Briefs
Alaska officials prepare for possible commercial fishing expansion into Arctic waters
Bans on commercial fishing in U.S. and international Arctic waters have been lauded as admirable preemptive actions that protect vulnerable resources before they are damaged by exploitation. But now the Alaska Department of Fish and Game is preparing for a time when the 14-year-old moratorium on commercial fishing in federal Arctic waters is lifted. The […]
Fishery expert says he is optimistic about long-term prospects for Bristol Bay sockeye salmon
The long-term outlook is bright for Bristol Bay sockeye runs, source of a thriving commercial fishery that has enjoyed record-breaking returns and harvests in recent years, a salmon expert told a conference last week. Part of the credit goes to the warming climate in that southeast Bering Sea region, Daniel Schindler, a professor at the […]
Alaska Legislature votes to oppose National Park Service hunting rule that forbids bear baiting
The Alaska Legislature has voted to oppose a new National Park Service rule that could limit some forms of hunting in federal parks and preserves. The Alaska Senate approved House Joint Resolution 10 in an 18-2 vote on Monday, an act that finalizes the nonbinding letter of opposition. The Alaska House previously voted 31-5 to […]
Legislative resolution takes aim at EPA wood-stove certification in Fairbanks
A resolution pending in the Alaska Legislature urges both the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation to do more to address wintertime air pollution in Fairbanks. House Joint Resolution 11 calls on the federal agency to improve a wood-stove certification program that has been deemed ineffective. It also calls on the […]
Fast-track budget bill, intended to help food-stamp program, speeds through Alaska Legislature
The Alaska Legislature has passed a fast-track budget bill intended to immediately address problems with the state’s food-aid program for poor Alaskans and other immediate concerns. House Bill 79, proposed by Gov. Mike Dunleavy, is intended to address the food-aid problem. It transfers $3.1 million from the state’s Medicaid program to the Division of Public […]
After seven years, Alaska Legislature considers no longer monitoring veterinarians’ opioid prescriptions
Seven years ago, at the urging of then-Gov. Bill Walker, the Alaska Legislature passed a sweeping bill intended to limit the abuse of prescription opioid drugs. Now, lawmakers are preparing to repeal a portion of that bill at the request of state veterinarians who say the bill went too far. The veterinarians are asking to […]
Budget items and policy changes recommended to help protect Indigenous women and girls
At a legislative hearing that reviewed grim statistics about the dangers facing Alaska Native women and girls, Indigenous activists presented recommendations for better state responses. Those dangers can be addressed through the state budget and through other practical actions, activists said Wednesday in testimony to the House Tribal Affairs Special Committee. Before detailing their policy […]
Alaska House votes more funding to fix food-stamp crisis, prevent budget trouble
The Alaska House of Representatives voted 38-1 on Wednesday to approve a fast-moving budget bill that spends as much as $365 million to cover a shortfall in state revenue caused by lower-than-expected oil prices. The bill also includes $6.8 million to immediately address a crisis in the state’s food-stamp program. Staffing shortages have created huge […]
K-12 funding increase takes first step forward in Alaska House
The Alaska House Education Committee voted 5-2 Wednesday morning to raise the amount Alaska pays K-12 schools per student, a figure known as the base student allocation. The decision followed five hours of public testimony — almost entirely in favor of the idea — Tuesday night in the Capitol. Advocates for public schools say an […]
Alaska homicide statistics detailed in new report show gender and ethnic disparities
Twice as many males as females were homicide victims in Alaska from 2011 to 2020, , according to a report released Monday by state health officials. Homicides increased over the period, from a low of 34 in 2011 to a high of 78 in 2019, according to the report, released by the Alaska Division of […]
Alaska state school board supports barring transgender female students from participating in girls’ sports
On Thursday, the Alaska State Board of Education approved a resolution that supports barring transgender female students from participating in girls’ sports. The resolution supported regulations that would prohibit students whose sex at birth wasn’t female from participating in girls’ sports. It also stated that regulation should offer a sports division for students who “identify […]
Wildfire experts forecast higher-than-normal fire danger in Southwest Alaska
Southwest Alaska has a higher-than-normal risk of wildfires this spring, according to a preseason fire forecast published by state and federal experts. The annual early-season forecast shows normal fire danger across most of the state, except in Southwest Alaska, where less snow has fallen than normal. Winter snowfall totals are strongly correlated with fire danger […]