The Alaska Miner Fall 2024 28 HOUSE DISTRICT 10, OCEANVIEW/KLATT NOTE: Craig Johnson did not submit a profile Chuck Kopp Chuck Kopp is a seasoned Alaskan leader with a deep commitment to the well-being and prosperity of his state. As the co-founder of Winfluence Strategies, a consulting and public relations firm, Chuck has leveraged his extensive experience to serve both private and government sector clients across Alaska. A lifelong commercial fisherman, Chuck has also been a vocal advocate for the mining and energy industries, with numerous published commentaries to his name. With a distinguished career in law enforcement, Chuck retired after more than two decades of service at the command and supervisory levels within state, municipal, and public safety government agencies. His roles have included Acting City Manager and Chief of Police in Kenai, as well as Chief of Staff to two Alaska State Senators. Twice elected to the Alaska State House of Representatives, he served as House Rules Chair and was appointed to the Alaska Police Standards Council and the Alaska Judicial Council. Chuck’s breadth of experience has given him a profound understanding of the intersection between business needs, government operations, and public policy. He knows what it takes for businesses to thrive and for government to deliver essential services effectively. Residing in Anchorage with his wife, Trish, Chuck is the proud father of three grown children and two grandchildren. His deep roots in the community fuel his desire to offer more responsive representation for House District 10 residents. Chuck’s priorities include ensuring balanced state budgets within the structured POMV draw framework, promoting economic opportunities through natural resource extraction, and advancing energy supply and infrastructure. He is also committed to enhancing education to better prepare the workforce, improving public safety, and addressing the high vacancy rates in public service agencies that directly impact both the private sector and community well-being. Chuck is particularly focused on the importance of stable and sustainable energy projects that secure Alaska’s future. He understands the critical role that functioning public services play in attracting investment and ensuring a high quality of life for all Alaskans. HOUSE DISTRICT 11, LOWER HILLSIDE Julie Coulombe Hi, I’m Julie Coulombe. I am the incumbent representative for District 11. I’ve lived in Alaska for 38 years and raised my family in South Anchorage. In my two years in office, I fought for and received more funding for our district needs, supported the expansion of responsible resource development and stood strong for a commonsense fiscal plan. My vision is a robust, thriving private sector in Alaska, with individuals creating their own personal wealth and investing in their communities without the burden of complicated government regulations. Responsibly reduced government spending lightens the tax burden and provides more opportunity for the private sector to rise and fill those needs. I supported responsible resource development and those policies that support growing business in Alaska. A robust resource industry will help provide jobs and create much-needed infrastructure. I want to focus on maintaining and building vital infrastructure to make sure our resource industry moves safely and efficiently. I also support pushing back on federal overreach that keeps Alaska from developing its resources. I advocated growing the workforce, so our oil/ gas and mining industries have the trained workers they need. I sponsored a bill that was signed last year to help facilitate more Alaskans to receive CDL training. I supported more funding for CTE programs and believe it's vital for school districts to have a partnership with the private sector to prepare the future workforce. I also passed childcare legislation that would provide tax credits to those businesses providing a childcare benefit to their workers. Walter Featherly My name is Walter Featherly, and I'm committed to making Alaska a place where hard work leads to opportunities for Alaskans. Alaska needs a sustainable fiscal plan, focusing on prudent management and growth. We must protect the Permanent Fund, develop state-owned assets to generate revenue to fund our essential public services, ensure quality education for our students, and invest in infrastructure without burdening Alaskans with additional taxes. The lack of energy infrastructure is holding back the development of Alaska’s industries, particularly the mining industry, which requires large quantities of power to construct new mines and to extend the life of existing mines. Alaska is rich in energy resources, vast amounts of which are on state lands and are under state ownership and control. Alaska must develop and deploy those resources to provide Alaskan homes, businesses, and industries, including the mining industry, with low cost, reliable and sustainable power. If elected, I would support the following capital projects: n A public/private partnership (PPP) between the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA) and one or more of the companies holding state oil and gas leases in Cook Inlet (such as HEX, BlueCrest or Furie) to fund the exploration and development of the natural gas deposits covered by those leases. The PPP could take the form of a joint venture between AIDEA and the leaseholder, with AIDEA purchasing and contributing to the joint ventures the needed capital in return for the right to direct exploration and development activities and a share of the profits from the production of gas. Given the looming energy crisis resulting from the gap between energy needs to heat and power Southcentral homes and businesses and the Cook Inlet gas that is currently available, ensuring the development of the state's abundant natural gas holdings in Cook Inlet should be the highest priority for the state's capital and operating budgets. n The proposed natural gas pipeline from Cook Inlet to the Donlin gold mine site at Crooked Creek. The Donlin gold mine project has been fully permitted and lacks only the conditions necessary for financial feasibility. Arranging public/private support for construction of the natural gas pipeline will move the Donlin mine project significantly closer to financial feasibility and the start of construction of the mine, estimated to cost $6 billion. As a member of the State legislature, I will urge the Governor and his team to arrange public/private support for the pipeline, just as the State provided public/private support for the Delong Mountain Transportation system that was instrumental for the development of Red Dog Mine. Construction of the Donlin project, including the natural gas pipeline from Cook Inlet, will result in hundreds of high paying jobs. n Deferred maintenance and replacement of obsolete schools and other public facilities, especially in rural Alaska. The condition of most school and other facilities in rural Alaska is shameful and, in the long run, financially wasteful. Finding a way to fund these projects, such as through use of statewide GO bonds, is critical and will result in many hundreds of good paying jobs. NOTE: Joe Lurtsema did not submit a profile HOUSE DISTRICT 12, FAR NORTH BICENTENNIAL PARK Calvin Schrage I am a lifelong, third-generation Alaskan and I was raised in the community I am now proud to represent. Serving in the Alaska State Legislature for the past four years has been the honor of a lifetime, and I am extremely proud of the progress we’ve made, but much work is left to be done which is why I’m running for re-election. I’m running to: n Invest in our education system, from Pre-K to our university system and trades, to ensure all of Alaska’s students have access to a high-quality education n Promote fiscal responsibility and protect the Permanent Fund from being overdrawn. n Support public safety by supporting our law enforcement officers and first responders and advocating for policies that help to address the root causes of crime and homelessness, including mental health and substance abuse, and common-sense criminal laws. n Ensure all Alaskans have access to reliable and affordable energy by incentivizing responsible resource development, particularly natural gas in Cook Inlet, and investing in renewable energy projects. n Break through the partisan gridlock and get things done for Alaskans. I have appreciated and enjoyed working with the mining industry during my time in the legislature and our collaboration has helped create policies that both promote economic growth and responsible resource development while maintaining Alaska’s pristine environment. With the recent growth in renewable energy and technological advances, the importance of and demand for mineral development continues to grow, putting Alaska in a unique position to help fill this need. I will continue advocating for responsible policies that provide long-term stability for the mining industry as well as policies to help bring down energy costs which will help make mineral development more cost-effective for Alaska’s businesses and industries. I look forward to continuing to work together if re-elected and my door is always open if your members have questions, concerns, or ideas. HOUSE DISTRICT 13, CAMPBELL Heather Gottschall Heather Gottshall was born in Bethel, raised in Kenai, and later relocated with her family to Anchorage, Alaska. As a tribal member of the Orutsararmiut Native Council and a Calista shareholder, she understands firsthand the significance of Alaska’s natural resources in shaping the opportunities for our communities. Growing up in Alaska, subsistence living, and hard work taught her the value of self-reliance and providing for family. After serving in the US Army as a Combat Medic, she has committed her life to advocating for the safety, wellbeing, and prosperity of Alaskans. She is dedicated to promoting responsible resource development that creates
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