wyn Menefee, the executive director of the AMHTA Trust Land Office (TLO), said it’s the biggest land exchange in the trust’s history. Though the exact amount of land still has to be worked out, the AMHTA Board of Trustees approved the exchange that will send more than 20,000 acres of USFS land to the trust for more than 18,000 acres of trust lands throughout Southeast. Menefee said the trust is hoping to make money off
Downtown Juneau as seen from the Mt. Bradley Trail in July 2017. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)
its newly acquired lands with timber harvesting. According to the TLO website, the lands could yield between $40 and
$60 million over the next 20 years. Lands going to the Forest Service will be protected, Menefee explained. The over-
all aim of the land exchange is to protect viewsheds while logging less-sensitive lands to earn money for the trust. As part of the exchange, the trust is giving nearly 2,700 acres of land on Douglas Island — land that includes the Mount Bradley (Mount Jumbo) Trail — to the Forest Service. Menefee said the Forest Service is not allowed to do logging on the lands it’s receiving as part of the deal. “The Forest Service won’t be doing any timber cuts on it,� Menefee said. “It will most likely be managed for recreation.� Forest Service representatives were not able to be reached for comment, with the public affairs staff being on furlough due to the partial federal government shutdown.
Calls, emails and texts to multiple spokespeople were not returned. During the AMHTA’s public board meeting Thursday, the main focus was about the possible value of logging in the area of Naukati Bay on Prince of Wales Island. According to the AMHTA’s website, the TLO is working to complete a timber sale to Viking Lumber for old-growth timber in the Naukati Bay area. This 100-million-board-feet timber sale is expected to yield about $15 million to the trust over 10 years. “Naukati is prime timber land,� AMHTA Senior Resource Manager Paul Slenkamp said during the meeting. “We spent a lot of time to identify lands that will be longSee LOG, page A2