(Juneau) – Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy directed State agencies to divest from Russia and called on Alaska residents to end all business with Russia to add to the global pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin and his war against the Ukrainian people. Governor Dunleavy also asked President Joe Biden to prioritize domestic energy production by reversing obstructive policy decisions on key projects in a news conference in the cabinet room today.

“The world must do everything possible to pressure Putin to end his war against Ukraine, and Alaska has a role to play. This means State agencies and State-owned corporations divesting from Russian assets, businesses, local governments, and university relationships ending, and Alaskans, as well, I’m asking you to end all business relationships with Russia,” said Governor Dunleavy. “We must do our part to bring pressure upon Putin to help end this war as quickly as possible.”

Alaska Revenue Commissioner Lucinda Mahoney joined the Governor in the news conference, giving specifics on how divesting from Russia can occur. “Considering the geopolitical tragedies launched by Russia in Ukraine, it is critical for the State of Alaska to divest of interests and investments in Russia,” Mahoney said.

“Additionally, it has been reported that a few financial institutions, with anti-Arctic investing policies, made the decision to purchase distressed Russian corporate debt with the aim of making a profit while ignoring their own ESG policies regarding human rights. The State of Alaska should not work with companies that discriminate against Alaska in the name of climate change while simultaneously choosing profits over human rights in the Ukraine.”

On Alaska’s resources, North Slope Borough Mayor Harry Brower wrote Saturday about the potential for the NPR-A, National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska, to add to domestic oil production and how it was blocked by the Biden Administration. In an Op-ed in the Wall Street Journal he co-wrote: “As one nation invades another, thousands of miles away from the North Slope of Alaska, as our country is hurting from high energy prices, as the world feels as if it is on the brink of chaos, we are here to help and we are here to serve. Will President Biden allow us to do so?”

A link to the full Op-ed is here.

“Putin’s war is causing global instability by sending oil and gas prices sky high and driving up record inflation,” Governor Dunleavy said. “We welcome President Biden’s ban on Russian imports this morning, but he is simply not leveling with the American people about his energy policies that are hindering domestic production. I’m urging him to take immediate steps to increase and encourage domestic oil and gas production by reversing harmful regulatory policies and expediting permitting processes.”

Monday, Governor Dunleavy wrote President Biden reminding the President of the Willow project in the NPR-A, nearly shovel ready to provide a domestic source of oil while avoiding funding activities by Russia.  

• Governor Dunleavy also wrote letters to the Secretary of the Navy urging for the advancement of the presence and physical infrastructure for the Navy in Alaska.
• He wrote to the Secretaries of Energy and Defense asking for the development of a domestic supply chain of rare earth and critical minerals that include new mines in Alaska and to block the export of materials that could aid Russia in developing a rare earth industry.
• Governor Dunleavy wrote to the Chairman of the U.S. International Trade Commission asking him to investigate the unrestricted importation of Russian seafood to the U.S. while Russia unfairly bans the import of seafood from the U.S.
• The Governor also wrote to the U.S. Representative in the Trade Office asking for a formal section 301 investigation into such unfair trade practices with Russia on seafood.

All five letters by Governor Dunleavy to the federal government are linked here.

The press conference was live-streamed on the Governor’s Facebook page.

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