Energy and power: good news in the face of adversity.

• Author: Harrington, Susan
• Position: FROM THE EDITOR - Editorial

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Alaska is uniquely and acutely aware of the necessity of understanding and balancing the business needs and environmental values implicit in the energy and environmental sectors of the economy. The state is facing a great deal of adversity in these areas. In August, Alaska Business Monthly presents two special sections: Energy & Power and Environmental Services. These naturally fit together: the responsible development of energy and power in Alaska is heavily reliant on environmental services.

In Alaska, energy is power.

In the Energy & Power special section, we bring readers an update about the six utility companies along the Railbelt and their efforts so far in establishing a regional transmission company, an update on the natural gas conversion related to the Interior Energy Project, and the growth in renewable energy infrastructure throughout the state, including the many projects under construction or soon to be.

In the Environmental Services special section, we take a look at that industry in three articles: Recycling Options for Industry, Natural Resource Development Litigation, the BLM Report on ANCSA Land Contamination--plus the annual Environmental Services Firms & Recycling Services Directory. Work in this sector continues to decline due to the price of oil.

Not a surprise then, that as the price of oil has come down so has the cost of energy, though not necessarily the cost of power. In the July 2016 issue of "Alaska Economic Trends" published by the Alaska Department of Labor & Workforce Development Research and Analysis Section in "The Cost of Living: Prices didn't rise as fast in 2015, mostly due to falling energy costs" by Neil Fried, he points out that, "In Anchorage, which is the only place in the state where inflation is measured, energy prices fell by 10.3 percent in 2015, the single largest annual decline since 2009...