The U.S. District Court in Anchorage heard arguments in a case that could determine whether millions of acres of Arctic waters should be closed to oil development.
Arctic
Fall whaling in Utqiaġvik: joy, excitement and this year, mourning too
Whaling Captain Crawford Patkotak says many in the community are still mourning the loss of two whalers in an accident this season, but the overarching dedication to continuing the tradition of whaling remains strong.
A warming Arctic means a change of plans for offshore drilling project
As the Arctic warms, Hilcorp is already having to tweak its proposal to accommodate climate change. And future companies looking to drill offshore in the Arctic may have additional changes to plan for.
Trump administration approves first oil production in federal Arctic waters
Called the Liberty Project, Hilcorp aims to build a 24-acre gravel island in shallow waters about five miles from shore and drill for oil from there.
Arctic sea ice minimum continues downward trend, with implications beyond the Arctic
“The Arctic’s like an air conditioner or refrigerator for the global climate…And as the Arctic warms, partly because the sea ice is going away, it’s like you’re opening that refrigerator door.”
International Whaling Commission votes to change subsistence quota renewal process
The International Whaling Commission voted to change the way that subsistence hunt quotas are set.
Fuel for North Slope oil production arrives by barge for the first time in decades
Bringing fuel up to the North Slope by barge is now easier due to declining sea ice.
August storms prompt North Slope Borough to file disaster declaration
Emergency Manager Heather Seeman says she’s concerned about the storm season ahead.
In Kaktovik, sea ice loss means a boom in polar bear tourism
That’s when outsiders started showing up in Kaktovik: tourists, who wanted to see polar bears before they went extinct.
Whistleblower protection agency backs former Alaska environmental employee’s case
The whistleblower was fired in 2016 after complaining about Interior Department violations of environmental rules back in 2012 to allow Royal Dutch Shell’s Arctic offshore drilling plan.