Bridging the Gap
Contributed by Robert Shields
How much does it cost to bridge the gap between the environment and the economy?
What is the investment threshold that will allow us to ensure seven generations from now Alaska is still a good place to raise a family, do business, and have fun?
We wonder if $500Mn will make an impact and are excited to find out.
After years of personal investment, community support, and single-minded devotion, we managed to find a developer and a financial partner, with Alaska roots, who could help move us forward. In January 2023 they provided a letter of intent on an investment opportunity for the region we call the North Star Economic Development District (NEDD). We have a request for a letter of support before the city and a resolution, put forth by member Savannah Fletcher and Aaron Lowjeski to the assembly that’s on the agenda for the 27th of April. The scope and scale have grown from one building to potentially 3-5 new 6-8 story buildings and by attracting other investors could grow even more.
The support we are seeking moves this to the master planning phase. Where various options can be vetted, stakeholder views integrated and, before the end of the year, a plan put in place to present to the public for consideration. Support of the resolution and getting a signed letter from the city does not commit anyone to any debt and all terms will be made transparent during the planning process.
In our highly polarized society, environmentalist believe the economists are killing the planet for profit and the economists believe the environmentalist will destroy our modern world. Caught in the middle are a lot of good people who simply want to raise their families in peace without leaving a world drowning in debt or destroyed by rampant consumption. Fortunately, America is renown for our ability to innovate, which is a function of embracing diversity and practicing inclusion.
Many think that the Alaskan economy is built on mineral extraction and resource development, but they are only half right. The reality is the resource we are capturing is the innovative mindset that allows us to reach, develop, and bring those resources to market. Here at the Alliance for Reason and Knowledge, ARK, we believe innovation can be cultivated with robust education and support services. Especially to those individuals who don’t fit in the social square or for those who have stepped outside the system and are struggling to find a place in the world.
We know how to work together. We know how to be responsible with managing our resources. We know how to live with Nature and not just on her. We know the practices which served us in the past no longer do so, and we know how to adapt. Now we need to take the resource management industry and shift gears into the high speed of the regenerative economy. We will still use oil and coal, but as fire resistant ultra-strong and light carbon fiber at 10x the value. We will still extract resources but included in that industrial portfolio will be the landfills. A transition process that creates three living wage careers for every one job potentially lost to the past. We know societies work best when we seek common ground and build bridges over walls. We know the economy in our state cannot afford to be a war with the environment and preserving the environment cannot strangle the economy. There has to be a balance, and the regenerative economy is a path we believe will serve us well to create lasting peace and generational prosperity.
In a major city, this level of investment is common. To keep our state small and beautiful we must find a way to utilize similar investments to set and meet common goals. As a small sample here are six growth industries Alaska is primed for and their economic impact by 2030: innovation management $6.2T, health care $6.1T, aerospace $1.2T, micromanufacturing $787B, geotourism $311B, data management $261B. Diversity isn’t a sign of division but a multiplier of choice. It allows us to make better decisions seeing the big picture.
More information is on our website or the Facebook group we set up to engage the public. We encourage you to reach out to your representatives at all levels and tell them you support the NEDD expedition. Please watch out for updates, polls, and events so that together we can create a brighter future for us all.