What's Happening Now
Public comment period on the Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) for the proposed Ambler Road is currently open now through November 4th. You can find out more information and comment via the National Parks Conservation Association’s webpage here
AIDEA’s next board meeting is December 7th, 2022 with the time to be determined. Upcoming board agenda will be released December 1st or 2nd.
We are celebrating Commissioner Deven Mitchell’s last meeting on the AIDEA BOD as he transitions to work as the acting commissioner of the Alaska Department of Revenue. An unidentified board member joked that they are looking forward to Deven getting AIDEA more money from the state.
Read about AIDEA’s bad financial dealings in Salmon State’s report here and the proposed Ambler Road Project in their Megaprojects report here
ALASKANS HOLDING AIDEA ACCOUNTABLE
The Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA) is a State owned corporation with a longstanding track record of misallocated and often secretive investments in extractive industries across our state. AIDEA could instead invest wisely in a just and sustainable future for all Alaskans • Alaskans are watching AIDEA and demanding a stop to their egregious violations of public interest and public process. Below are snapshots of AIDEA’s failed investments, transparency issues, conflicts of interest, and recent news. • What happens in the Arctic happens to the World.
AIDEA’s board and staff aren’t serving Alaskans; they are making bad investments and need to invest our State's precious resources in regenerative, not extractive economies.
Some of AIDEA’s “investments:”
- Ambler Road
- Arctic Refuge Oil Leases
- Healy “Clean” Coal ($89M loss)
- Anchorage Seafood Processing (>$25M loss)
- Skagway Ore Terminal (Potentially relocated to Haines)
- Pt. McKenzie Port
- Dead End Rail Spur at Pt McKenzie
- The Ferry called Susitna
- Mustang project ($70M loss)
- & so many more
Some of AIDEA's Recent News:
Tanana Chief’s Conference has released a statement about the Department of the Interior’s decision to suspend the Ambler Road Project right of way permit while it carried out a new assessment of the proposed project. You can read TCC’s full statement here and visit TCC’s page Protect the Koyukuk River here
AIDEA ignored federal suspension of Arctic Refuge leases, proposing to allocate $1.5M toward Arctic Refuge oil exploration. AIDEA was one of only 3 bidders on 11 tracts for the Arctic Refuge 1002 area leased early 2021 due to Trump’s 2017 Tax Act. AIDEA is proceeding on 7 of 9 tracts it won, with an approximate total financial responsibility of $16.8mil.
AIDEA disregarded overwhelming public testimony in opposition to bidding on Arctic Refuge leases at their December 23 board meeting, Anna Mackinnon said “public hearings are not votes on an issue” in reference to said meeting.
Letter asking AIDEA to drop Refuge leases by 554 Alaskans in 64 communities
Governor Dunleavy introduced legislation for the Alaska energy independence program and fund (i.e. green bank) to be housed in AIDEA (full text – SB 123 and HB 170).
Allegations of hostile work environment (investigation of AIDEA/AEA)
AIDEA must diversify Alaska’s economy for a resilient future
As of FY 2020, AIDEA has committed $612 million in mining, oil & gas, power, logistics, national defense, and manufacturing “development” projects and holds $398 million in capital reserves, with a total of $1.42 billion in total assets. Dividends to the State from fiscal years 2018-2022 averaged just under $12 million per year.