In a letter sent today to the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, the State of Alaska’s Department of Natural Resources called on the federal government to finalize a 2017-2022 offshore oil and natural gas leasing program that “ensures timely and predictable access to Alaska’s highly prospective OCS lands.” Among other things, the letter voices […]
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In a letter sent to the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) today, the U.S. Energy Department (DOE) conveyed its support for including the Alaskan Arctic (Beaufort and Chukchi Seas) and Cook Inlet in the 2017-2022 offshore leasing program. Among other things, DOE noted that the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System flow “is at risk of declining below […]
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Anchorage NBC affiliate KTUU-TV today reported on how six Arctic communities in Alaska are preparing for the launch of high-speed Internet service and “a flood of new technological potential.” Anticipated to break ground this summer with service commencing in mid-2017, the fiber optic cable will extend from Fairbanks to Nome. Northwest Arctic Borough Chief of Staff Eugene Smith […]
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The Alaska Dispatch News today reported that the Coast Guard icebreaker Healy left Seattle earlier this week for a 4-month research assignment in the Arctic that will focus on the biology, chemistry, geology, and physics of the Arctic Ocean and its ecosystems as well as sonar mapping of the Extended Continental Shelf. The Healy crew will be joined […]
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The Coast Guard today announced that it is hosting the June 7-10 Arctic Coast Guard Principals Forum Meeting in Boston, MA. The meeting, which features the coast guard heads from Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Russia, and the United States, is being convened for the purpose of signing a joint statement establishing frameworks the detail the […]
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Former Army Colonel David Hunt editorialized recently about the growing strategic threat posed by an expansionist Russia in the Arctic. While the Obama administration continues to implement policies in a way that does not adequately address and further America’s security and economic interests, the Russian military continues to jeopardize our national security by pulling off one […]
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On the occasion of his visit to Alaska, industry and labor leaders published a letter to President Obama, asking him to allow the state to develop more of its natural resources. They say the state relies on the energy industry for its funding, with almost 90 percent of state revenues coming from oil and gas development. […]
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Dozens of Syrians desperate to escape Civil War have trekked through the Arctic Circle in an attempt to find safety in Europe. The little-known Arctic border with Norway may be the refugee’s only chance for a fresh start. “Up to 20 Syrians a month are then crossing into the tiny Norwegian town of Kirkenes.” “It’s a relatively […]
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Five Chinese Naval ships were spotted off the Alaskan Coast during the President’s visit to Alaska last week. This is the closest Chinese naval ships have come to US borders without a prior invitation. Over the past couple of years, China has made efforts to expand their naval power beyond the “Pacific and Indian Oceans.” The […]
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Two energy industry groups recently launched of the Arctic Energy Center, a joint effort to advance greater public understanding of energy development in the American Arctic. “While the region has been extensively explored and studied for decades, much of that information can be difficult to find. The Center was created to serve as a hub of fact-based […]