Arctic

After being delayed for almost a decade, the federal agency proposed what’s called critical habitat designation last month in the Bering, Chukchi and Beaufort Seas.

A related study of harbor seals in the Aleutians found a similar decline over a three-year period, with an average decrease of about 10% of their weight.

One of the major new features of the latest Joint Contingency Plan is the addition of what’s called an international coordination officer.

The National Science Foundation’s Navigating the New Arctic initiative looks at the effects of a warming climate on Arctic communities. But some in the field believe NSF isn’t doing enough to involve Indigenous people who live there.

Biden’s order shouldn’t have an immediate impact on oil operations in Alaska because doesn’t it prohibit work on existing oil and gas leases.

Inspectors found 2.4 ounces of blue “M30” pills that contained fentanyl hidden in a vacuum-sealed bag inside the motor housing of an Oster blender.

President Joe Biden imposed a “temporary moratorium” on all oil and gas leasing activities in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge shortly after taking office on Wednesday, citing the “alleged legal deficiencies underlying the program” and the inadequacy of a required environmental review.

Locking in the oil and gas leases could make it more difficult for Biden’s administration to reverse course.

The Bering, Chukchi and Beaufort seas are home to a variety of marine mammals, including bearded seals and ringed seals. Though both species are in relative abundance, long-term projections forecast a threat to the once abundant sea ice that the seals live on. As a result, the species were listed as threatened in 2012 under the Endangered Species Act.

The state won 10-year oil leases for nine pieces of land by submitting the minimum offer: $25 an acre. But drilling for oil in the refuge is expensive, and it faces an aggressive opposition campaign.