Cantwell Urges White House To Stop Alaska Pebble Mine Project, Protect Fishermen
A U.S. senator from the Lower 48 is asking the White House to stop the Pebble Mine. Democrat Maria Cantwell, of Washington, says the proposed mine in Western Alaska threatens fishing jobs in her state.
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Warm Temperatures Causing Issues Around State
The Northern Lights 300 Sled Dog Race from Big Lake to Finger Lake has been cancelled, and the north part of Denali National Park has been put off limits for snowmachines due to wet conditions and lack of snow. Skiing has been off and on at Alyeska Resort in Girdwood.
Court Says Chukchi Lease Sale Environmental Assessment Faulty
A federal appeals court has ruled that the environmental assessment behind a massive oil lease sale in the Chukchi Sea in 2008 was faulty.
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President Declares Federal Disaster For November Storm Victims In Alaska
President Barack Obama declared a federal Disaster for Alaska Thursday, making federal dollars available for victims of storms that occurred back in November.
YKHC President Retires Amid Controversy With The Board
The Yukon Kuskokwim Health Corporation employs more than 1,600 people. It’s the largest employer in Bethel and has been led by Gene Peltola Sr. for 24 years. However, the CEO spent this past weekend clearing out his office amid controversy with the board of directors.
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GovTrack Completes 2013 Report Card On Congress
GovTrack, a nonpartisan website that collects data on proposed federal legislation, has completed its 2013 report card on members of Congress. It found Alaska’s Mark Begich co-sponsored more bills than any other senator, while Congressman Don Young introduced more bills than any other House Republican. But the report card was especially interesting for what it said about U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski.
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Admiral Ostebo Outlines USCG’s Plans For Western Alaska
Coast Guard Admiral Thomas Ostebo visited Nome last week to outline summer plans for Western Alaska. The plans are part of the Coast Guard’s Alaska operation for the year, officially titled Arctic Shield 2014.
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Court Says Inadequate Studies Conducted Before 2008 Lease Sale
A federal appeals court has ruled that federal regulators conducted inadequate environmental studies before selling $2.7 billion in petroleum leases off Alaska’s northwest coast.
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‘Excluder’ Could Limit Salmon Bycatch
The Pollock trawl fleet now has a device that could help them avoid catching too many salmon. It’s what’s called an “excluder,” and has been in development for more than ten years. The design was presented at the Marine Science Symposium meeting in Anchorage.
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Kodiak Police Seize $120,000 Worth of Drugs
Two men have been arraigned in Kodiak District Court following a drug seizure over the weekend. Kodiak Police Chief Ronda Wallace said the drugs were seized during a search of two hotel rooms on Sunday and have an estimated street value of at least $120,000.
Chenault, Huggins Discuss Education, Gas Line, And Fish Politics
As lawmakers begin the 90 day session, House Speaker Mike Chenault and Senate President Charlie Huggins say there is just one must pass bill this session- the budget. But the majority party has other items on their agenda, along with a commitment to fiscal restraint. APRN's Lori Townsend asked Speaker Chenault to outline his priorities.
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Tuck, French Address Kerttula’s Departure, Legislative Priorities
With Kerttula's resignation, the Democrats will have a new leadership team in the Legislature. Hollis French took over as Senate Minority leader from Johnny Ellis in a pre-arranged deal this session. And now Chris Tuck will become minority leader in the House. Representative Tuck says the Democrats are ready to move forward without Kerttula.
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Minority Leader Beth Kerttula To Leave Legislature
House Minority Leader Beth Kerttula will be resigning from her seat. The Juneau Democrat has been chosen for an oceans policy fellowship at Stanford University, which begins this spring term.
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Coast Guard, ADEC Respond To Sunken Tug
The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation and the U.S. Coast Guard are still monitoring the site where a tug boat sank and leaked diesel fuel near Wrangell last week.
Kensington Tops Coeur’s 4th Quarter Production
Nearly half of Coeur Mining’s 2013 fourth-quarter gold production came from Juneau’s Kensington Gold Mine.
International Maritime Organization Working On ‘Polar Code’
A"polar code" for shipping vessels traveling in the Arctic could be agreed upon this week by a committee of the International Maritime Organization.
Legislature Prepares To Gavel In
Tuesday, the Legislature gavels back in, and for lawmakers things look a lot different than they did last January. There’s no oil tax legislation to tackle, and the state’s budget outlook is not quite as rosy as it’s been in past years. APRN’s Alexandra Gutierrez will be heading up our capitol coverage, and she’s here today to talk to us about what’s at stake over the next few months.
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Begich Takes Stand Against Pebble Mine
U.S. Sen. Mark Begich has taken a definitive stand against the Pebble Mine. He told the Anchorage Daily News over the weekend that he can’t support the proposed mine in Southwestern Alaska. In doing so, he’s broken away from the rest of Alaska’s congressional delegation and his three Republican challengers.
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Panel Will Target Tongass Plan Rewrite, Timber Transition
The Forest Service is setting up an advisory board to help rewrite the Tongass National Forest’s management plan. It’s somewhat similar to another panel that shut down last year without completing its work.
Southeast Commercial Halibut Catch Increased For 2014
Southeast Alaska’s commercial halibut catch limit is going up. The International Pacific Halibut Commission concluded its annual meeting Friday in Seattle and approved catch limits for Alaska, British Columbia, and the West Coast of the U.S.