Economy & Environment
Avian influenza has returned to Alaska, and so have health advisories
Migrating birds have returned to Alaska, and so has the highly pathogenic avian influenza that began to sweep through global bird populations in 2020. That means Alaskans should continue to be vigilant about the strains that have arrived in the state from across both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, experts said during a webinar Tuesday […]
Saudi Arabia’s oil production cut could affect Alaska’s state finances
Alaska’s state budget for the next fiscal year hasn’t even been signed into law yet, but its expectations for oil revenue may already be out of date. On Tuesday, the U.S. Energy Information Administration raised its estimates for oil prices in the second half of this year and in 2024. The revised estimate came two […]
Court filings provide mixed picture of Ambler road progress
A federal decision on the controversial plan to build a 211-mile road through the Brooks Range foothills to provide access for mining development might come a few months later than previously anticipated, according to recent court documents. However, other recent legal developments indicate positive signs for the road’s prospects. The Bureau of Land Management, the […]
A study to monitor the potentially imperiled Aleutian tern kicks off in Alaska
The Aleutian tern is now the subject of a multiyear population study, organized by the Pacific Seabird Group’s Aleutian Tern Technical Committee. Anecdotal evidence and limited data strongly suggest the terns’ population has decreased substantially over the last few decades, and there simply isn’t enough research to determine whether they need protected status or not.
Fishers harvesting abundant Bristol Bay sockeye could fill knowledge gaps about declining Chinook
In the Bristol Bay region, sockeye salmon runs have been booming while Chinook runs have dwindled. Now scientists are seeking to enlist fishing crews in the effort to find out why, as well as what can be done about the Chinook troubles. A community-focused program called Skipper Science is asking for Bristol Bay fishermen working […]
As three seasons of bridge work loom, Denali managers and tourist industry adjust
By midsummer in 2026, visitors will likely be traveling over a sophisticated new bridge that clears a geologic hazard that has become a poster child of climate change in Alaska. Until then, the National Park Service and the tourism industry will be coping with three more years of shutdowns at about the halfway point of […]
Yakutat youth participate in marine debris cleanup
The Yakutat Tlingit Tribe partnered with the Ocean Conservancy for this youth marine debris cleanup at Cannon Beach. The outing was part of a larger project: The city of Yakutat received a grant from the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration’s Marine Debris Program in Alaska. The project shows Yakutat youth how their small town connects to an international waste management issue.
State wildlife agencies focus on ‘hook and bullet’ work. Some see a new path.
SEATTLE — The Cascade red fox, which lives high in the mountains of Washington state, is struggling to survive. State wildlife managers want to send researchers into the field to find out why. They’re also aiming to vaccinate pygmy rabbits against a deadly virus, restore habitat to support the Taylor’s checkerspot butterfly and establish new […]
Decarbonization ambitions ignite debate over mining, permitting
The decarbonized, electrified future envisioned by the Biden administration, state governments, automakers, utility companies and corporate sustainability goals depends to a huge degree on minerals and metals. Lots more lithium will be needed for car and truck batteries, as well as the big banks of batteries that are increasingly popping onto the electric grid to […]
No relief for beleaguered Southeast Alaska trollers as judge rejects request to keep fishery open
A federal judge has rejected a request to allow a staple Southeast Alaska king salmon fishery to proceed this summer while an appeal challenging its court-imposed closure plays out. Richard Jones, a U.S. District Court judge in Washington state, denied the request by Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s administration to set aside his own ruling from […]
New work requirements for some SNAP recipients included in debt limit deal
WASHINGTON — The holiday weekend debt ceiling deal struck by President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy preserves in part new work requirements for some food stamp recipients but now with exceptions for certain populations, including veterans. The agreement released late Saturday night showed concessions from both sides — from GOP members, who wanted […]
Alaska Supreme Court finds former North Pole refinery owner liable for pollution
The former owner of a North Pole petroleum refinery is financially liable for groundwater pollution that has contaminated drinking-water wells around the refinery, the Alaska Supreme Court said in a ruling published Friday. “While we’re still reviewing the decision in its totality, this is a huge win for the public, for the environment, and for […]