Italian company submits plan to drill for oil in the Arctic
Italian energy company Eni this month submitted an exploration plan to drill for oil in federal waters in the Beaufort Sea. Listen now
Feds worry oil pipeline near leaking Cook Inlet gas line also at risk
Federal regulators are raising concerns about a second pipeline in Cook Inlet. Listen now
Alaska gets millions of dollars from Volkswagen settlement
The state of Alaska is receiving over $8 million in settlement money after a top car company cheated on its federal emissions tests. Listen now
Sea-to-table movement takes root with Alaska’s growing kelp industry
In February of last year, Governor Walker signed an administrative order to help jumpstart mariculture, or sea farming, in the state. One Juneau couple is whipping up a recipe to make local kelp an enticing business and snack. They’re part of a growing number of startups that see Alaska seaweed as a marketable food. Listen now
State hopes environmental monitoring will clear up unknowns about Cook Inlet gas leak
State regulators have given preliminary approval to Hilcorp’s plan to monitor the environmental impacts of the gas leak in Cook Inlet. Listen now
Steller Watch lets anyone with internet access play wildlife biologist
In an effort to figure out what’s behind the mysterious decline of Steller sea lions, scientists are trying out crowdsourcing for the first time. The project is called Steller Watch. The idea is to convince the public to comb through pictures looking for sea lions. Listen now
Ask a Climatologist: The sun is back and so is winter melt
March has brought sun to much of the state. But not a lot of warm temperatures. That weather combination prompted a listener to email to ask why some ice and snow is disappearing, even though it’s well below freezing outside. Listen now
Harvard class assignment: solve rural Alaska’s fossil fuel woes
Rural Alaska runs on diesel. Although many communities are open to alternative energy ideas, they don’t have the funding to even explore them. But help could come in the form of graduate students from Harvard University, who have been tasked with the assignment of solving some of Alaska’s fossil fuel energy woes. Listen now
Climate bill faces tough sledding in Alaska legislature
Two Anchorage Democrats have introduced a bill to create a statewide commission on climate change. But even its authors doubt the bill has much of a chance, at least this session. Still, they argue it’s a step in the right direction. Listen now
Calls for Hilcorp to shut down leaking Cook Inlet gas line get louder
An ongoing natural gas leak in Cook Inlet is sparking a debate over pipeline safety. Hilcorp, the responsible company, said it can’t shut off the flow of gas through the pipeline without risking an oil spill. But a number of environmental groups disagree. Listen now
Ask the Energy Desk: What happens when our hydropower sources are frozen?
Parts of Interior Alaska, like Fairbanks, have been seeing record cold temperatures this winter. But in Southeast Alaska, the frigid conditions have had a direct impact on the way people power their homes. Listen now
Video: Is the Cook Inlet gas leak contributing to global warming?
A natural gas pipeline in Alaska has been leaking methane into the atmosphere since at least early February. Dr. Katey Walter Anthony from the University of Alaska Fairbanks helps to put the size of that leak into perspective.
State concerned about tanker escort design for Prince William Sound
State regulators are asking the operator of the trans-Alaska pipeline and oil shippers to offer more proof that new tugboats being built for Prince William Sound are up to the job of preventing major oil spills. Listen now
Companies trumpet 1.2 billion-barrel oil discovery on North Slope
The companies behind an already significant oil find on Alaska’s North Slope on Thursday said they’ve confirmed the biggest onshore discovery in the U.S. in three decades. Listen now
Short-lived proposition to cut funds for Alaska’s gasline corporation dies in committee
Two House Republicans want to cut funding for the state’s gas line corporation. During a House Finance committee meeting, Rep. Tammie Wilson proposed cutting more than $10 million from the state’s operating budget, earmarked for the Alaska Gasline Development Corporation. Listen now
Stranded seal gets first-class rescue in Unalaska
Most of the time, a seal in Unalaska doesn’t attract too much attention, but a ringed seal is a different story. The marine mammals live near ice and typically are found further north. When a sick ringed seal appeared and then vanished last week, the community united to find it. Listen now
What does it take to prove a big oil discovery?
There’s a lot of excitement building about three big oil discoveries on Alaska’s North Slope. Caelus Energy, Armstrong Oil and Gas and ConocoPhillips all recently announced they’ve found huge new oil fields. But what does it take to prove an oil discovery? Listen now
Lawmakers look to the north as Juneau prepares for Arctic Council meeting
On a cold, sunny day in Juneau, about 40 people gathered in the Capitol to eat lunch and learn about the Arctic. Juneau will host an Arctic Council meeting later this week, and state lawmakers got a visit from national and international scientists, policymakers and researchers on Tuesday. Listen now
Ask a Climatologist: Record cold at Iditarod start won’t last
It’s hard to talk about the Iditarod without mentioning weather and climate. And this year is no exception, with mushers and dogs enduring extreme cold in first part of the race. Climatologist Brian Brettschneider looks into how this year’s cold and snow stacks up to weather records from past races. He says the start Monday in Fairbanks was -19, by far the coldest in Iditarod history.Listen now
From fear to fervor, how this millennial is making the outdoors more inclusive
When you open a REI catalog or page through Outside magazine, what do you see? Do the people on the page look like you? Arctic Youth Ambassador Reth Duir is working to make that imagery more representative. Listen now