SIGNS – ABOVE: Signs in the hallway at Harrigan Centennial Hall for and against a citizen initiative petition to limit cruise ship visits to Sitka are pictured this morning. The Save Our Unique Lifestyle group was in one room gathering signatures for the petition, which would place the issue on a ballot. In the adjacent room, members of the Safeguard Sitka’s Future were offering information, including new survey information, on the importance of cruise ship visitor spending to the local economy, encouraging Sitkans not to sign the petition. TOP LEFT: Ann Walter, left, and Klaudia Leccese collect signatures for the petition. TOP RIGHT: Jeremy Plank talks with Stephanie Brenner in the Safeguard Sitka’s Future room. As of today, Small Town SOUL members say they have about 600 of the 613 signatures needed to place the issue on the ballot. On February 26 Safeguard Sitka’s Future is hosting a town hall-style meeting to discuss the issue. (Sentinel Photos by James Poulson)
By ANNA LAFFREY
Ketchikan Daily News
Some of the commercial, hook-and-line troll fishery’s allocatio [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
Sitka Health Needs and Human Services Commission has [ ... ]
By CATHY LI
For the Sentinel
The Planning Commission Wednesday approved two conditional use permits fo [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
The director of the Alaska Chamber of Commerce urged lawmakers Wednesday to [ ... ]
By Rashah McChesney
Chilkat Valley News
On a windswept beach near Haines, Tim Ackerman walks down a hi [ ... ]
By JAMES BROOKS
Alaska Beacon
An energy firm affiliated with Hilcorp Alaska will buy an unused natural [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
Competing Thursday evening at the Blatchley gymnasium, How I Set Your Mother [ ... ]
Sitka Police received the following calls as of midnight last night.
February 5
At 7:09 a.m. a truck w [ ... ]
Carl Dominicks
Dies at Age 88
Longtime Sitkan Carl Theodore Dominicks died Thursday. He was 88.
An obit [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
The lack of affordable child care affects employers l [ ... ]
By ANNA LAFFREY
Sentinel Staff Writer
The Ted Ferry Civic Center buzzed around 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
Budgetary discussion dominated the Sitka School Board [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
In the first competitive division City League volleyball matches of the seas [ ... ]
By JAMES BROOKS
Alaska Beacon
A new proposal from Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy would require all s [ ... ]
By JAMES BROOKS
and CORINNE SMITH
Alaska Beacon
More than 100 Alaskans gathered Wednesday in fro [ ... ]
Peratrovich Day
Activities Feb. 16
A parade, dinner and dance performances are being planned by Alaska [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
The Assembly reviewed proposed increases in monthly u [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
With about a month to go until the return of herring t [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
Competing in the first City League volleyball games of the season Tuesday ev [ ... ]
By ANNA LAFFREY
Ketchikan Daily News
Southeast Alaska fishermen filled the Ted Ferry Civic Center in K [ ... ]
By CORINNE SMITH
Alaska Beacon
Alaska’s public school test scores remaining near the bottom o [ ... ]
By JAMES BROOKS
Alaska Beacon
Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy has named longtime Republican politicia [ ... ]
By YERETH ROSEN
Alaska Beacon
Microplastics, tiny bits of plastic that can be too small to see with th [ ... ]
Daily Sitka Sentinel
2 Oil Firms Try Again To Hide Deal’s Finances
ANCHORAGE (AP) — Two oil companies renewed a request for Alaska regulators to protect the financial information of Hilcorp Energy Co., in its proposed $5.6 billion purchase of BP Alaska assets in the state.
Hilcorp wants the Regulatory Commission of Alaska to shield its finances from public scrutiny during the proposed purchase, the Anchorage Daily News reported Tuesday.
The oil companies blacked out document sections related to Hilcorp’s financial fitness and access to capital in a filing with the regulatory agency Monday.
“Petitioners seek to protect and keep confidential” answers to questions about Hilcorp’s financial reserves and its ability to acquire capital, the companies wrote in a request for confidentiality.
The companies provided information related to crude oil spills since 2003, but sought to keep a wide array of other information from public view, including pipeline repairs and operational risk assessments related to the trans-Alaska pipeline.
After oil prices plunged, the commission requested additional details in April. The regulators asked whether the industry turmoil impaired Hilcorp’s ability to borrow money to finance the purchase.
The companies, which hope to complete the sale by June following regulatory approval, argue that disclosure could put Hilcorp at a competitive disadvantage.
BP in August announced plans to sell to Hilcorp operations in Alaska, including interests in Prudhoe Bay, the Point Thomson gas field and the trans-Alaska pipeline system. BP recently announced altered terms, including the allowance of slower payments, while the sale price has not changed since the proposed sale was announced.
The agency will make a future determination on the request for confidentiality, commission spokeswoman Grace Salazar said.
The Alaska Public Interest Research Group has pressed for disclosure of Hilcorp’s finances out of concern the private company may be too small to handle unexpected costs, such as a major oil spill.
“This doesn’t allow the public to engage on this in a substantive way,” said Phil Wight, who studied the deal for the consumer rights group.
Login Form
20 YEARS AGO
February 2005
Photo caption: Baranof Barracuda swimmers pose with their awards won at the Speedo Great Alaska Open in Homer. From left are Ben Adams, Alex Dailey, Ben Campen, Andrew Vallion, Jamie Gorman, Gavin McGowan, Caitlin Way, Mallory Kempton-Hein, Alexandra Broschat and Alex Weissberg.
50 YEARS AGO
February 1975
Arrowhead Bowling League’s Dave Pearson, Al Aitken, Stumpy Baughn, Frank Brush and John D. Abbott Jr. bowled 200s. High series were bowled by Aitken, Baughn and Abbott.
Calendar
