Policy

Alaska House is set to vote Friday on an 85% state tax cut for the proposed trans‑Alaska natural‑gas pipeline, a move lawmakers say could make the $44‑$54 B project economically viable; the bill is expected to pass the House but Senate approval remains uncertain.

Ahead of the June 15 North American Caribou Workshop in Yellowknife, 50 Canadians signed a petition urging the federal government to halt or modify the Liberal‑era major projects legislation that could threaten the Bathurst, Bluenose East and Beverly caribou herds, citing severe population declines and potential road impacts.

The Swedish Government announced a new Arctic strategy that aims to promote peace, security, and sustainability, and will open doors for more researchers.

University College of the North has been approved to head a new international Arctic solid waste management network, following the UArctic General Assembly’s vote on May 29 2026. The network will coordinate solid‑waste policies across Arctic institutions, expanding higher‑education governance in the region.

A preliminary agreement between the Alaska LNG developer Glenfarne and 18 building‑trade unions establishes a framework to prioritize Alaska workers for the $45‑$55B project, which includes an 800‑mile pipeline and a gas‑treatment plant on the North Slope.

The U.S. federal government auctioned oil and gas lease rights on the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge’s coastal plain on June 5, a move that threatens the refuge’s ecological integrity and the migratory pathways of 200 bird species vital to ecosystems across North America.

Oslo is urging the EU to lift its Arctic drilling moratorium, which could open the region to new oil and gas exploration.

The Coast Guard will homeport two Arctic Security Cutters in Kodiak and a third in Seward when infrastructure is ready, expanding Alaska’s icebreaker fleet to four and bolstering U.S. Arctic maritime dominance as part of a $3.5 billion program.

A Senate Finance Committee hearing revealed that Alaska’s 1973 property tax rules, designed for oil, fail to support the state’s LNG and North Slope natural gas projects, prompting calls from former legislators to update the framework.

Alaska lawmakers have moved a bill that would slash property taxes and impose a small volumetric tax on the proposed Alaska LNG megaproject, giving the developer Glenfarne and Governor Mike Dunleavy a clearer fiscal path. If passed, the bill would set up a 10‑year tax abatement, a $40‑80 million community impact fund, a gas‑price cap and a $120 million annual tax revenue stream, while still facing Senate resistance.

Alaska’s House Finance Committee approved a tax bill that would largely eliminate state and municipal property taxes on the proposed 800‑mile natural‑gas pipeline from the North Slope to Cook Inlet, replacing those revenues with fees from gas flow. The measure, pushed by Gov. Mike Dunleavy and the Glenfarne Group, now moves to the House floor before the special session ends on June 19.

EU imports 18% more Russian LNG from Yamal than the same period last year, with 92% of Yamal cargoes destined for EU ports, indicating the short‑term ban has not yet shifted import flows.

Alaska's special legislative session aims to resolve a stalled pipeline tax debate that has held back the state’s North Slope gas export project for years.

Materials for 95 of the 725 federally‑backed housing units have arrived, with Iqaluit receiving 46 stick‑built homes while modular units dominate in other communities, advancing the territory’s public housing plan.

The UK introduces a new Arctic Code of Conduct to address gaps in its research practices that previously ignored geopolitical considerations.

The United States can expand its military presence in Greenland under the 1951 Defense Agreement, but Denmark and Greenland insist on maintaining sovereignty, while talks continue over access to rare‑earth minerals and missile‑defense assets.

Canadian Space Mission Centre (CSMC) secured $1M in federal funding to develop dual‑use technology for lunar missions and to bolster Canada’s Arctic defense capabilities.

Spain is driving May purchases of Russian Arctic LNG, helping EU imports from Yamal rise in the first five months of 2026 despite new export restrictions.

An EU contract ban launched in March has not stopped Russian Arctic LNG ships, with almost 97% of Yamal vessels still docking at EU ports.

A lease of 114,000 acres of public land in Wyoming for oil and gas could cost taxpayers $50 million, as highlighted by a TCS statement on similar Arctic Refuge lease sales.

Anchorage Daily News opinion piece argues that Alaska’s overnight transfer of 1.4 million acres to the state stripped Wiseman residents of legal firewood rights, violating the public‑trust clause and jeopardizing subsistence while opening the way for a 211‑mile haul road.