Dear readers,
This weeks newsletter will be a little abbreviated as we work to update a few things on our end. Thank you for taking the time to provide your feedback on this poll. The results are in and it’s clear - all eyes are on Alaska LNG. Followed closely by The AIDEA Accountability Act and Defined Benefits and the Governors fiscal plan.
Reminder: Natalie’s baby is almost here!
Little Jonah Paul can come anytime now! We appreciate your patience and understanding as operations will look different for a while as Natalie steps into her new role as a mother.
Join MRAK’s What’s Happening in Alaska X Space! Next Space will be on Thursday March 5.
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Visit our website at www.mustreadalaska.com. Also find us on X and Facebook.
Table of Contents
Alaska Industry
In the wake of the January 23, 2026, overturning of the drilling rig Doyon 26 on Alaska’s North Slope, response teams have made substantial headway in cleanup and deconstruction efforts, as detailed in recent updates and official reports. The incident, which occurred on a gravel road approximately 6.5 miles northwest of Nuiqsut, involved the massive rig—nicknamed “The Beast” for its nearly 10 million-pound weight—tipping over during transport for ConocoPhillips operations. This led to a spill of about 4,000 gallons of diesel and 600 gallons of hydraulic oil onto the tundra, accompanied by a brief fire that was swiftly contained by emergency responders. Fortunately, all personnel were accounted for, with no serious injuries; eight individuals received treatment at nearby clinics and were released. Nearby infrastructure, including pipelines roughly 202 feet away and the community’s natural gas supply, sustained no damage, and the seasonal fuel haul proceeded without interruption.
Anchorage Muni Elections
In less than a month, ballots for Anchorage’s Municipal election will be mailed to homes. Once ballots start to arrive, people will begin filling them out. Traditional polling places will not be open and are not an option for voting on April 7th, “Election Day.” Hence, we have approximately 26 days to make sure our friends and neighbors are aware of our opportunity to flip the Anchorage Assembly from radical Leftist to a conservative majority.
Since recommending who to vote for in each district three weeks ago, I’ve heard a mix of optimism, skepticism, and outright pessimism that conservatives in Anchorage will be able to pull this off.
Alaska Legislative Session
U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), in his annual address today to a joint session of the Alaska Legislature in Juneau, laid out a vision for the “Alaska Comeback,” highlighting the state’s resilience and its historic opportunities to grow after several years of federal policies that targeted Alaska’s economy and jobs. Sen. Sullivan detailed progress being made toward long-sought goals, including an energy renaissance on the North Slope, advancing the Alaska LNG project, and strengthening Alaska’s central role in national defense through a historic military and Coast Guard build-up. He also emphasized major wins for Alaskans delivered by the Working Families Tax Cuts Act, outlined efforts to confront the fentanyl crisis and improve public safety, highlighted continued work to support Alaska’s fishermen and coastal communities, and underscored a historic federal investment to transform Alaska’s health care system to better reflect the realities of delivering care in the nation’s most rural, high-cost state.
Alaskan Voices
Understanding Lisa Murkowski
By GREG SARBER
Lisa Murkowski continues to oppose the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, despite overwhelming support from the American people and her RINO partner in crime, Senator Collins (R-MA), flipping in support of it. We know Senator Murkowski is being dishonest when she argues that she is boldly standing up for the US Constitution by opposing this bill, leaving us to wonder what her real motivation might be. It could be that she hates President Trump so much that, since he is supporting the SAVE Act, she is willing to be on the wrong side of an 80/20 issue to hurt him politically.
Maybe she secretly hopes that by opposing the SAVE Act, she is enabling the Democrats to take control of the House in November so that they can fulfill their promise to impeach the president.
Who’s Really Calling the Shots in Alaska
By MARCUS MOORE
If you thought Alaska’s destiny was in the hands of Alaskans, think again. The 2024 IRS filings paint a picture that is both stark and troubling: the state’s political and economic landscape is increasingly being steered, not by our local industries, communities, or elected leaders, but by an intricate web of out-of-state progressive donor networks. Networks that aren’t content with writing checks, they are buying influence, shaping narratives, and redirecting our state’s future from resource-driven growth to grant-dependent activism.
We’ve been warning about this for years, but now the numbers are out in black and white.
Facts and Figures
Alaska’s Largely Untapped Resource
Alaska’s lands contain nearly half of U.S. coal reserves. However, with only one operating mine (Usibelli Coal Mine), Alaska ranks 20th in the nation among coal suppliers.
President Trump was recently honored by Lower 48 coal miners as “The undisputed champion of beautiful, clean coal.”
Key Industry Numbers
Alaska Oil: $71.62 per barrel
Alaska Residential Gas Price: $13.28/kcf
Henry Hub Weekly Spot: $3.27/mmBTU
Alaska North Slope Production: 472,803 barrels per day
Permanent Fund (Principal + Earnings Reserve): ~$89.3 billion
Must Read Alaska Show
We hope to get our podcast back up and running in the near future. Plus, we are continuing to develop our sortable audio-files for easy listening of or stories.
Submit Your Feedback
Do you have story ideas? Do you want to submit an op-ed for consideration? Or perhaps you have feedback for us on how we can improve your experience. If that’s you, please reach out to us at [email protected]. We love to hear from our readers!
Thank you for reading! Until next time,
The MRAK Team
A Force for Good