President Donald J. Trump, joined by Vice President Mike Pence, participates in a discussion with Governors-Elect Thursday, Dec. 13, 2018, in the Cabinet Room of the White House. (Official White House Photo | Joyce N. Boghosian)

President Donald J. Trump, joined by Vice President Mike Pence, participates in a discussion with Governors-Elect Thursday, Dec. 13, 2018, in the Cabinet Room of the White House. (Official White House Photo | Joyce N. Boghosian)

Dunleavy sees Trump as ‘strong partner’ after meeting

Governor focuses on resource development on trip to Washington, DC

Not even two weeks into his time as governor, Gov. Mike Dunleavy was representing the state on a national stage Thursday.

Along with 12 other newly elected state and territorial governors, Dunleavy sat down with President Donald Trump at the White House on Thursday morning. Dunleavy talked to Trump about a “wide range” of Alaska-related issues, according to a press release from the Dunleavy administration.

Dunleavy referred to Trump as a “strong partner” who has a solid knowledge of Alaska’s value to the nation.

“The President understands that Alaska is America’s natural resource warehouse,” Dunleavy said in the release. “Our state’s vast reserves of energy and minerals can power the nation’s economy, creating new jobs, prosperity for Alaskan families and, new revenue at the state and federal level.”

Earlier this week, Dunleavy told reporters he was hoping to meet with officials at the Department of Transportation and at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) about recovery efforts in the wake of a 7.0 earthquake that shook the Anchorage area Nov. 30. Thursday’s release didn’t mention a meeting with DOT or FEMA, but did state that Dunleavy met with U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke.

Dunleavy and Zinke spoke about opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) about oil drilling and transferring 5.4 million acres of federal land owed to the state under the Alaska Statehood Act.


This news article was written by Alex McCumbers for the Juneau Empire.


More in News

Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File
The Aurora Borealis glows over the Mendenhall Glacier in 2014.
Aurora Forecast

Forecasts from the University of Alaska Fairbanks’ Geophysical Institute for the week of March. 19

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)
Police calls for Tuesday, March 21, 2023

This report contains information from law enforcement and public safety agencies.

This September 2015, photo provided by NOAA Fisheries shows an aerial view of adult female Southern Resident killer whale (J16) swimming with her calf (J50). New research suggests that inbreeding may be a key reason that the Pacific Northwest’s endangered population of killer whales has failed to recover despite decades of conservation efforts. The so-called “southern resident” population of orcas stands at 73 whales. That’s just two more than in 1971, after scores of the whales were captured for display in marine theme parks around the world. (NOAA Fisheries / Vancouver Aquarium)
The big problem for endangered orcas? Inbreeding

Southern resident killer whales haven’t regularly interbred with other populations in 30 generations.

Juneau Brass Quintet co-founding member Bill Paulick along with Stephen Young performs “Shepherd’s Hey” to a packed house at the Alaska State Museum on Saturday as part of the quintet’s season-ending performance. Friends of the Alaska State Library, Archives and Museum sponsored the event with proceeds going to the musicians and FoSLAM. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)
Top brass turns out for event at State Museum

Free performance puts a capt on a busy season.

Alaska’s state legislators are slated to get the equivalent of 6,720 additional $5 bills in their salary next year via a $33,600 raise to a total of $84,000 due to a veto Monday by Gov. Mike Dunleavy of bill rejecting raises for legislative and executive branch employees. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey, File)
Veto negates rejection of pay hikes for governor, legislators

Dunleavy clears way for 67% hike in legislative pay, 20% in his to take effect in coming months

On Thursday, the Alaska State Board of Education approved a resolution that supports barring transgender female students from participating in girls’ sports. (Getty Images illustration via Alaska Beacon)
State school board supports barring transgender female students from participating in girls’ sports

On Thursday, the Alaska State Board of Education approved a resolution that… Continue reading

Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire 
State Sen. Lyman Hoffman, D-Bethel, asks Randy Bates, director of the Division of Water for the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, about state water quality regulations some fish hatcheries are calling harmful during a Senate Finance Committee meeting Friday. The meeting was to review the DEC’s proposal to take over responsibility for many federal Clean Water Act permits, claiming it will be more responsible and efficient for development projects. Some of the senators questioned both the cost of the state taking over a process currently funded by the federal government, as well as the state’s ability to properly due to the job within the guidelines for such a takeover.
Wading into rule change proposals affecting clean water

National PFAS limits, state takeover of wetlands permits raise doubts about who should take charge

Guy Archibald collects clam shell specimens on Admiralty Island. Archibald was the lead author of a recently released study that linked a dramatic increase of lead levels in Hawk Inlet’s marine ecosystem and land surrounding it on Admiralty Island to tailings released from the nearby Hecla Greens Creek Mine. (Courtesy Photo / John Neary)
New study links mine to elevated lead levels in Hawk Inlet

Hecla Greens Creek Mine official ardently refutes the report’s findings.

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)
Police calls for Saturday, March 18, 2023

This report contains information from law enforcement and public safety agencies.

Most Read