Environment

All Alaska news stories about the environment, climate and weather. Could also include topics like animal die-offs related to the environment.

two men

Researchers utilize fiber optics to detect Cook Inlet’s seismic activity

A University of Washington team is testing whether fiber optic cable laid across Cook Inlet can help measure the region's earthquakes.
Power transmission lines on poles in the foreground, with mountains in the distance.

Gas leak triggers chain of power outages spanning from Anchorage to the Mat-Su

Utilities say a 25-minute outage early Thursday at the Eklutna Generation Station triggered outages across the Railbelt to prevent a blackout.
a roof collapse

2 Anchorage commercial roof collapses reported in 2 days

No injuries were reported in Tuesday's Raspberry Road collapse or Wednesday's on the Old Seward Highway, firefighters said.
tourists

Cruise ships dumped 90% less trash in Juneau last year

About 250,000 pounds of trash made its way from cruise ships to Juneau’s landfill last summer, down from over 3.3 million pounds in 2019.

Gov. Dunleavy’s State of the State addresses resource development, education

Gov. Mike Dunleavy implored Alaskans and lawmakers to capitalize on the state’s natural resources in his annual State of the State address Tuesday. 
an excavator

Funding to address rural Alaska climate change falls $80M short, report says

The Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium's report details how federal and state agencies can work together to protect rural infrastructure.
committee hearing testimony

Bill backed by Southeast communities would tighten hunting and fishing license residency requirements

Backers of the measure say it would close a loophole that makes it difficult for state wildlife troopers to prosecute nonresidents who obtain the cheaper resident licenses.
a whale

Kodiak humpback whale necropsy indicates poor health before death

Brian Venua joined researchers performing a necropsy on a humpback whale that died near Kodiak. Recently, locals have observed fewer whales in the area.
Lori Townsend sits at a desk, looking at two people on a video monitor.

Threats to marine mammal health | Alaska Insight

Lori Townsend and her guests discuss threats to the health of whales around Kodiak and the rest of Alaska.
A snow shovel sits in front of a house with a snowey and icey roof.

Anchorage officials say residential and commercial building owners should consider shoveling roofs

City officials wrote that they estimate there are 500 to 1,000 commercial buildings in Anchorage that have wooden roof trusses of “immediate concern.”
Newtok

‘Inequitable and inefficient’: New report criticizes feds’ climate change response system

For the dozens of Alaska Native communities weighing relocation because of climate change, the path forward isn’t clear.
a man in a suit

A dozen executive orders from Gov. Dunleavy draw scrutiny

The orders are largely aimed at eliminating or reorganizing state boards and commissions, and some lawmakers are skeptical.

Southcentral Alaska waterways survey finds widespread microplastics

“One hundred percent of our samples, we took 39 altogether, had microplastics in them,” said study co-author Dyani Chapman.
a sunken boat

Roofs collapse, boats sink under the weight of Juneau’s heavy snow

Two storms have dropped more than 60 inches, which puts 2024 in a tie for the city’s second snowiest January.
a torn-down house

As Nunapitchuk aims to relocate, it has support from powerful allies

Last fall, Nunapitchuk was selected as a testing ground for a new approach to climate-driven village relocation.
a man

Anchorage homeless shelters under strain amid statewide cold snap

Staff at Anchorage's Brother Francis Shelter have seen cases of hypothermia and frostbite, during a subzero chill expected to continue next week.
a woman with a laser pointer in front of an audience

Anchorage, Mat-Su utilities disagree with Eklutna village on full dam removal to restore namesake river

The public has until Feb. 19 to comment on the utilities’ hydro project river repair plan, which is much more modest.
Merbok debris

Sweeping FEMA changes aim to eliminate red tape, financial burdens for disaster survivors

The changes won’t apply to hundreds in Western Alaska who are still cleaning up from spring floods and Typhoon Merbok.
three windmills on top of a hill at sunset

Previewing Alaska Forum on the Environment 2024 | Talk of Alaska

We talk with presenters about the latest ways to protect the health of Alaska’s ecosystem on this Talk of Alaska.
caribou

Oil field road traffic disrupts North Slope caribou more than previously recognized

A new study adds to mounting evidence about caribou sensitivity to roads, raising questions about further development in their habitat.