In secret recordings, Pebble Mine execs say Donlin mine is too expensive to build
On September 21, an environmental group leaked footage of top mining executives discussing the proposed Donlin Gold mine.
( Environmental Investigation Agency)
On Sept. 21, an...
Without ice, killer whales are preying on bowheads in Alaska’s northern seas
Scientists think the behavior is linked to sea-ice loss.
Trump administration reportedly overruled CDC’s recommendation to extend no-sail cruise ship order
The Centers for Disease Control pushed to extend an order barring large cruise ships from sailing from U.S. ports until February 2021 over coronavirus concerns.
In a down market, Alaska fishermen avert disaster by feeding families in need
A seafood donation program started by a Sitka organization is helping bring some stability to fishermen and consumers during an uncertain time.
Without otter predation, sea urchins are decimating Aleutian reefs
Orcas have started targeting sea otters, which normally keep urchin populations in check.
With new letter, Alaska GOP Gov. Dunleavy stands alone in Pebble’s defense
Mike Dunleavy says he has a responsibility to pursue projects like Pebble -- if they can be safely built -- to help improve the plight of rural Alaska residents.
In the wake of Pebble Tapes, scrutiny for state involvement in wetlands mitigation plan
Pebble says it will meet the deadline for a plan to offset damages to wetlands in the Koktuli River watershed, but the "Pebble Tapes" have triggered additional scrutiny about the state’s apparent assistance with the plan.
In a quest for cheaper energy, Kake turns to biomass heating
After looking through available renewable energy sources like solar and wind, the village of Kake turned to a resource that is readily available on the Southeast panhandle: wood.
Trump administration will eliminate roadless protections for Alaska’s Tongass forest
President Donald Trump’s administration announced Wednesday that it is finalizing its plans to reverse roadless protections for more than 9 million acres of the Tongass National Forest in Southeast Alaska, or a little less than 15,000 square miles.
Alaskans react to Trump Administration’s Roadless Rule rollback in the Tongass
Proponents of the change say that the industry is at risk of disappearing, while environmentalists and Indigenous tribes say that logging threatens the ecosystem.
Former Gov. Walker leads effort to take over Alaska’s gas pipeline megaproject
For more than 40 years, the state has tried and failed to bring natural gas from Alaska’s North Slope to market. Now, a new private venture — formed by some familiar players — will make an attempt.
The Trump administration is moving to sell leases in ANWR, but will anyone show up for a sale?
Oil and gas companies aren’t talking publicly about whether they’d bid. But one industry analyst says she’d expect interest in a lease sale to be “lukewarm.”
Largely insulated from COVID-19, Unalaska is watching its wastewater for signs of trouble
As part of its mitigation strategies, in July the island began testing its wastewater for traces of COVID-19, mirroring efforts by universities and municipalities across the country.
Kivalina emergency access road now open for use
The new road allows villagers to access higher ground as global warming causes their village site to erode.
Once again, Arctic Report Card says abnormal the new normal
The 2020 Arctic Report Card is out, and results show life in the Arctic is heating up — faster. This year was the Arctic's second-warmest on record, affecting everything from plankton to people.
Residents rally to free entangled humpback near Tenakee Springs
Residents of Tenakee Springs were awoken in the middle of the night to a plaintive whale cry and quickly mobilized to save the trapped cetacean.
Cluster of Aleutian peaks could be single supervolcano, scientists say
If the researchers' suspicions are correct, the newfound volcanic caldera belongs to the same category of volcanoes as the Yellowstone Caldera and others that have had super-eruptions with profound global consequences.
Solar project in Northwest Arctic villages set to break ground next spring
Construction is set to start next spring on a solar battery project in the Northwest Arctic villages of Shungnak and Kobuk. It’s the latest renewable project for a region routinely struck by high energy costs.
Federal judge will weigh request to block oil leasing in Arctic refuge
U.S. District Court Judge Sharon Gleason will hear oral arguments at 1 p.m. Monday, just two days before the federal government plans to hold its lease sale.
Kenai natural gas plant unlikely to harm endangered belugas, report says
The upgrades to the Kenai LNG plant are mostly on land and won't affect vessel traffic, according to a letter from the National Marine Fisheries Service.