At a moment when global energy markets are anything but predictable, it’s increasingly clear that Alaska’s role in America’s energy future has never been more important.Alaska plays a role in the national interest that far exceeds its status as a strategic asset and producing region. The resources on the North Slope, the infrastructure that moves those barrels through the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System, and the workforce that supports it all are directly tied to U.S. energy security. But energy production in Alaska doesn’t stand alone. It is part of a broader economic system that has to function well for investment, development, and long-term production to continue. That’s where Alaska Native corporations come in.
DAILY ON ENERGY: ENERGY SOARS IN CPI, TRUMP TO CHINA, AND BIG OIL LOVES ALASKA
Created under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, ANCs are a uniquely Alaskan model of economic development. They are private, for-profit companies that generate economic opportunity and financial return for Alaska Native shareholders while reinvesting in communities across the state.
Today, ANCs are deeply integrated into Alaska’s economy, and increasingly into the national economy, through participation in the SBA 8(a) Business Development Program. That program allows ANCs to compete for and perform federal contracts in areas such as logistics, engineering, infrastructure support, and cybersecurity. The result is business growth and capital flowing back into Alaska.
