Today is the deadline to comment on the State Board of Education's anti-trans regulation

Alaska is also working on a new electric vehicle infrastructure plan and join Team Tobin at the Fairview Block Party on Saturday.

There are times when we must be brutally honesty and today is one of those times. Trans people across our country are being targeted and vilified. The latest example of this anti-trans agenda in Alaska is a proposed change to the regulations governing high school sports. I vehemently oppose this regulation change and I stand in solidarity with 56 current high-school athletes who authored a powerful commentary supporting “transgender children playing sports on teams that align with their gender identity.”

The State Board of Education is exceeding its mandate as there has not been any authorizing legislation passed by the Alaska State Legislature and signed into law by the Governor that preceded this proposed regulatory change. The legislative record clearly shows no widespread support for anti-trans policies. For instance, the 2021 effort to pass legislation including a statewide anti-trans sports ban was defeated after both the public and lawmakers stood up and said that discrimination in any form is unacceptable and un-Alaskan.

I am especially thankful the 56 current high-school athletes confirmed that the proposed regulatory change impacts every student, not just the very small number of trans students.

“Cisgender students suffer under this policy as well, because enforcing the policy will require diminishing the privacy of all students in order to determine their sex assigned at birth. Every student is up for questioning or investigation by adults who should be there as trusted mentors, not gender police.” - Excerpt from a commentary published in the Anchorage Daily News by 56 current high school athletes in Alaska

The proposed regulatory change being considered by the State Board of Education openly discriminates against trans girls and will make Alaska a less welcoming and less safe place for kids. Arguably, it is goes against every Alaskans’ constitutional right to privacy.

Please join me in opposing the regulation change by submitting written comments by 4:30 pm this afternoon. Email comments to deed.commissioner@alaska.gov. You can read the proposed regulation change and the public notice by clicking here.

In addition to written comments, the State Board of Education will accept oral comments during an online meeting on Wednesday, July 26. The Board of Education will accept public comments for an hour starting at 8:45 in the morning.

I believe in the public process and remain hopeful that the members of the State Board of Education can be swayed away from an irresponsible anti-trans agenda that has its origins in the conference rooms of conservative think-thanks in Washington DC rather than on the playing fields and tracks used by the thousands of high-school athletes that compete every year in Alaska.

The State of Alaska is working on a new draft electric vehicle infrastructure plan

As a strong advocate for decarbonization, I support the choice that millions of people across the world have made to drive electric vehicles. Unfortunately, the use of electric vehicles in Alaska has been slowed by a lack of reliable charging stations, which has made it extremely difficult for electric vehicle users to drive long distances. As we all know, Alaska is the land of long distances, so I and many others believe it is time to rapidly expand electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure across the state.

In his 2022 State of the Union address, President Joe Biden pledged to build a national network of 500,000 electric vehicle charging stations. Thankfully, there is funding behind this ambitious goal thanks to the $5 billion (once again: FIVE BILLION DOLLARS) allocated to pay for new EV charging stations in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that was signed into law in November 2021. As a result, Alaska is slated to get $52 million in federal funding over the next five years for new EV charging stations through the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Grant Program. I anticipate additional federal funding will be available in the near future for electric vehicle infrastructure because President Biden recently announced an additional $20 billion investment in clean energy projects, including electric vehicle charging stations. 

Currently, the Alaska Energy Authority and the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities are working on a needed update to the Alaska Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Plan in order to unlock the millions in federal funding. The EV Infrastructure Plan is intended to guide the deployment of publicly accessible electric vehicle charging stations in Alaska.

While I am an enthusiastic supporter of expanding the use of electric vehicles in Alaska, I believe the Alaska Energy Authority is focusing too many resources on Phase 1 of the plan to build out the EV infrastructure along a designated Alternative Fuel Corridor from Anchorage to Fairbanks.

Spacing of potential electric charging station host communities along the proposed Phase 1 development from Anchorage to Fairbanks.

Building out the EV infrastructure from Fairbanks to Anchorage is a laudable goal, but given the limited amount of federal funding and the long distance between the two cities, I argue that it would make better economic sense to focus additional resources in Anchorage and surrounding areas first, followed by the designated Alternative Fuel Corridor up to Fairbanks. The most obvious reason is to maximize on the already wide spread adoption of EVs in Anchorage and to build on the existing EV infrastructure located in Anchorage. Ensuring electric vehicles are a reliable option for the people of Anchorage and the millions of visitors that come to Anchorage every year is an excellent way to continue building statewide support for electric vehicle use in Alaska.

The distance between priority electric vehicle charging sites in Alaska.

I am hopeful that additional updates to the Alaska Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Implantation Plan will be undertaken when additional federal funding becomes available and when more of Alaska's incomplete and underdeveloped road system becomes conducive to electric vehicles. Currently, 65 percent of the state's centerline miles of road remain unpaved, which is a challenging environment for most of the current models of electric vehicles.

I think it is also important to update the plan as technological advances are made. The range of electric vehicles can decrease by up to 50 percent in temperatures from -20 degrees Fahrenheit to 5 degrees Fahrenheit. However, as battery technology advances, I anticipate that the range loss in extremely cold weather will be lessened. Those kinds of technological advancements should be noted in future iterations of the plan. 

I am especially thankful that the federal funding will be distributed according to the Justice40 Initiative, which is President Biden’s pledge that 40 percent of the benefits of the programs will go to disadvantaged communities. This decision will help ensure that the economic benefits of expanding and creating electric vehicle charging stations are shared fairly and that the bureaucracy of government is not manipulated to the benefit of the well-off and those with political sway.

The draft plan notes that the Alaska Energy Authority is investigating ways to alleviate the economic burden placed on the site hosts for an electric vehicle charging station to come up with 20 percent in matching funds to unlock the federal funding. Based on current cost estimates, this could force a local small business working to get into the electric vehicle charging market to come up with over $200,000. That's cost prohibitive for too many people, especially for those who live in disadvantaged communities. I plan to work through the legislative process to identify additional state funding that could be used to offset the start-up costs placed on those small businesses. 

Finally, I am thankful that the Alaska Energy Authority and the State Department of Transportation and Public Facilities will abide by the Buy America requirements issued for the program as part of President Biden's commitment to requiring that 75 percent of goods purchased with taxpayer money come from the United States.

Currently, there are over 1,800 electric vehicles registered in Alaska and that number is only going to climb as EV technology advances and more people decide to do their part to start a culture of decarbonization. As a result, it is time to quickly expand the EV infrastructure in Alaska.

Join Team Tobin at the Fairview Block Party

Neighbors, I love living in Fairview. When I returned to the Anchorage after my Peace Corps service, I had the great privilege of renting from another Returned Peace Corps Volunteer (RPCV) in Fairview - who just happened to be actively involved in the Fairview Block Party (and consequently it was this other RPCV who designed our awesome block party logo!). As with many things, the cancellation of the Fairview Block Party became a causality of the pandemic. A few years ago, I realized that we need to join in celebration with each other, love on our neighbors, and rebuild our community cohesion. It is my privilege to chair the Fairview Community Council Ad Hoc Committee on Fun (also known as the FUN COMMITTEE) and help plan our annual block party. I send out all my thanks and kudos to the original organizers of the Fairview Block Party: Harry Need, Christoper Constant, SJ Klein, Allen Kemplen, and so many others who know how critical it is to simply have fun together.

So, with all that, PLEASE JOIN ME and your neighbors on Saturday for the 2023 Fairview Block Party. The event will be held at the Fairview Elementary School and feature arts and crafts along with representatives from Anchorage People Mover, AARP Alaska, the American Lung Association, and NeighborWorks Alaska. The Fairview Block Party is a great way to celebrate this unique place that we call home and share with the rest of Anchorage.

Youth Festival: A free event designed by youth

The Youth Festival on August 5th is a unique opportunity for you to jumpstart your semester with empowering information and to receive a $200 visa card to help you prepare for school!

Yes, all students who attend this event for the full day (10am-3pm) will receive a $200 gift card all because you invested into yourself by attending the event. This is a rare opportunity and the deadline is approaching!

Have your parents complete the registration form TODAY to secure your spot. Any youth ages (13-18) can attend so share this with your friends and come as a group :)