INDEX
VOLUME 2 | ISSUE 3 | SUMMER 2025
VOLUME 2 | ISSUE 3 | SUMMER 2025
"To all who have worked for, served, or supported RDC over the past five decades — thank you. And to those just joining the effort — welcome. The future is bright, and together, we will continue to shape it." — Scott Habberstad, President, RDC
PAGE 26 VISIT TO CORDOVA HIGHLIGHTS IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNITY The RDC Board of Directors recently took its annual outreach trip to Cordova, giving our board members a real firsthand look at the glory and challenges of our important Alaskan cities. Thank you to the Cordova community for welcoming us and making us feel right at home! PAGE 30 LOOKING BACK AT THE RDC THROUGH UPS AND DOWNS Carl Portman, who was a mainstay at the RDC for decades, looks back and offers his own personal insight into the challenges — and resounding successes — that the RDC and champions for Alaska have made during all these years. PAGE 38 BUILDING A SOLID FOUNDATION FOR THE FUTURE OF FISHERIES More than 50 years ago, the vision that built Trident Seafoods was shaped by the same driving forces that launched the Resource Development Council, writes Trident CEO Joe Bundrant.
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A LEGACY OF ADVOCACY, A FUTURE OF OPPORTUNITY
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A S THE RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL (RDC) MARKS ITS 50TH ANNIVERSARY, WE CELEBRATE NOT ONLY A HALF-CENTURY OF TIRELESS ADVOCACY FOR ALASKA’S RESOURCE INDUS- TRIES, BUT ALSO A PIVOTAL MOMENT IN OUR STATE’S ECONOMIC FUTURE. From its founding in 1975, RDC has been a unifying voice for responsible development across Alaska’s vast land- scapes championing oil and gas, mining, timber, tourism and fisheries. Today, as we reflect on this legacy, we also look ahead with renewed optimism, thanks in part to the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill. Signed into law July 4, 2025, this sweeping legislation will certainly be a game-changer for Alaska. Major por- tions of the bill address Alaska’s unique needs, including unlocking long-sought opportunities across the state’s resource sectors. It restores and codifies access to ANWR, NPR-A and Cook Inlet, en- suring regular lease sales and shielding Alaska from future regulatory over-
reach. While public sentiment is divided, the bill also aims to deliver historic tax relief for working families and small businesses, enhance infrastructure and aviation safety, and make the largest investment in the U.S. Coast Guard in history — much of which is focused on Alaska. For RDC and our partners, this moment is a culmination of decades of work — building coalitions, informing policy, and advocating for balanced, sci- ence-based development. This organiza- tion and our partners have long under- stood that Alaska’s prosperity depends on our ability to responsibly access and manage our natural resources. The re- source development portion of the One Big Beautiful Bill opens the door to that vision and gives us the opportunity to realize it. As we look toward the next 50 years, RDC’s role will be more important than ever. The opportunities ahead require the same collaborative, forward-think-
ing approach that has defined RDC since its founding. That is why this year’s RDC Annual Convention on Nov. 12–13 in Anchorage, promises to be one of the most important gather- ings in our history. We will reflect on the milestones that brought us here — and chart the course for the next 50 years. From critical minerals to carbon markets, from energy indepen- dence to Arctic infrastructure, the con- versations we have this fall will shape Alaska’s future. As we celebrate RDC’s golden anni- versary, we do so with gratitude for the past and excitement for what lies ahead. To all who have worked for, served, or supported RDC over the past five decades — thank you. And to those just joining the effort — welcome. The future is bright, and together, we will continue to shape it. Thank you, Scott Habberstad, RDC President
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ALASKA RESOURCE REVIEW is published in partnership with the Resource Development Council for Alaska, Inc. by Fireweed Strategies LLC, 4849 Potter Crest Circle, Anchorage, AK 99516. For advertising information and story inquiries, email Lee.Leschper@FireweedStrategies.com. ALASKA RESOURCE REVIEW is mailed at no charge throughout Alaska. To subscribe, email Admin@FireweedStrategies.com. Publisher: Lee Leschper | Editor: Tim Bradner | Production, Design: Will Leschper | Contributing Photographer: Judy Patrick PLEASE NOTE: RDC HAS MOVED OFFICES! Please update your records with our new physical and mailing address: 301 W. Northern Lights Blvd., Ste. 406, Anchorage, AK 99503
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www.AKRDC.org
ALASKA RESOURCE REVIEW SUMMER 2025
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