Author: kfskadmin

The agency that sells hydro-electric power to the Southeast communities of Ketchikan, Wrangell and Petersburg is going to look into the possibility of raising one of its hydro dams. The Southeast Alaska Power Agency is trying to make up for a shortage of cheap hydro electricity from an increasing wintertime demand. SEAPA officials say adding new hydro plants to the southern Southeast power grid may not be answer. The SEAPA board met in Petersburg this month and voted to investigate the potential for raising the dam at Swan Lake near Ketchikan, and will hold off on applying for a new project near Wrangell.

Petersburg now stands a good chance of getting all the money it needs to replace its oldest port facility as early as next spring.

The Alaska Local Boundary Commission will not consolidate Petersburg's borough petition with a competing annexation proposal from Juneau. Nor will it postpone action on the Petersburg proposal. The commission unanimously denied the City and Borough of Juneau’s request in a teleconferenced meeting Wednesday morning.

Now that a judge has ruled against Petersburg’s court challenge on redistricting, it looks even more likely that Petersburg will end up sharing a legislative district with downtown Juneau. That part of the capitol city is currently represented by Democrat Beth Kerttula, who is planning to run for an eighth term next fall. If re-elected, Kerttula’s new district will include downtown Juneau along with Petersburg, Skagway, Gustavus, Tenakee, Hobart bay, Excursion Inlet and the city of Kupreanof. Kerttula says she empathizes with Petersburg’s concerns over the new boundaries, but she’s excited at the chance to represent that community and the others. Matt Lichtenstein spoke with Kerttula shortly after news broke that Petersburg had lost its court challenge

The Alaska Mental Health Trust Land Office has come out with a new version of its proposed land exchange with the U.S. Forest Service. The Trust is trying to swap land it owns around seven Southeast Alaska communities with a similar amount of acreage from elsewhere in the Tongass National Forest. The agency wants to log its lands and that’s been a concern for neighboring residents who are hopeful the exchange moves forward.