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Public policy in Alaska
This article does not contain the most recently published data on this subject. If you would like to help our coverage grow, consider donating to Ballotpedia.
The Public Policy Project on Ballotpedia aims to illuminate major policy issues being discussed and implemented throughout the United States. Public policy can be complicated and controversial; deciding what works best and how to allocate resources to achieve a policy goal can involve multiple trade-offs. Much of the public policy that affects citizens economically, legally and socially, is made at the state level. Below you will find links and introductions to all the Alaska public policy articles on Ballotpedia. To see the policy overview of another state click on the map below.
- For a list of all public policy articles on Ballotpedia see here.
Budget Policy
Budget and finances
In Alaska, as in other states, lawmakers and public officials are elected in part to manage the state's finances. This includes generating revenues (money coming into the state from various sources) and approving expenditures (the money spent on governmental functions and servicing state debt). State budgets are complex and fluid, as they depend on anticipated revenues and planned expenditures, which may alter over the course of a fiscal year. If revenues do not keep pace with expenditures, states generally have to raise taxes, cut services, borrow money, or a combination of the three. State budget decisions are also influenced by policy decisions at the national level, such as the Affordable Care Act or energy and environmental regulations, and issues at the local level, such as crime and the quality of education.
Taxes
Alaska does not levy a personal income tax or a sales tax. Consequently, Alaska generates the bulk of its tax revenue from other taxes. The state derives its constitutional authority to tax from Article IX of the state constitution.[2][3]
Tax policy can vary from state to state. States levy taxes to help fund the variety of services provided by state governments. Tax collections comprise approximately 40 percent of the states' total revenues. The rest comes from non-tax sources, such as intergovernmental aid (e.g., federal funds), lottery revenues and fees. The primary types of taxes levied by state governments include personal income tax, general sales tax, excise (or special sales) taxes and corporate income tax.[4]
Civil Liberties Policy
Affirmative action
Affirmative action in Alaska refers to the steps taken by employers and universities in Alaska to increase the proportions of historically disadvantaged minority groups at those institutions. Historically, affirmative action nationwide has taken many different forms, such as strict quotas, extra outreach efforts, and racial and gender preferences. However, racial quotas in university admissions were banned in a 1978 United States Supreme Court case, Regents of the University of California v. Bakke.[5]
On June 29, 2023, the Supreme Court reversed lower court decisions in Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College and Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. University of North Carolina, effectively ending the use of affirmative action in college admissions.
As of March 2015, 109 out of 577 public four-year universities across the country reported that they considered race in admissions. This practice has been banned in eight states. Meanwhile, 28 states require affirmative action plans in either public employment or apprenticeships. Affirmative action programs that grant racial preferences have come under scrutiny in the courts for potentially violating the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.[6][7]
The effects of affirmative action policies are contested. Proponents argue that affirmative action diversifies selective institutions and provides more opportunities to minorities. Opponents argue that implementing policies that favor some groups requires discrimination against others and that these policiesmay harm individuals they are meant to help.
Campaign finance
Campaign finance requirements govern how much money candidates and campaigns may receive from individuals and organizations, how they must report those contributions, and how much individuals, organizations, and political parties may contribute to campaigns. In addition to direct campaign contributions, campaign finance laws also apply to third-party organizations and nonprofit organizations that seek to influence elections through independent expenditures or issue advocacy.
This page provides background on campaign finance regulation, lists contribution limits to state candidates and ballot measures in Alaska, compares contribution limits to gubernatorial and state legislative candidates in Alaska with those from other states, and details the candidate reporting requirements in Alaska.
The information on this page pertains to candidates for state office and state ballot measures. Candidates for federal office are subject to federal campaign finance law. Candidates for local office are subject to all applicable state laws as well as any separate local campaign finance regulations.[8]
Background
- See also: Campaign finance regulation
The Federal Election Commission (FEC) is the independent regulatory agency responsible for administering and enforcing federal campaign election laws. The FEC is responsible for disclosing campaign finance information, enforcing limits and prohibitions on contributions and the oversight of the public funding of presidential elections.[9] According to the FEC, an individual becomes a federal candidate, and must begin to report their campaign finances, once he or she has either raised or spent $5,000 in pursuit of his or her campaign. Within fifteen days of this benchmark for status as a candidate, the candidate must register with the FEC and designate an official campaign committee, to be responsible for the funds and expenditures of the campaign. This committee must have an official treasurer, and cannot support any candidate but the one who registered the committee. Detailed financial reports are then made to the FEC every financial quarter after the individual is registered with the FEC. Reports are also made before primaries and before the general election.[10]
The Supreme Court of the United States has issued a number of rulings pertaining to federal election campaign finance regulations. In the 2010 Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission decision, the court held that corporate funding of independent political broadcasts in candidate elections cannot be limited. The court's decision also overturned the ban on for-profit and not-for-profit corporations and unions broadcasting electioneering communications in the 30 days before a presidential primary and in the 60 days before a general election.[11] In the SpeechNOW.org v. Federal Election Commission decision, the first application of the Citizens United decision, the court held that contribution limits on what individuals could give to independent expenditure-only groups, and the amount these organizations could receive, were unconstitutional. Contribution limits on donations directly to candidates, however, remain constitutional.[12][13] In 2014's McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission decision, the court overturned biennial aggregate campaign contribution limits, and held that individuals may now contribute to as many federal candidates as they want, but may only contribute up to the federal limit in each case.[14]
While the FEC governs federal election campaigns and contribution limits, individual states require their own level of regulation and reporting. The amount of regulation required differs by state, as do the limits on campaign contributions and third-party activities to influence elections. Candidates for local office must follow any applicable state and local campaign finance regulations.
Contribution limits
The table below details contribution limits as they applied to various types of individuals and groups in Alaska as of May 2025. The uppermost row of the table indicates the contributor, while the leftmost column indicates the recipient. A non-group entity is defined as follows:[15]
| “ | 'nongroup entity' means a person, other than an individual, that takes action the major purpose of which is to influence the outcome of an election, and that
(A) cannot participate in business activities; (B) does not have shareholders who have a claim on corporate earnings; and (C) is independent from the influence of business corporations.[16] |
” |
| Individuals | Single candidate committees | Groups (PACs) | Non-group entity | Political party | Super PACs | Corporations | Unions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governor | unlimited | $0 | $1,000 | $1,000 | $100,000 | $0 | $0 | $0 | |
| Senate | unlimited | $0 | $1,000 | $1,000 | $15,000 | $0 | $0 | $0 | |
| House | unlimited | $0 | $1,000 | $1,000 | $10,000 | $0 | $0 | $0 | |
| PAC | unlimited | $0 | $1,000 | $1,000 | $1,000 | $0 | $0 | $0 | |
| Party committees | $5,000 | $0 | $1,000 | $1,000 | unlimited | $0 | $0 | $0 | |
| Non-group entity | unlimited | $0 | $1,000 | $1,000 | $1,000 | $0 | $0 | $0 | |
| Ballot measures | unlimited | unlimited | unlimited | unlimited | $0 | unlimited | unlimited | ||
| Limits apply per year. | |||||||||
| Sources: Alaska Public Offices Commission, "Alaska Campaign Annual Contribution Limits - AS 15.13," accessed May 7, 2025 | |||||||||
State comparisons in the 2024 elections
Candidate reporting requirements
See statutes: Title 15.13 of the Alaska Election Law
Each candidate must appoint a campaign treasurer who is responsible for receiving, holding, and disbursing all contributions and expenditures, and for filing all reports and statements required by law. A candidate may also serve as his or her own campaign treasurer.[18][19]
Each candidate for state office must file the name and address of the campaign treasurer with the Alaska Public Offices Commission no later than 15 days after the date of filing the declaration of candidacy. Alongside the declaration of candidacy, the candidate must file a Financial Disclosure form with the Alaska Public Offices Commission. [18]
After registering his or her campaign, the candidate must follow a campaign finance reporting schedule in which campaign contributions and expenditures are documented and reported. These reports include the following information:
- the date and amount of all expenditures made by the candidate
- the total amount of all contributions, including all funds contributed by the candidate
- the name, address, date, and amount contributed by each contributor
- for contributions in excess of $50 in the aggregate during a calendar year, the principal occupation and employer of the contributor.
If a candidate does not intend to raise or expend more than $5,000 in seeking election to office, including both the primary and general elections, the candidate should submit an Exemption Statement. The candidate must still abide by campaign disclosure laws.[20][21]
Reporting schedule
Each candidate must make a full campaign finance report for the period ending three days before the due date of the report and beginning on the last day covered by the most recent previous report. If the report is a first report, it must cover the period from the beginning of the campaign to the date three days before the due date of the report. If the report is a report due February 15, it must cover the period beginning on the last day covered by the most recent previous report or on the day that the campaign started, whichever is later, and ending on February 1 of that year.[22]
Reports must be filed according to the following schedule:[22]
- after registering a campaign with the Alaska Public Offices Commission
- 30 days before an election
- one week before the election
- 24-hour reports (for candidates who receive individual contributions that exceed $250 within nine days of an election)
- February 15 for expenditures made and contributions received that were not reported previously
Campaign finance legislation
The table below displays bills related to campaign finance introduced during or carried over to Alaska's current legislative session.[23]
Election and campaign ballot measures
Ballotpedia has tracked 3 statewide ballot measures relating to elections and campaigns.
- Alaska SJR 1, Residence Requirement to Vote for President Amendment (August 1966)
- Alaska Ballot Measure 2, Top-Four Ranked-Choice Voting and Campaign Finance Laws Initiative (2020)
- Alaska Ballot Measure 2, Repeal Top-Four Ranked-Choice Voting Initiative (2024)
Election administration agencies
Election agencies
- See also: State election agencies
Individuals seeking additional information about election administration in Alaska can contact the following state, and federal agencies.
Alaska Division of Elections
- Physical Address: Court Plaza Building
- 240 Main Street, 4th Floor
- Juneau, AK 99801
- Mailing Address: PO Box 110017
- Juneau, AK 99811-0017
- Phone: 907-465-4611
- Toll free: 866-952-8683
- Website: https://www.elections.alaska.gov/
U.S. Election Assistance Commission
- 633 3rd Street NW, Suite 200
- Washington, DC 20001
- Phone: 301-563-3919
- Toll free: 1-866-747-1471
- Email: clearinghouse@eac.gov
- Website: https://www.eac.gov
Federal Election Commission (FEC)
- 1050 First Street, NE
- Washington, DC 20463
- Telephone: (202)-694-1100
- Toll-free: 1-800-424-9530
- Email: info@fec.gov
- Website: http://www.fec.gov/
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Alaska campaign finance. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
Footnotes
- ↑ National Association of State Budget Officers, "State Expenditure Report (Fiscal 2014-2016)," accessed June 26, 2017
- ↑ Alaska Office of the Lieutenant Governor, "The Constitution of the State of Alaska," accessed October 17, 2014
- ↑ Tax Policy Center, "State Tax Collection Shares by Type 2000-2013," June 20, 2014
- ↑ Brunori, D. (2011). State Tax Policy: A Political Perspective. Washington, D.C.: The Urban Institute Press
- ↑ Oyez, "Regents of the University of California v. Bakke," accessed February 11, 2015
- ↑ Miller Center of Public Affairs, "Affirmative Action: Race or Class?" accessed February 10, 2015
- ↑ Business and Legal Resources, "Affirmative Action," accessed March 31, 2015
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Campaign Finance Enforcement," accessed May 28, 2025
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "About the FEC," accessed June 27, 2012
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Candidate Registration Brochure," accessed December 7, 2012
- ↑ New York Times, "Justices, 5-4, Reject Corporate Spending Limit," January 21, 2010
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Speechnow.org v. FEC," April 7, 2014
- ↑ OpenSecrets, "Two Federal Court Rulings Could Change Campaign Finance Landscape," March 26, 2010
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Ongoing Litigation," accessed March 18, 2015
- ↑ A.S. 15.13, "Chapter 13. State Election Campaigns," accessed May 7, 2025
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "State Limits on Contributions to Candidates 2023-2024 Election Cycle," accessed May 8, 2025
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 Alaska Election Law, "Title 15.13.060," accessed March 25, 2014
- ↑ Alaska Department of Elections, "Candidate Registration Form," accessed November 29, 2013
- ↑ Alaska State Legislature, "Alaska Election Law," accessed November 29, 2013
- ↑ Alaska Division of Elections, "Candidate Exemption," accessed March 28, 2014
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 Alaska Election Law, "Title 15.13.110," accessed March 25, 2014
- ↑ Bills are organized by most recent action. Clicking on a bill will open its page on Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker, which includes bill details and a summary.
Nonprofit regulation
Nonprofit regulation in Alaska involves a complex set of rules that govern nonprofit organizations and charitable giving throughout the state. Major issues surrounding nonprofit regulation nationwide include the following:
- contribution limits,
- donor disclosure, and
- the redefinition of issue advocacy.
Alaska is one of 39 states that require charitable organizations, and those intending to solicit on their behalf, to register with the state in order to solicit contributions, whether they are an Alaska organization or based out-of-state. In Alaska a small number of groups and organizations are exempt from registration. These groups are not required to apply for exempt status; it is automatic.[1]
Alaska is one of 32 states that allows registrants to use either the Unified Registration Statement (URS) or the state registration form.[2] Only seven states requiring registration do not accept the URS.
Education Policy
Charter schools • Higher education • Public education • School choice |
K-12 Public education
The Alaska public school system (prekindergarten through grade 12) operates within districts governed by locally elected school boards and superintendents. In 2022 Alaska had 131,587 students enrolled in a total of 502 schools in 53 school districts. There were 7,459 teachers in the public schools, or roughly one teacher for every 18 students, compared to the national average of 1:16. In 2020, Alaska spent on average $18,313 per pupil.[5] The state's graduation rate was 80 percent in the 2018-2019 school year.[6]
Higher education
Alaska's higher education system is composed of 10 colleges and universities. Of these, five are public institutions, three are nonprofit private schools, and two are for-profit private institutions.[7]
School choice
School choice is a term that refers to programs offering alternatives to assigned local public school options. Public school choice options include open enrollment policies, magnet schools, and charter schools. Other options include school vouchers, scholarship tax credits, and education savings accounts (ESAs).[8][9]
Proponents argue that school choice programs improve educational outcomes by expanding opportunity and access for historically disadvantaged students. In addition, advocates claim that school choice programs empower parents and improve traditional public schools through competition. Critics contend that these programs divert funds from traditional public schools, thereby generating unequal outcomes for students. In addition, some critics argue that school voucher programs wrongly direct tax dollars to religious organizations, which operate many private schools.
Charter schools
Charter schools in Alaska are public schools operated independently of public school systems, either by nonprofit or for-profit organizations. Although they are largely publicly funded, charter schools are exempt from many of the requirements imposed by state and local boards of education regarding hiring and curriculum. As public schools, charter schools cannot charge tuition or impose special entrance requirements; students are usually admitted through a lottery process if demand exceeds the number of spaces available in a school. Charter schools generally receive a percentage of the per-pupil funds from the state and local school districts for operational costs based on enrollment. In most states, charter schools do not receive funds for facilities or start-up costs; therefore, they must rely to some extent on private donations. The federal government also provides revenues through special grants. As of March 2017, 44 states and the District of Columbia had approved legislation authorizing the creation of public charter schools. Six states had not.
Election Policy
Ballot access requirements
In order to get on the ballot in Alaska, a candidate for state or federal office must meet a variety of state-specific filing requirements and deadlines. These regulations, known as ballot access laws, determine whether a candidate or party will appear on an election ballot. These laws are set at the state level. A candidate must prepare to meet ballot access requirements well in advance of primaries, caucuses, and the general election.
There are three basic methods by which an individual may become a candidate for office in a state.
- An individual can seek the nomination of a state-recognized political party.
- An individual can run as an independent. Independent candidates often must petition in order to have their names printed on the general election ballot.
- An individual can run as a write-in candidate.
This article outlines the steps that prospective candidates for state-level and congressional office must take in order to run for office in Alaska. For information about filing requirements for presidential candidates, click here. Information about filing requirements for local-level offices is not available in this article (contact state election agencies for information about local candidate filing processes).
Redistricting
Redistricting is the process by which new congressional and state legislative district boundaries are drawn. Alaska's single United States Representative and 60 state legislators are elected from political divisions called districts. United States Senators are not elected by districts, but by the states at large. District lines are redrawn every 10 years following completion of the United States census. The federal government stipulates that districts must have nearly equal populations and must not discriminate on the basis of race or ethnicity.[10][11][12][13]
Alaska was apportioned one seat in the U.S. House of Representatives after the 2020 census, the same number it received after the 2010 census.
Alaska was apportioned one single at-large U.S. House seat, making Congressional redistricting after the 2020 census unnecessary.
Alaska completed its state legislative redistricting on May 24, 2022, when the Alaska Redistricting Board adopted a new map of state Senate districts at the direction of the state supreme court. In its ruling, the Alaska Supreme Court upheld a May 16, 2022, decision by the Third District of Alaska's Superior Court that determined that the mapping of state House districts to Senate ones was unconstitutional and ordered the Alaska Redistricting Board to adopt another proposed plan for pairing the districts. Click here to read more about litigation surrounding Alaska's legislative boundaries. These maps took effect for Alaska's 2022 legislative elections. On May 15, 2023, the Alaska Redistricting Board adopted its 2022 interim maps as final state legislative maps. The final maps were used in the 2024 elections.[14]
Alaska had initially enacted legislative district boundaries on November 10, 2021, following a 3-2 vote by the Alaska Redistricting Board. The three Republican-appointed board members voted in favor of the map and the two nonpartisan board members voted against it.[15] On March 25, 2022, the Alaska Supreme Court ruled that one state House and one state Senate district did not comply with the state constitution and required they be redrawn.[16] The Alaska Redistricting Board adopted new legislative district boundaries to comply with the state supreme court's ruling on April 13, 2022.[17]
Click here for more information on maps enacted after the 2020 census.
Voting
|
|
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| Select a state from the menu below to learn more about its voting policies. |
The policies governing voter participation are enacted and enforced primarily at the state level. These policies, which include voter identification requirements, early voting provisions, online voter registration systems, and more, dictate the conditions under which people cast their ballots in their respective states.
This article includes the following information about voting policies in Alaska:
- Voter registration details, including deadlines and eligibility requirements.
- In-person voting details, including identification requirements, poll times, and early voting provisions.
- Absentee/mail-in voting deadlines and rules.
- Details about Voting rules for people convicted of a felony.
- Contact information for election agencies.
Click here for more information about election administration in the state, including voter list maintenance policies, provisional ballot rules, post-election auditing practices, and additional election policy context.
For information on elections happening this year, click here.
Do you have questions about your elections? Looking for information about your local election official? Click here to use U.S. Vote Foundation’s election official lookup tool.
Energy Policy
Energy information
Energy policy involves governmental actions affecting the production, distribution, and consumption of energy in a state. Energy policies are enacted and enforced at the local, state, and federal levels and may change over time. These policies include legislation, regulation, taxes, incentives for energy production or use, standards for energy efficiency, and more. Stakeholders include citizens, politicians, environmental groups, industry groups, and think tanks. A variety of factors can affect the feasibility of federal and state-level energy policies, such as available natural resources, geography, and consumer needs.
Fracking
| Read about Alaska's state energy profile » |
The two major oil and gas operations in Alaska occur in the Northern Slope in northern Alaska and Cook Inlet in south-central Alaska (see the maps below). According to the Alaska Oil and Gas Association, approximately 25 percent of Alaska oil and gas wells were hydraulically fractured from 1963 (when fracking first occurred) and 2015. In November 2016, Cathy Foerster, chairwoman of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, said that approximately 1,900 oil and gas wells—around 25 percent of wells drilled in the state from 1963 to 2015—were hydraulically fractured. This figure included 166 oil and gas wells in Cook Inlet.[18][19]
The map below shows where oil and gas operations occur in Cook Inlet (as of March 2017). A larger photo of the map can be accessed here.
The map below shows where oil and gas operations occur in the Northern Slope (as of March 2017). A larger photo of the map can be accessed here.
Environmental Policy
Environmental information
Environmental policy aims to conserve natural resources by balancing environmental protection with economic growth, property rights, public health, and energy production. Federal, state, and local government entities develop and implement environmental policies through laws and regulations. This page features information about environmental policy in Alaska.
Environmental governance in Alaska
Agencies and organizations
- The Alaska legislature has two standing committees in both the House and Senate on Resources. Both committees manage bills and hold hearings on issues related to programs and activities at the Alaska Departments of Natural Resources, Fish and Game and Environmental Conservation.
- The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation is responsible for enforcing environmental policy in Alaska. It runs various programs in the areas of air and water quality, spill prevention and response, drinking water quality and waste management.[20]
- The Alaska Department of Natural Resources manages the state's publicly-owned land, water and other resources excepting fish and game. The department is composed of divisions for the management of agriculture, forestry, mining, oil and gas, and the state's parks and recreation areas.[21]
Environmental budget
- See also: Environmental spending in the 50 states
The table below features annual budget information for the Alaska Environmental Conservation Department from 2011 to 2023:
| Environmental and natural resources budget in Alaska, 2011-2023 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fiscal year | Total spending | |||||
| 2023 | $108,502,700 | |||||
| 2022 | $83,528,800 | |||||
| 2021 | $72,576,400 | |||||
| 2020 | $78,136,900 | |||||
| 2019 | $81,285,000 | |||||
| 2018 | $73,088,200 | |||||
| 2017 | $83,419,200 | |||||
| 2016 | $85,353,600 | |||||
| 2015 | $87,330,800 | |||||
| 2014 | $87,225,600 | |||||
| 2013 | $83,600,200 | |||||
| 2012 | $79,788,101 | |||||
| 2011 | $77,521,600 | |||||
| Source: Alaska Office of Management and Budget | ||||||
Air
Clean Air Act
- See also: Implementation of the Clean Air Act
The Clean Air Act is a federal law aimed at maintaining air quality and reducing air pollution. The law requires states and private industries to meet national air pollution standards. Each state must implement an EPA-approved plan to reduce air pollutants from industrial facilities such as chemical plants and utilities. Over 47,000 facilities nationwide were regulated under the Clean Air Act as of February 2023.[22][23][24][25]
The table below features information about the number of regulated facilities under the Clean Air Act in Alaska from 2014 to 2023:
| Regulated facilities under the Clean Air Act in Alaska, 2014-2023 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Number of EPA-regulated facilities | Number of state-regulated facilities | Number of local-regulated facilities | Total regulated facilities | |
| 2023 | 413 | 8 | 0 | 421 | |
| 2022 | 428 | 9 | 0 | 437 | |
| 2021 | 430 | 11 | 0 | 441 | |
| 2020 | 440 | 10 | 0 | 450 | |
| 2019 | 449 | 8 | 0 | 457 | |
| 2018 | 445 | 13 | 0 | 458 | |
| 2017 | 438 | 9 | 0 | 447 | |
| 2016 | 429 | 10 | 0 | 439 | |
| 2015 | 422 | 11 | 0 | 433 | |
| 2014 | 427 | 11 | 0 | 438 | |
| Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "EPA/State Air Dashboard" | |||||
Mercury and air toxics standards
- See also: Mercury and air toxics standards
Citing its authority under the Clean Air Act, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2011 issued a rule (commonly known as the MATS rule) limiting the amount of mercury and other toxic air pollutants emitted by power plants. Mercury and air toxics standards (MATS) target mercury and other hazardous pollutants from over 580 coal and oil-fired power plants nationwide. The MATS rule was issued by the Obama administration as part of its larger policy limiting emissions from coal-fired power plants.[26]
The EPA later reconsidered the MATS rule and, in 2020, determined "that it is not 'appropriate and necessary' to regulate electric utility steam generating units under section 112 of the Clean Air Act (CAA)."[27]
A 2021 proposed rulemaking from the EPA seeks to revoke the 2020 action and reinstate the MATS rule.[28]
During the period that the MATS rule was in effect, Alaska had ## power plants subject to the mercury standards.[29]
Ozone standards
- See also: Ground-level ozone standards
Federal ozone standards establish the acceptable amount of ground level ozone, commonly known as smog, which is formed when nitrogen oxide combines with other organic chemicals in the atmosphere. Automobiles, power plants, factories and manufacturing centers emit the nitrogen oxide necessary for ozone formation. In high concentrations, ozone is harmful to human health.[30][31]
EPA in 2015 lowered the acceptable amount of ground-level ozone (smog) in the air. The standards went into effect in 2025. States would have between the years 2020 and 2037 to create and establish a plan to meet the standards, depending how much ozone forms in certain areas of a state.[32][33]
| Back to top↑ |
Clean Power Plan
- See also: Clean Power Plan and climate change
The EPA in 2015 finalized a regulatory action known as the Clean Power Plan aimed at mitigating what the agency views as potentially human-caused climate change. The plan aims to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from coal- and oil-fired power plants (fossil fuel-fired) and natural gas-fired power plants by 32 percent from 2005 levels by 2030. Each state would have to meet goals based on the number of fossil fuel- and natural gas-fired plants in the state.[34][35][36]
After several states challenged the plan in court, arguing in part that the plan exceeded the EPA's statutory authority, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit delayed the rule's implementation in June 2016. The Trump administration later moved to replace the Clean Power Plan with the Affordable Clean Energy rule. The D.C. Circuit vacated the Trump-era rule in January 2021, "giving the incoming Biden administration a clean slate for" drafting a new rule, according to Bloomberg.[37][38]
Carbon dioxide emissions
The following table provides information about annual carbon dioxide emissions in Alaska from 2010 to 2020:[39]
| Carbon dioxide emissions in Alaska, 2010-2020 (in million metric tons of energy-related carbon dioxide) | |
|---|---|
| Year | Total carbon dioxide emissions |
| 2020 | 36.0 |
| 2019 | 34.3 |
| 2018 | 34.5 |
| 2017 | 33.7 |
| 2016 | 33.4 |
| 2015 | 35.0 |
| 2014 | 33.9 |
| 2013 | 34.0 |
| 2012 | 36.2 |
| 2011 | 37.1 |
| 2010 | 37.1 |
| Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration | |
Land
Federal land policy
- See also: Federal land policy
Federal land policy involves the conservation and management of natural resources on land owned by the federal government. Most federal land policies focus on conservation, recreation, oil and natural gas extraction, wildlife and forest management, and grazing.
The federal government as of 2018 owned around 640 million total acres of land (about 28 percent) of the 2.27 billion acres of land in the United States. Four federal agencies (the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), the National Park Service (NPS), the Forest Service (FS) oversee public lands for conservation, recreation, wildlife protection, grazing, energy production, and other purposes. The Department of Defense also oversees federal lands used for military, training, and related purposes. The majority of federal land is located in Alaska and 11 coterminous Western states[40]
Federal land ownership
- See also: Federal land ownership by state
The table below features information about changes in federal land ownership in Alaska from 1990 to 2018:[40]
| Change in federal land ownership in Alaska, 1990-2018 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Total federal land (in acres) | Percentage of state land owned by the federal government |
| 2018 | 222,666,580 | 60.9% |
| 2010 | 225,848,164 | 61.8% |
| 2000 | 237,828,917 | 65.1% |
| 1990 | 245,669,027 | 67.2% |
| Source: Congressional Research Service | ||
Federal land management by agency
The following table features information about federal land management in Alaska by federal agency in 2018:[40]
| Federal agency land management in Alaska, 2018 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Agency | Total federal land in state managed by agency (in acres) | Percentage of total federal land in state |
| Bureau of Land Management (BLM) | 71,397,880 | 32.1% |
| Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) | 76,649,320 | 34.4% |
| National Park Service (NPS) | 52,455,308 | 23.6% |
| Forest Service (FS) | 22,138,560 | 9.9% |
| Department of Defense (DoD) | 25,512 | 0.0% |
| Source: Congressional Research Service | ||
National parks
The U.S. National Park Service (NPS) as of February 2023 oversaw what the agency describes as 424 units (often referred to as parks) and more than 150 related areas within the National Park System. The agency assists in managing national historic areas, wild and scenic rivers, historic landmarks, and national trails. The National Park System contained more than 85 million acres as of February 2023, including national parks, historical parks and sites, national monuments, battlefields and military parks, recreation areas, seashores, and parkways. More than 297 million visitors attended sites in the National Park System in 2021. NPS employed around 20,000 permanent, temporary, and seasonal employees as of February 2023.[41][42][43]
NPS operated 23 national parks in Alaska as of February 2023.[44]
The following table features visitation statistics for national parks in Alaska from 2017 to 2021.[45]
| National Park Service visitation in Alaska, 2017-2021 | |
|---|---|
| Year | Total recreation visits |
| 2021 | 1,001,956 |
| 2020 | 406,688 |
| 2019 | 3,218,301 |
| 2018 | 2,920,249 |
| 2017 | 2,786,065 |
| Source: U.S. National Park Service | |
Payments in lieu of taxes
- See also: Payments in lieu of taxes
The U.S. Department of the Interior pays local governments each year to offset what they lose in property taxes due to non-taxable federal land within their borders, commonly known as payments in lieu of taxes (PILT). PILT payments go toward fire and police departments, public schools, road construction, and other local services. PILT amounts are based on population and the amount of federal land in a county. From 1977 (when PILT payments began) to 2022, the Interior Department paid out around $10.8 billion to states, territories, and Washington, D.C. PILT payments can be used for any governmental purpose.[46][47]
The following table features information about payments in lieu of taxes received by local governments in Alaska from 2017 to 2021.[48]
| Total payments in lieu of taxes, Alaska, 2017-2021 | |
|---|---|
| Year | Total payments in lieu of taxes |
| 2022 | $33,486,098 |
| 2021 | $32,219,322 |
| 2020 | $31,683,971 |
| 2019 | $30,941,006 |
| 2018 | $32,308,994 |
| Source: U.S. National Park Service | |
Oil and natural gas activity
The federal government leases its land to private individuals and companies for energy development, including drilling for crude oil and natural gas, solar energy, and geothermal energy. Oil and natural gas drilling on federal lands in the United States is primarily overseen by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. Private oil and natural gas companies apply for leases from the BLM to produce energy on federal land. About 26 million acres of federal land—12.8 million of which produced oil and gas in economic quantities—were leased to about 24,000 oil and gas developers operating 96,000 wells at the end of fiscal year 2018.[49]
The following table features information about oil and natural gas activity on federal land in Alaska from 2017 to 2021:[50][51]
| Oil and natural gas activity on federal land in Alaska, 2017-2021 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Oil production (in thousands of barrels) | Natural gas production (in million cubic feet) | Total leases in state | Total leased acres in state |
| 2021 | 830,089 | 13,233,556 | 333 | 2,640,783 |
| 2020 | 953,212 | 17,339,631 | 336 | 2,631,070 |
| 2019 | 1,280,420 | 18,449,806 | 244 | 1,579,834 |
| 2018 | 1,033,899 | 15,315,703 | 238 | 1,490,733 |
| 2017 | 1,057,576 | 16,042,898 | 229 | 1,484,339 |
| Source: U.S. National Park Service | ||||
Water
Clean Water Act
- See also: Implementation of the Clean Water Act
The Clean Water Act is a federal law regulating pollutants discharged into all waters of the United States, including lakes, rivers, streams, and wetlands. The federal government approves water quality and technology standards for major sources of water pollution, such as chemical plants, steel manufacturers, municipal facilities, and others. Each state must establish water quality standards for all bodies of water within its boundaries.[52]
Under the Clean Water Act, it is unlawful to discharge any pollutant from any source into navigable waters without a federal permit. The permit specifies what limitations or conditions apply to a facility before the facility may discharge any pollutants. Federal permits may contain facility-specific requirements and limitations depending on the water source.[53]
The following table provides information about the number of Alaska facilities subject to regulation under the Clean Water Act from 2014 to 2023:[54]
| Clean Water Act permits, Alaska, 2014-2023 | |
|---|---|
| Year | Number of facilities |
| 2023 | 2,161 |
| 2022 | 2,505 |
| 2021 | 2,166 |
| 2020 | 1,752 |
| 2019 | 1,734 |
| 2018 | 1,685 |
| 2017 | 1,734 |
| 2016 | 1,792 |
| 2015 | 1,778 |
| 2014 | 1,543 |
| Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "National Water Activity Dashboard" | |
Waste
Superfund sites and hazardous waste facilities
Superfund is a federal program that addresses contaminated waste sites and their return to practical use. Superfund sites include oil refineries, smelting facilities, mines and other industrial areas. The federal government can compel the private entities responsible for a waste site to clean the site or face penalties. If the federal government cleans a waste site, it can compel the responsible company to reimburse the government for cleanup costs. Because Superfund sites are added and removed from a prioritized list on a regular basis, the total number of Superfund sites since the program's inception in 1980 is unknown.[55][56][57]
The federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act covers hazardous wastes, including their generation, treatment, storage and disposal. States may regulate hazardous wastes rather than the federal government. The EPA is responsible for all hazardous waste requirements if no state program exists. Hazardous waste regulations cover waste generators, transporters, treatment centers, storage and disposal facilities.[58]
Alaska had 6 Superfund sites and 1,438 regulated hazardous waste facilities as of February 2023.[59][60]
Endangered species
Endangered Species Act
- See also: Endangered species in Alaska
The Endangered Species Act is a federal law that mandates the listing and conservation of endangered and threatened species. The legislation aims to prevent the extinction of vulnerable species throughout the United States and to recover a species' population to the point where listing the species as endangered or threatened is no longer necessary. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is responsible for the law's implementation.[31][61]
Alaska had 12 federally listed endangered or threatened plant or animal species as of February 2023. To view the full list, click here.[62]
Environmental ballot measures in Alaska
The following list features historical information about ballot measures relating to environmental issues in Alaska.
Natural resources
- Alaska Oil Tax Cuts Veto Referendum, Ballot Measure 1 (August 2014)
- Alaska Ballot Measure 1, Salmon Habitat Protections and Permits Initiative (2018)
Environment
- Alaska Ballot Proposition 5, Bottle Deposit Refund Initiative (1978)
- Alaska Pollution Zone Act (2008)
- Alaska Coastal Management Question, Ballot Measure 2 (August 2012)
- Alaska Bristol Bay Mining Ban, Ballot Measure 4 (2014)
- Alaska Measure 4, Water Standards at New Metallic Mineral Mines Initiative (August 2008)
- Alaska Ballot Measure 1, Salmon Habitat Protections and Permits Initiative (2018)
Water
| Back to top↑ |
Recent environmental legislation in Alaska
The following list features information about environmental bills that have been introduced in or passed by the Alaska State Legislature in the last five years. To learn more about these bills, click the bill title. This information is provided by BillTrack50 and LegiScan.
Note: Due to the nature of the sorting process used to generate this list, some results may not be relevant to the topic. If no bills are displayed below, no legislation pertaining to this topic has been introduced in the legislature recently.
See also
- Endangered species in Alaska
- Energy policy in Alaska
- Federal land policy
- Federal land ownership by state
- U.S. Bureau of Land Management
- U.S. Department of the Interior
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
- U.S. National Park Service
External links
- Search Google News for this topic
- Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Footnotes
- ↑ Fishman, S. & Barrett, R. (2012). Nonprofit Fundraising Registration: The 50 State Guide. NOLO.
- ↑ "Multistate Filing Form," accessed December 17, 2014
- ↑ Guidestar, Fundraising: What Laws Apply?" accessed February 18, 2015
- ↑ London School of Economics, "Campaign finance laws that make small donations public may lead to fewer people contributing and to smaller donations," January 7, 2015
- ↑ United States Census Bureau, "U.S. School System Current Spending Per Pupil by Region: Fiscal Year 2020," May 18, 2022
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Fast Facts: High school graduation rates," accessed September 28, 2022
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "College Navigator - Alaska," accessed July 12, 2016
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "School Choice and Charters," accessed June 18, 2014
- ↑ Friedman Foundation for School Choice, "What is School Choice?" accessed June 18, 2014
- ↑ All About Redistricting, "Why does it matter?" accessed April 8, 2015
- ↑ Indy Week, "Cracked, stacked and packed: Initial redistricting maps met with skepticism and dismay," June 29, 2011
- ↑ The Atlantic, "How the Voting Rights Act Hurts Democrats and Minorities," June 17, 2013
- ↑ Redrawing the Lines, "The Role of Section 2 - Majority Minority Districts," accessed April 6, 2015
- ↑ Alaska Redistricting Board, "2023 May Final Proclamation," accessed March 20, 2025
- ↑ The Midnight Sun, "'I pray litigation is swift and just.' Redistricting Board finalizes plan with attempted dig at dissenters," Nov. 10, 2021
- ↑ Alaska Supreme Court, "In the Matter of the 2021 Redistricting Cases," March 25, 2022
- ↑ Alaska Redistricting Board, "Amended Proclamation of Redistricting," April 13, 2022
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedADN - ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedAOGA - ↑ Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, "Home page," accessed December 1, 2014
- ↑ Alaska Department of Natural Resources, "About DNR," accessed December 1, 2014
- ↑ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Clean Air Act Requirements and History," accessed August 7, 2014
- ↑ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Understanding the Clean Air Act," accessed August 7, 2014
- ↑ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "History of the Clean Air Act," accessed August 7, 2014
- ↑ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Analyze Trends: EPA/State Air Dashboard," accessed February 9, 2023
- ↑ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Basic Information on Mercury and Air Toxics Standards," accessed January 5, 2015
- ↑ EPA, "Final Revised Supplemental Finding and Results of the Residual Risk and Technology Review," accessed February 2, 2023
- ↑ EPA, "Proposed Revocation of the 2020 Reconsideration and Affirmation of the Appropriate and Necessary Supplemental Finding," accessed February 2, 2023
- ↑ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Power Plants Likely Covered by the Toxics Rule," accessed January 19, 2016
- ↑ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Ground Level Ozone: Regulatory Actions," accessed February 2, 2016
- ↑ 31.0 31.1 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Overview of EPA's Proposal to Update the Air Quality Standards for Ground-Level Ozone," November 25, 2014 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "overview" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ Washington Examiner, "EPA tries to appease green groups mad about ozone rules," October 1, 2015
- ↑ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Ground Level Ozone by the numbers," accessed February 2, 2016
- ↑ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Overview of the Clean Power Plan," accessed November 3, 2015
- ↑ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Clean Power Plan Toolbox for States," accessed November 3, 2015
- ↑ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Clean Power Plan - Rule Summary," August 3, 2015
- ↑ The Hill, "Supreme Court climate fight shakes up Senate races," February 10, 2016
- ↑ Bloomberg, "EPA’s Industry-Friendly Climate Rule Struck Down by Court (3)," January 19, 2021
- ↑ U.S. Energy Information Administration, "Energy-Related CO2 Emission Data Tables," accessed February 3, 2023
- ↑ 40.0 40.1 40.2 Congressional Research Service, "Federal Land Ownership: Overview and Data," December 29, 2014
- ↑ U.S. National Park Service, "About Us," accessed February 7, 2023
- ↑ National Park Service, "Visitation Numbers," accessed February 7, 2023
- ↑ National Park Service, "Organizational Structure of the National Park Service," accessed February 7, 2023
- ↑ National Park Service, "Alaska," accessed February 7, 2023
- ↑ U.S. National Park Service, "Visitation By State and By Park (2017 - Last Calendar Year)," accessed February 7, 2023
- ↑ U.S. Department of the Interior, "Payment in Lieu of Taxes," accessed February 1, 2023
- ↑ U.S. Department of the Interior, "Frequently Asked Questions," accessed February 8, 2016
- ↑ U.S. National Park Service, "Payment in Lieu of Taxes," accessed February 7, 2023
- ↑ Bureau of Land Management, "About the BLM Oil and Gas Program," accessed February 7, 2023
- ↑ U.S. Department of the Interior, "Natural Resources Revenue Data," accessed February 7, 2023
- ↑ Bureau of Land Management, "Oil and Gas Statistics," accessed February 7, 2023
- ↑ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, “Summary of the Clean Water Act,” accessed January 29, 2014
- ↑ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "NPDES Home," accessed September 23, 2014
- ↑ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Analyze Trends: EPA/State Wastewater Dashboard," accessed February 9, 2023
- ↑ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Superfund Glossary, S," accessed December 1, 2014
- ↑ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Superfund Glossary, N," accessed November 25, 2014
- ↑ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Introduction to the Hazard Ranking System (HRS)," accessed February 17, 2015
- ↑ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)," accessed August 11, 2014
- ↑ Environmental Protection Agency, "National Priorities List (NPL) Sites - by State," accessed February 9, 2023
- ↑ Environmental Protection Agency, "Analyze Trends: EPA/State Hazardous Waste Dashboard," accessed February 9, 2023
- ↑ U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, "ESA Overview," accessed October 1, 2014
- ↑ U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, "Listed species believed to or known to occur in each State," accessed February 9, 2023
[[Category:Environmental policy information by state
Endangered species
Endangered species policy in Alaska involves the identification and protection of endangered and threatened animal and plant species. Policies are implemented and enforced by both the state and federal governments.
Finance Policy
Financial regulation information
The United States financial system is a network that facilitates exchanges between lenders and borrowers. The system, which includes banks and investment firms, is the base for all economic activity in the nation. According to the Federal Reserve, financial regulation has two main intended purposes: to ensure the safety and soundness of the financial system and to provide and enforce rules that aim to protect consumers. The regulatory framework varies across industries, with different regulations applying to different financial services.[1]
Individual federal and state entities have different and sometimes overlapping responsibilities within the regulatory system. For example, individual states and three federal agencies—the Federal Reserve, the Office of Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)—regulate commercial banks. Other sectors of the financial market are regulated by specific entities.[2][3]
Some, such as the Brookings Institution, argue that expanded governmental regulation of banks and financial products (e.g., mortgages) can prevent large-scale financial crises, protect consumers from abusive practices, and stabilize financial markets. Others, such as the Cato Institute, argue that over-regulation of banks of banks and financial products burdens business, stalls economic growth, and does little, if anything, to stabilize financial markets. Beyond this basic debate about the role of the government in regulating the private financial sector, there are varying opinions about the proper extent of governmental regulation.[4][5]
Healthcare Policy
Healthcare information
Healthcare policy in Alaska involves the creation and implementation of laws, rules, and regulations for managing the state's healthcare system. The healthcare system consists of services provided by medical professionals to diagnose, treat, and prevent mental and physical illness and injury. The system also encompasses a wide range of related sectors, such as insurance, pharmaceuticals and health information technology.
According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, the 50 state legislatures collectively "make thousands of health policy decisions each year," not including the decisions made by local governments, which often oversee hospitals, and private bodies, such as insurers. These decisions can include budget appropriations, requirements for doctors obtaining their licenses, which services are covered by insurance, how personal health information is managed, and which immunizations children must receive, among many others.[6]
Healthcare policy affects not only the cost citizens must pay for care, but also their access to care and the quality of care received, which can influence their overall health. A top concern for policymakers is the rising cost of healthcare, which has placed an increasing strain on the disposable income of consumers as well as on state budgets. Other issues in healthcare policy include state Medicaid expansions, health information technology and privacy, uninsured and underinsured portions of the population, a shortage of primary care physicians.
Medicaid spending
Alaska's Medicaid program provides medical insurance to groups of low-income people and individuals with disabilities. Medicaid is a nationwide program jointly funded by the federal government and the states. Medicaid eligibility, benefits, and administration are managed by the states within federal guidelines. A program related to Medicaid is the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which covers low-income children above the poverty line and is sometimes operated in conjunction with a state's Medicaid program. Medicaid is a separate program from Medicare, which provides health coverage for the elderly.
Effect of the Affordable Care Act
The impact of the Affordable Care Act of 2010 (ACA), also known as Obamacare, has been debated among politicians, policymakers, and other stakeholders. The ACA was signed into law in 2010 by President Barack Obama (D). The law facilitated the purchase of health insurance through a system of health insurance exchanges, tax credits, and subsidies. Initially, states were required to expand eligibility for Medicaid under the law; a 2012 ruling by the United States Supreme Court made the Medicaid expansion voluntary for states. The law also required insurers to cover healthcare services within a standard set of benefits and prohibited coverage denials based on preexisting conditions. Under the law, all individuals were required to obtain health insurance.
Immigration Policy
Immigration information
Immigration policy determines who may become a new citizen of the United States or enter the country as a temporary worker, student, refugee, or permanent resident. The federal government is responsible for setting and enforcing most immigration policy.
Meanwhile, states assume a largely supportive role, enacting their own supplementary laws and setting policies that may, for example, determine which public services immigrants can access, establish employee screening requirements, or guide the interaction between related state agencies and their federal counterparts.
Some jurisdictions, including some states, cities, and counties, have adopted policies of not cooperating with federal immigration enforcement; these jurisdictions have become known as sanctuary jurisdictions.
Pension Policy
Public pensions
Alaska public pensions are the state mechanism by which state and many local government employees in Alaska receive retirement benefits.
There were 7 public pension systems in Alaska as of 2020, according to the United States Census Bureau. Of these, five were state-level programs while the remaining two were administered at the local level. Membership in Alaska's various pension systems totaled 81,424, as of fiscal year 2020. Of these, 19,569 were active members.[7]
Public policy in other states
Footnotes
- ↑ Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, "Government Performance and Results Act Annual Performance Report 2011," July 10, 2012
- ↑ The National Bureau of Economic Research, "A Brief History of Regulations Regarding Financial Markets in the United States: 1789 to 2009," September 2011
- ↑ Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, "The U.S. Federal Financial Regulatory System: Restructuring Federal Bank Regulation," January 19, 2006
- ↑ Brookings, "The Origins of the Financial Crisis," November 24, 2008
- ↑ The Cato Institute, "Did Deregulation Cause the Financial Crisis?" July 2009
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Health," accessed July 8, 2015
- ↑ United States Census Bureau, 2020 Annual Survey of Public Pensions: State & Local Tables accessed February 23, 2022
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