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Eric Stone

@eriwinsto.bsky.social
1.3K followers 291 following 184 posts

Alaska Public Media state government reporter based in Juneau. Email: estone@alaskapublic.org

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Eric Stone @eriwinsto.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
South Korea says it hasn't committed to Alaska LNG, and they say Trump's announcement of more than $50 billion in Korean investment in the gas pipeline "went beyond what was agreed." The sticking point is the same as it's always been: Commercial viability. alaskapublic.org/news/politic...
alaskapublic.org
Trump claims South Korea will invest $50B in Alaska gas pipeline. Not so fast, Korean officials say
The South Korean trade minister said Trump's announcement "went beyond what was agreed" and denied that the country had committed to investing in the Alaska LNG project.
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Eric Stone @eriwinsto.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
This is what we're waiting for -- very curious what will be said, given that the Korean government has appeared skeptical of the Alaska LNG project's commercial viability. alaskapublic.org/news/politic... www.chosun.com/english/worl...
alaskapublic.org
Trump will unveil $54 billion in South Korean investment for Alaska LNG project
Trump is expected to announce plans for South Korea to invest roughly $54 billion in a project to export natural gas from Alaska, a proposal long backed by Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan.
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Eric Stone @eriwinsto.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Trump was supposed to start speaking about Alaska LNG at 11:30am today. Nada yet. So far, the most interesting thing on this AP stream is the chat, where people are hawking prediction market bets that Trump will mention "SI," his new name for AI. What a weird time. www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiIk...
youtube.com
LIVE: Trump announces plans for a $54 billion project in Alaska
YouTube video by Associated Press
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Eric Stone @eriwinsto.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Elections this, elections that. How about a dispute between yacht captains over the passenger Jones Act in Southeast Alaska? alaskapublic.org/news/2026-09...
alaskapublic.org
A dispute over the passenger Jones Act has Southeast Alaska yacht captains crying foul
Captains and vessel owners say some yacht operators in Alaska are skirting the law and that enforcement is lacking.
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Eric Stone @eriwinsto.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Awww I love this
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Eric Stone @eriwinsto.bsky.social · 01/08/2026
Harambe crosstabs? Harambe crosstabs. e1.nmcdn.io/assets/ppp/w...
e1.nmcdn.io
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Eric Stone @eriwinsto.bsky.social · 01/08/2026
Happy 10 year anniversary of the first text I sent to my now-wife. Kids, don’t listen to pickup artists. Just text interesting people Harambe polls.
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Eric Stone @eriwinsto.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
Dunleavy says he'll veto the bill if the House passes it -- and says he's calling a third special session to begin July 27. #akleg
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Eric Stone @eriwinsto.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
House should start shortly #akleg Live here: www.ktoo.org/video/gavel/...
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Eric Stone @eriwinsto.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
They return, and after a couple of quick comments, vote it through 11-8. Majority members Merrick (R) and Olson (D) join all of the Republican minority in voting no. The Senate adjourns the special session sine die. #akleg
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Eric Stone @eriwinsto.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
And they’re at ease — a “longer at ease,” Senate President Gary Stevens tells us, to allow majority members to meet in caucus ahead of the vote. That followed a discussion on the floor between senators and AGDC Commercial Director Matt Kissinger, who was seated in the gallery. #akleg
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Eric Stone @eriwinsto.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
The Senate is back. #akleg www.ktoo.org/video/gavel/...
ktoo.org
Senate Floor Session
— Delayed to a Call of the Chair —
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Eric Stone @eriwinsto.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
Here’s a story summing up this morning and setting up this afternoon: alaskapublic.org/news/politic...
alaskapublic.org
Committee sets Alaska LNG tax cut bill, including expanded corporate tax, for final vote
Lawmakers could take a final vote as soon as Thursday afternoon, but it's unclear whether the bill will satisfy the House, Senate and Gov. Mike Dunleavy.
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Eric Stone @eriwinsto.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
The Senate plans to meet at 1 p.m., but of course, plans could change, said Senate President Gary Stevens, R-Kodiak. Per Edgmon, the House plans to meet "sometime today." #akleg
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Eric Stone @eriwinsto.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
We'll find out on the floor. The bill advances from committee 4-2 with Ruffridge and Senate Minority Leader Mike Cronk, R-Tok, opposed. The bill cannot be amended on the floor -- it's a yes-or-no proposition. Both floor sessions are delayed to a call of the chair. Could be awhile. #akleg
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Eric Stone @eriwinsto.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
"I would be hopeful that we could get to the point where this was no longer looked as a vehicle to add on a corporate income tax, to add on other measures that go way beyond enabling this project to allow it to come to life," Kopp said. #akleg
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Eric Stone @eriwinsto.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
The big question is: Can this get 21 votes in the House? The bipartisan majority has 21 votes. If minority Rs are unified against it, the majority can't lose a single vote. And just last month, House Majority Leader Chuck Kopp stood up next to Dunleavy and said the following: #akleg
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Eric Stone @eriwinsto.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
To be more precise on this: Dunleavy has opposed the pass-through tax generally. It's unclear what he thinks of this version, but this is what he said late last month. #akleg www.adn.com/opinions/202... bsky.app/profile/did:...
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Eric Stone @eriwinsto.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
"Imperfect bill, imperfect process, imperfect everything else," says Edgmon. "But I think it's important to get this thing forward and to achieve the underlying goal, which is to provide property tax relief so this project can attempt to move forward." #akleg
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Eric Stone @eriwinsto.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
Ruffridge wants to amend the bill -- says he first saw it this morning. Sen. Lyman Hoffman, D-Bethel, won't take the procedural step to allow that. Ruffridge wants to hear from the Dept. of Revenue. Chair Rep. Calvin Schrage, I-Anchorage, says the tight timeline means that's not possible. #akleg
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Eric Stone @eriwinsto.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
Rep. Justin Ruffridge, R-Soldotna, representing the House minority, is skeptical legislators would actually cut the tax in 2028. "We haven't reduced the corporate tax rate that we have now," he said. "Why would we reduce this one at a future date?" #akleg
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Eric Stone @eriwinsto.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
The tax would take effect in 2029. But majority Sen. Bert Stedman, R-Sitka, says "informational" tax returns filed in 2028 could lead legislators to tweak it. For one thing, Stedman suggests the 9.4% rate might be too high compared to other states, an issue Glenfarne's tax attorney raised. #akleg
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Eric Stone @eriwinsto.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
"We have a bill that sort of attempts to reach in between the version that the House passed and the Senate passed," House Speaker Bryce Edgmon, I-Dillingham, said.
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Eric Stone @eriwinsto.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
Here are the relevant changes. Glenfarne has opposed the tax change vociferously. I'm curious what they make of this version essentially exempting them from it. The pass-through tax is seen as necessary for the bill to pass the Senate. Gov. Mike Dunleavy opposes it. #akleg
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Eric Stone @eriwinsto.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
Here's the bill with changes from the previous drafted noted in red: www.akleg.gov/basis/get_do... The committee hearing is ongoing: www.ktoo.org/video/gavel/... Here's the Alaska Beacon's coverage of the previous draft, which is worth a read: alaskabeacon.com/2026/07/02/a...
akleg.gov
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Eric Stone @eriwinsto.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
Good morning. The #akleg committee working on the gas pipeline tax bill, HB 381, is out w/ a new draft ahead of a final vote. The draft includes the controversial corporate tax change covering pass-through entities in the oil and gas industry -- but it exempts income from Alaska LNG from the tax.
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Eric Stone @eriwinsto.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
While you're here, here's a rundown of an interesting discussion with two lawmakers on Talk of Alaska yesterday -- Sen. Bill Wielechowski, D-Anchorage, and Rep. Kevin McCabe, R-Big Lake. The whole show is worth a listen. #akleg alaskapublic.org/news/politic...
alaskapublic.org
4 thorny questions in the ongoing Alaska LNG tax debate from Tuesday’s ‘Talk of Alaska’
Two lawmakers who have been vocal advocates in the debate over a bill offering tax breaks for the Alaska LNG project joined "Talk of Alaska" on Tuesday.
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Eric Stone @eriwinsto.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
For whatever it's worth: The conference committee on HB 381, the gas pipeline tax bill under consideration in the #akleg, canceled today's 4 p.m. meeting and rescheduled for 8 a.m. tomorrow. Tomorrow's Senate floor is already delayed to a call of the chair. So, buckle up for an interesting Thursday.
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Eric Stone @eriwinsto.bsky.social · 12/07/2026
I was cheering for Norway (fjord buddies) but I can definitely appreciate a team whose star shares a name with the southern terminus of the Alaska Marine Highway System
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James Brooks Cascade @alaska.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
The Alaska Legislature is mostly shut down this week amid an ongoing special session about the size of a tax break for the proposed trans-Alaska natural gas pipeline, and lawmakers have one major obstacle (and many smaller ones) to overcome before the special session ends July 19. #akleg
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Eric Stone @eriwinsto.bsky.social · 06/07/2026
Here's the $100K donation: www.fec.gov/data/receipt... Here's Harris' giving history: www.fec.gov/data/receipt...
fec.gov
Browse Receipts - FEC.gov
Explore current and historic federal campaign finance data on the new fec.gov. Look at totals and trends, and see how candidates and committees raise and spend money. When you find what you need, expo...
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Eric Stone @eriwinsto.bsky.social · 06/07/2026
Saw my first ad for Dan J. Sullivan, the retired Petersburg teacher, last night. Looks like it was placed by an independent expenditure group called "Right for Alaska" funded to the tune of $100,000 by a Massachusetts man, William Harris Sr., who has donated to a variety of Democratic causes.
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Gavel Alaska @gavelalaska.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
The conference committee won't meet again until later in the week, @eriwinsto.bsky.social reports. Also, Wednesday's House Floor Session is now a technical session, ending the possibility of a joint session to override vetoes or the session ending this week. #akleg alaskapublic.org/news/politic...
alaskapublic.org
Gas pipeline developer raises issues with LNG tax bill as lawmakers work out final draft
A six-member conference committee spent Friday and Saturday in something of a public negotiation with developer Glenfarne and the Alaska Gasline Development Corp.
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Eric Stone @eriwinsto.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
If you were busy this weekend, here's what you missed in meetings of the #akleg conference committee working out an Alaska LNG tax bill. Also notable: on Sunday, Dunleavy said he would veto any bill that expanded corporate income taxes to pass-through entities. alaskapublic.org/news/politic...
alaskapublic.org
Gas pipeline developer raises issues with LNG tax bill as lawmakers work out final draft
A six-member conference committee spent Friday and Saturday in something of a public negotiation with developer Glenfarne and the Alaska Gasline Development Corp.
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Eric Stone @eriwinsto.bsky.social · 27/06/2026
Alaska state Sen. Matt Claman, an Anchorage Democrat, is ending his gubernatorial campaign. He lagged in fundraising and polls. His withdrawal takes the field of gubernatorial candidates to 17. Today at 5 p.m. is the deadline for candidates to withdraw from the August 18 primary. #akleg
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Eric Stone @eriwinsto.bsky.social · 26/06/2026
Here’s the agenda for tomorrow and Saturday. #akleg
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Eric Stone @eriwinsto.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
Sen. Forrest Dunbar, who proposed naming ISER after Fischer, said the veto is "disrespectful to Vic Fischer's memory." The bill passed 48-12, but whether lawmakers can override the veto is, as always, unclear. Here's a story with all of the above and more. #akleg alaskapublic.org/news/politic...
alaskapublic.org
Dunleavy plans to veto bill naming ISER and marine park after Vic Fischer, spokesman says
Fischer, who had a seven-decade career in politics and policy in Alaska, was the founding director of the University of Alaska's Institute for Social and Economic Research.
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Eric Stone @eriwinsto.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
At 92, Fischer served as a co-chair of the recall campaign, enraged by Dunleavy’s cuts to university programs, Angvik said. “I don’t know if he remembers that,” Angvik said. “But I wonder.” #akleg
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Eric Stone @eriwinsto.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
Fischer was a delegate to Alaska’s constitutional convention who had a seven-decade career in politics in the state. In 1966, he became the first official director of ISER, now housed at UAA. "ISER was Vic's gift to Alaska," his widow, Jane Angvik, told me. #akleg
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Eric Stone @eriwinsto.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
Board of Regents Chair Scott Jepsen recommended Dunleavy veto the bill, University of Alaska public affairs director Jonathon Taylor said, "because it doesn't follow the established, transparent process we already have in place for naming university facilities and programs.” #akleg
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Eric Stone @eriwinsto.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
Gov. Mike Dunleavy's spox called me to say Dunleavy would veto a bill naming the Institute of Social and Economic Research after founding director Vic Fischer. He told me it was a UA policy issue and volunteered that the veto was not linked to Fischer's work on the Recall Dunleavy campaign. #akleg
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Eric Stone @eriwinsto.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
These meetings will be in Juneau -- in the Senate Finance Committee room at the Capitol. Saturday's meeting is tentatively planned for 10 a.m., continuing at 2 p.m., according to Schrage. They are not yet on BASIS, the Legislature's computer system. #akleg
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Eric Stone @eriwinsto.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
The conference committee will also meet Saturday (wonderful, love it), Sen. Bert Stedman told me. He expects Saturday to be "eventful." "We'll have a pretty good idea by Saturday night where things lay," he said. He's hoping to finish next week, "but no guarantees in politics," he said. #akleg
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Eric Stone @eriwinsto.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
The @alaskabeacon.com is out with a banger detailing a secret document re: Alaska LNG. It "shows that if the project fails to go forward under certain conditions, the state could be required to pay in order to retake control of the project." Read it! #akleg alaskabeacon.com/2026/06/25/c...
alaskabeacon.com
Confidential document guided Alaska senators working on natural gas pipeline tax break | Alaska Beacon
A secret agreement provides the most detailed insight yet into one of the world’s largest prospective natural gas projects.
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Eric Stone @eriwinsto.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
If, like me, you’ve been on pins and needles awaiting the conference committee on the #akleg gas pipeline bill, HB 381, you can expect the first meeting at 2 p.m. Friday, per chair Calvin Schrage. They’ll start with an organizational meeting and an overview of the Senate Finance version of HB 381.
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James Brooks Cascade @alaska.bsky.social · 31/01/2026
“It is my Honor to deliver for the Great State of Alaska, which I won BIG in 2016, 2020, and 2024 — ALASKA, I WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!” Trump wrote immediately after the disaster. #akleg #Alaska
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Eric Stone @eriwinsto.bsky.social · 30/01/2026
The Alaska state House’s ethics committee has launched an investigation into whether Homer Republican Rep. Sarah Vance illegally used state resources for an official letter accusing the local newspaper of “partisan spin.” Vance calls it “lawfare.” #akleg alaskapublic.org/news/politic...
alaskapublic.org
Homer Rep. Vance faces ethics probe over official letter pressuring newspaper
On her official social media page, Vance accused the Homer News of bias and "partisan spin." State law bars legislators from using public resources for “nonlegislative” or partisan political purposes.
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James Brooks Cascade @alaska.bsky.social · 28/01/2026
A reminder for #akleg followers: The state's legally required annual reports are posted online here — www.legfin.akleg.gov/JERRI/AllRep...
legfin.akleg.gov
Legislative Finance
Legislative Finance Division for the State of Alaska
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Eric Stone @eriwinsto.bsky.social · 16/01/2026
A story in three acts:
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Eric Stone @eriwinsto.bsky.social · 22/10/2025
It looks like the photos didn’t quite come through… let’s try that again.
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