EDUCATION

EXPERIENCE

1982-Present
President and Principal Economist of Northern Economics, Inc., an Anchorage, Alaska, consulting firm offering services in economics and related fields.

Representative projects include the following:

Maritime and Fishing Industry Projects

• Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Western Pacific Pelagic Fisheries. Socioeconomic portions of an analysis of management alternatives for the pelagic troll fisheries in the U.S. Western Pacific around Hawaii; for the National Marine Fisheries Service
• Socioeconomic portions of a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for potential management changes in groundfish fisheries in the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska: Describe existing conditions for involved industry sectors, geographic areas, vessel owners, and workers; describe potential social and economic impacts of each of six program alternatives; for the National Marine Fisheries Service
• Ferry Terminal Reconnaissance Study: Analyze terminal alternatives for a proposed Knik Arm ferry; prepare ferry trip forecasts based on survey results, anticipated development patterns, and commuter and recreational traffic demand; for the Municipality of Anchorage
• Feasibility of Travelift and tidal grid: Market analysis and demand projections; recommendations on equipment size, construction schedule, and user fees; cost estimates; evaluation of alternative sites; operating options; and pro forma budget; for the Port of Kodiak
• Survey of Bering Sea fishing fleet and calculation of moorage demand and benefit-cost analyses for port improvements at Akutan, King Cove, and Sand Point, Alaska; for the Aleutians East Borough
• Market analysis and demand projections for deepwater draft dock and upland facilities, for the City of King Cove
• Economic and financial feasibility assessment of Ketchikan Shipyard and Drydock, for Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority
• Feasibility analysis of Ketchikan Shipyard and preparation of Development Plan, for Ketchikan Gateway Borough
• Review of feasibility assessment for two factory trawlers, for Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority
• Due diligence review of the Alaska Seafood Center, a value-added processing and manufacturing facility, for Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority
• Member of peer review committee to evaluate Fire Island deepwater port facility at Anchorage, for Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority
• Determination of viable groundfish fleet size in the Bering Sea and estimation of market demand for planned expansion of City of Unalaska's Ballyhoo Dock container terminal
• Feasibility analysis for multi-purpose dock with cruise ships as the primary user, for City of Seward
• Feasibility analysis of expansion and conversion of the Alaska Railroad dock at Seward to better serve the cruise ship industry and other potential users, for City of Seward
• Survey of vessel owners and other potential users of proposed harbor expansion at Whittier, for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
• Survey of Bering Sea and western Gulf of Alaska commercial fishing fleets to determine vessel operating costs and opportunity costs for crew members for the Aleutians East Borough, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the North Pacific Fishery Management Council
• Survey of communities in Western Alaska to determine potential navigation improvement projects that could be undertaken by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and preliminary benefit analysis as part of an expedited reconnaissance study for the Corps
• Several projects involving survey of vessels, estimate of vessel use patterns, and future demand for the Unalaska Spit dock and the Unalaska Marine Center for the City of Unalaska
• Feasibility analysis of Margaret Bay Marine Terminal at Unalaska for Alaska International Properties, Inc.; involved break-bulk terminal, fueling, cold storage and warehousing
• Demand analysis and economic-financial evaluation of proposed public cold storage facility in Juneau, for the City and Borough of Juneau
• Benefit-cost analysis for dredging two navigational channels in the vicinity of Dutch Harbor and Ililuliuk Harbor at Unalaska Island, for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
• Feasibility analysis including market survey, financial analysis, and financing plan for proposed Dutch Harbor Spit dock expansion for the City of Unalaska
• Estimate of petroleum demand in Western and Southeast Alaska for feasibility assessment of petroleum fuel dock expansion at the Port of Anchorage
• Cost-benefit analyses for development of harbor at St. George Island and extension of breakwater and dock at St. Paul Island, for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
• Projections of cargo volumes and vehicle trips, and a benefit-cost analysis for rail and highway modes in the proposed Port of Anchorage North Access Corridor for the Port of Anchorage
• Feasibility assessment of 250-ton Travelift and uplands development, market assessment for a 3,500-ton Syncrolift, and estimation of economic multipliers, for City of Seward
• Market analysis of Marine Service Center for Chenega Bay Tribal Council
• Fiscal impact analysis of potential U.S. Navy homeporting at Kodiak and Seward for the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities
• Feasibility assessment of Seafood Industrial Park for the City of Dillingham, incorporating a survey of Bristol Bay fishermen, tenders, and processors; benefit-cost analysis; and financial management plan
• Commercial fishing harvest and employment forecast studies in the Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea for U.S. Minerals Management Service
• Development of groundfish and crab quota share allocation model for North Pacific Fishery Management Council to determine Individual Fishing Quotas
• Determination of effects of groundfish and crab community development quotas (CDQs) on employment and income in six Western Alaska communities for a consortium of CDQ groups
• Bioeconomic analyses for St. Paul and St. George islands to determine potential allocation of Bering Sea fisheries resources
• Study of trawl bycatch in Bering Sea waters north of the Alaska Peninsula, prepared for the Alaska Crab Coalition and presented to North Pacific Fishery Management Council
• Market demand analysis for fish processing plant and fishing fleet support facilities at Klawock for Klawock Heenya Corporation

Municipal and Community Projects

• Review of prior feasibility analysis and preparation of financing plan for the proposed Anchorage Civic/Convention Center, with RIM Architects for the Municipality of Anchorage
• Industrial park feasibility study: Examine costs of constructing and operating an industrial park to strengthen local employment and economic activity; market survey and feasibility analysis for petroleum product topping unit; for an Economic Development Conveyance Application to acquire U.S. Army surplus property in connection with Fort Greeley realignment; with ASCG, Inc., for the City of Delta Junction
• Revise mid-year economic forecast for Alaska, including summary of sector trends for first half of 2000, outlook for second half, and preliminary assessment for 2001; present findings in various formats, including documents and public presentation; for Anchorage Economic Development Corporation
• Feasibility analysis and assistance to Merrill Lynch in preparing information for private placement of bonds for Arctic Slope Regional Corporation building in Barrow
• Feasibility assessment and financial pro forma for hotel in Kaktovik, for Kaktovik Village Corporation
• Financial feasibility analysis for proposed reuse of Adak Naval Facility for the DCRA; included pro formas for major economic activities as well as estimates of rental rates and local government costs
• Feasibility analysis of proposed Aleutians West Borough and Unalaska Island Borough, for the City of Unalaska
• Marketing and feasibility assessment for development of Alaska Railroad Corporation lands near Ship Creek in Anchorage, for Alaska Railroad Corporation
• Revenue projection model for the City of Unalaska, employing groundfish and crab harvest projections, price forecasts, and other fisheries-related factors as well as revenue projections for the State of Alaska, population projections for the city and state, and other factors relevant to state funding programs
• Fiscal analysis of proposed Prince William Sound Borough
• Demand analysis and financial assessment of alternatives for the Anchorage Hazardous Waste Management Program and hazardous waste transfer facility
• Financial assessment of alternative design concepts for the Anchorage Landfill
• Financial assessment of alternatives for Denali Borough landfill
• Socioeconomic assessment of Eklutna Water Project for Municipality of Anchorage

Utility Industry Projects

• Alaska Rural Energy Plan, Phase 2B. Analyze options for reducing rural fuel cost. Evaluate potential solutions and recommend implementation plans and associated policies. Topics included enhancing supplier competition, and improving knowledge of fuel purchasing and usage techniques. For Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and Denali Commission.
• Economic feasibility of electrical power generation and district heating alternatives in the cities of Kotzebue and Nome, for the Alaska Power Authority
• Economic feasibility analysis of a proposed district heating and power generation system based on liquefied natural gas for the village of Nuiqsut
• Financial analysis of small hydropower project for the City of King Cove
• Socioeconomic assessment of second coal-fired power plant at Healy, Alaska, for Stone & Webster and the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority
• Economic analyses of small hydropower sites near Chignik, including an economic base study and a benefit-cost analysis for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
• Economic and financial analysis of coal-fired power plant, mining operation, and transportation system for local electric utility in McGrath, for McGrath Light and Power
• Socioeconomic impact analysis and benefit-cost analysis of proposed electrical transmission line between Healy and Fairbanks, for Golden Valley Electric Association
• Economic evaluation of Alaska Power System diesel-fired electrical generation modules for the Alaska Division of Energy

Oil and Gas Projects

• Develop employment and revenue estimates for the State of Alaska and affected local governments of alternative natural gas pipeline routes; for the North American Natural Gas Producers Group
• Review and summarize Cook Inlet natural gas supply and demand and factors affecting the role of Cook Inlet gas as a continuing energy source for Southcentral Alaska; for Anchorage Economic Development Corporation
• Develop revenue estimates for State of Alaska and local governments associated with development of a proposed natural gas pipeline along the Alaska Natural Gas Transmission System right-of-way; for Foothills Pipeline Company
• Financial feasibility assessment of proposed housing camp at Nuiqsut for Nuiqsut Constructors
• Analysis of the socioeconomic impact on the State of Alaska from changes in state oil and gas industry taxation and incentives on North Slope development for the Oil and Gas Policy Council, Alaska Department of Commerce and Economic Development
• Coauthor with ARCO Alaska staff of a computer simulation model of economic life cycle of the Kuparuk Industrial Center for the North Slope Borough
•  Development of simulation model relating crude oil prices with North Slope oil industry activity and effect on financial condition of support industry firms for Piquniq Management Corporation
• Study of economic and employment effects of Outer Continental Shelf oil exploration in the Bering Sea for U.S. Minerals Management Service
• Estimation of number of resident persons with skills in crafts critical for oil and gas industry to determine whether sufficient labor resources were available in Alaska to enable major Alaska construction firms to undertake module construction for Alaska Petroleum Contractors
• Socioeconomic evaluations of development of Point McIntyre oil and gas reserves, and construction and operation of GHX-1 and GHX-2 gas handling facilities near Prudhoe Bay, for ARCO Alaska
• Socioeconomic evaluation of Liberty and Sourdough prospects for BP Exploration, Inc.
• Evaluation of natural gas supplies in Cook Inlet as part of export license reauthorization application for the Philips-Marathon Kenai LNG plant; additional work completed 8 years later for determination of natural gas demand in Southcentral Alaska as part of the next export license reauthorization application for the plant
• Socioeconomic assessment of Sunfish oil and gas development project for ARCO Alaska
• Socioeconomic assessment of replacing 10 miles of TAPS line near Atigun Pass, for Alyeska Pipeline Service Company
• Assessment of potential liability under Chapter 43, Part 11, of the Code of Federal Regulations Type A natural resource damage assessment (NRDA) model for hypothetical oil spills in the Beaufort Sea for ARCO Alaska
• Economic impact study of S.S. Glacier Bay oil spill for U.S. Minerals Management Service, and determination of losses to commercial fishermen in Cook Inlet resulting from the 1987 S.S. Glacier Bay oil spill for the United Cook Inlet Drift Association
• Review of evaluation of economic impacts of S.S. Exxon Valdez oil spill on the Kenai Peninsula, commercial fishing industry for the Kenai Peninsula Borough
• Peer review board member for an oil spill mitigation project funded by the Regional Citizen's Advisory Council of Prince William Sound
• Evaluation of competitive position of Alaskan oil field services companies and manufacturers in the Russian Far East to competing firms from other Pacific Rim countries

Transportation Projects

• Analyze alternatives for improving access between the Ketchikan airport located on Gravina Island and the community of Ketchikan located on Revillagigedo Island. Perform analysis to determine potential environmental impacts of the range of alternatives. For the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities, with HDR Alaska.
• Resource Transportation Analysis portion of the Northwest Alaska Transportation Plan: Developed a long-term assessment of the value of surface transportation access to petroleum, gas, and mineral resources in the Northwest and Arctic Alaska region. For the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities, with CH2M Hill.
• Knik ARM (Alaska Regional Multimodal) Transportation Project: feasibility study of commuter rail and ferry service between the Matanuska-Susitna Borough and Anchorage, including survey of potential users, assessment of tourism opportunities, and identification of improvements necessary to support public transit services, for the Matanuska-Susitna Borough
• Analysis of trucking industry serving Alaska from the Lower 48 states and development of likely future conditions over the next 25 years for Totem Ocean Trailer Express
• Preliminary feasibility study of various transportation modes (relocated airport, ferry service, hovercraft service, and road) for improving access between King Cove and Cold Bay for the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities
• Feasibility analysis including user survey for a causeway-supported toll road from Anchorage, Alaska, to the Kenai Peninsula across Turnagain Arm for confidential client
• Preliminary feasibility study of Whittier Toll Road for the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities
• Benefit-cost analysis for proposed extension of Sand Point airport
• Determination of potential passenger volumes for proposed extension of Alaska Railroad line to the Anchorage International Airport Terminal for Alaska Railroad Corporation
• Assessment of fiscal and employment effects of proposed Knik Road-Goose Bay airport site in Wasilla
• Preparation of secondary and cumulative impacts portion of environmental impact statement for access improvements to Whittier, Alaska, including a benefit-cost analysis and evaluation of recreational demand in Prince William Sound for the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities
• Economic and financial feasibility study of Whittier access improvements for the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities
• Development of evaluation methodology in Alaska Intermodal Transportation Plan for the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities
• Development of population distribution models for the Municipality of Anchorage and Matanuska-Susitna Borough for proposed Knik Arm Crossing
• Development of population and economic models for all Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act villages to assess impact of transportation and maintenance projects for the U.S. Department of Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs
• Socioeconomic assessment and benefit-cost analyses of proposed road from Eureka to Rampart for the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities
• Benefit-cost analysis, projections of regional economic activity, and feasibility of local financial contributions to proposed transportation improvements as part of the Prince William Sound and Southwest Alaska transportation plans for the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities
• Survey of existing and potential users of the McCarthy road to determine future traffic volumes with proposed road improvements for the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities and the National Park Service
• Economic analysis of mining and truck, rail, and marine transportation costs to determine lowest-cost supplier of coal to selected Alaskan communities for Alaska Department of Community and Regional Affairs
• Benefit-cost analysis of modifying or eliminating the seasonal weight restriction on trucks moving on the Parks Highway for the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities

Mining Projects

• Benefit-cost analysis for the Red Dog Mine and DeLong Mountain transportation system marine terminal; development of input-output tables to estimate income and employment multipliers
• Economic analyses and optimization studies to evaluate coal export port terminal locations and recommend investment strategy for Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority and other state agencies to enhance ability of Alaska coal producers to compete in international coal markets
• Market and financial analyses of proposed coal mine in Northwest Alaska for Alaska Department of Community and Regional Affairs, and subsequent analyses for Arctic Slope Regional Corporation
• Socioeconomic assessment of the proposed Bering River coal mine and transportation system for the City of Cordova
• Socioeconomic assessment of the Fairbanks Gold, Ltd., Fort Knox gold mine
• Socioeconomic portion of environmental impact statements for the A-J gold mine and the Kensington gold mine near Juneau
• Peer review of technical reports on the economic impact of the mining industry in Southeast Alaska for the U.S. Bureau of Mines
• Economic analysis of coal mining and transportation costs from various existing and proposed mines to a select number of communities in Alaska to determine the lowest-price source of coal, for Alaska Department of Community and Regional Affairs

International Projects

• Long-term development strategy for City of Atyrau, Kazakhstan, with focus on financing of program components and benefit-cost analysis, for the U.S. Agency for International Development
• Prime contractor to Sakhalin Regional Administration for preparation of infrastructure development plan for Sakhalin Island and City of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Russia. Project sponsored by Sakhalin Energy Investment Company, Ltd.; Exxon Neftegas Limited; Mobil Russia Ventures; Texaco Sakhalin Exploration; and the U.S. Agency for International Development
• Prepare briefing book describing Russian Far East Oil, Gas, and Mining Development Projects for the U.S. Trade and Development Agency sponsored conference held in conjunction with the 1998 Khabarovsk Investment Conference
• Evaluate competitive position of Alaskan oil field services companies and Russian Far East manufacturers to competing firms from other Pacific Rim countries
• Review proposal for feasibility study financing for private power project in Cote d' Ivoire; for U.S. Trade and Development Agency
• Feasibility evaluation of retail center in Anadyr, Chukotka Region, Russia
• Prepare proposal to U.S. Trade and Development Agency for funding a feasibility study for airport modernization and reconstruction at Petropavlovsk, Kamchatka Region, Russia
• Technical review of feasibility analysis for petroleum refinery and loading terminal on Sakhalin Island
• Preliminary feasibility analysis and author of successful application to U.S. Trade and Development Agency for financing a petroleum refinery in Nenets Autonomous Region, Russia
• Prepared financing package to U.S. Export-Import Bank for sale of manufactured panel plant to Czech Republic firm
• Financial analysis for U.S. contractor to supply housing in Arkhangelsk, Russia, for Conoco
• Develop financing strategy and prepare applications to funding organizations for airport improvements, highways, and community infrastructure projects in the Chukotka Autonomous Region, Russia

Other Projects

• Creation of a financial model of a manufactured panel plant in Washington State for Arctic Slope Regional Corporation to determine potential viability with subsequent recommendations to the owner, development of analysis and materials to assist in marketing panel homes in North Slope communities
• Peer review of proposal by Tyonek Corporation to develop advanced technology in wood preservative treatment processes for Alaska Science and Technology Foundation

OTHER EXPERIENCE

Mr. Burden's other experience includes serving as the U.S. co-chair of the finance committee for the Working Group of the Gore-Chernomyrdin Commission, which was established by presidents Bill Clinton and Boris Yeltsin to promote trade and commerce between the U.S. West Coast and the Russian Far East. He is a member of the finance committee for the Alaska-Sakhalin Island Working Group, an endeavor by the State of Alaska and the Sakhalin Regional Administration (Sakhalin Island, Russia) to promote trade and business between the two areas. Mr. Burden is a member of the International Institute of Forecasters, the International Association for Energy Economics, and the Regional Science Association. He is past president of the Anchorage Chapter of the International Association for Energy Economics, and was appointed by Alaska Governor Tony Knowles to the Board of the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute, where he serves on the Executive Committee.