2023 is Starting Out Busy...

Events, MEA Board Opportunities, Setback Ordinance

Are you interested in Serving on the Matanuska Electric Association (MEA) Board of Directors?

Do you want to be a community leader by making decisions about where our energy comes from? Are you passionate about energy-efficiency and clean energy? Are you concerned about rising electric bills and climate-related power issues? If you live in the general Mat-Su area and pay MEA electric bills then you are qualified to become a candidate for one of the two At-Large seats available this spring on the member-led electric co-op board! As an MEA board director you will have the opportunity to help the co-op members be heard and accounted for. You will work with the MEA management to improve the Railbelt energy system and make sure harmful projects like the Susitna-Watana Dam are eliminated. If you or anyone you know is interested, applications are being accepted now through February 3rd at 5pm. Printed applications are also available at any MEA office location including Wasilla, Eagle River and Palmer.

Find out more and Apply here.

The Susitna River Coalition (SRC) was formed in 2011 as a response to the proposed Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Dam. Since then, the energy landscape in the Railbelt region (Homer to Fairbanks) of Alaska has dramatically shifted due to increasing power demand.

The natural gas produced in Cook Inlet, where 70% of the Railbelt’s electricity comes from, is diminishing rapidly. At the same time, renewable energy technologies for wind and solar have become much more reliable and significantly cost-effective. It is clear that paying attention to electric utility decisions are increasingly important for our communities who are being affected.

By supporting clean energy projects such as wind, solar and smaller-scale fish-friendly hydro projects, we can ensure expensive and damaging projects such as the Susitna-Watana Dam don’t happen.

If you pay Matanuska Electric Association (MEA) bills, you have the ability to vote in MEA elections for board members. The next MEA board elections are coming up this spring, and we need to vote in responsible leaders who listen to the needs of ratepayers.

Sign up here to pledge to vote for clean energy board members this spring, so you too can make a difference in our energy future.

Happening Locally: Proposal to Repeal Riparian Setback Ordinance

In December, a proposal was introduced to the Mat-Su Borough assembly to repeal the existing 75 foot riparian buffer zone ordinance. This proposal has garnered a great deal of attention from land use planners and those concerned with preserving fish and wildlife habitat.

Riparian buffer zone, or setback ordinances, require a buffer from roadways, section lines, and buildings away from riparian areas. These buffer zones exist to protect the property owner from flooding and other costly potential damage. In addition, these setback laws help to preserve habitat and water quality. Repealing a need for building setbacks brings up a variety of issues for landowners and habitat concerns.

The current setback ordinance can be found here.

This is an important opportunity for Mat-Su Fish habitat stakeholders to bring their concerns to the Fish & Wildlife Commission and the Planning Commission to voice their support for maintaining the existing 75 foot buffer zone before it is heard by the Mat-Su Borough Assembly again in March.

Important Dates:

1/19/22 at 4PM, Fish and Wildlife Commission Meeting

2/6/23, Mat Su Borough Planning Commission Meeting

Fish and Wildlife Commission Meeting: Riparian Setback Ordinance 1/19/22, 4PM

The MatSu Borough Fish and Wildlife Commission will meet Thursday, January 19, at 4 PM. One of the main focuses of this meeting will be the repeal of the Riparian Setback Ordinance, draft Assembly Ordinance 23-002.

The meeting will be held in the Lower Level Conference Room in the MSB DSJ Building at 350 E. Dahlia Avenue, Palmer.

To join remotely via Microsoft Teams:

Microsoft Teams meeting

Join on your computer, mobile app or room device

Click here to join the meeting

Meeting ID: 274 857 148 438 Passcode: zcjjv8

Download Teams | Join on the web

Or call in (audio only)

+1 907-290-7880,,564446137# United States, Anchorage

Phone Conference ID: 564 446 137#

For more information, see the Agenda.