Environment

a road

Homer Spit damage from high seas declared local emergency

A full moon pushed tides to over 22 feet starting Friday, which continued to build with each tide.
a road

‘Enough is enough’: King Cove officials hail Biden Administration backing for Izembek road

While residents call the road a matter of life and death, environmental advocates say it could threaten vital wildlife habitat.
researchers

Scientists hope to learn about alien intelligence from Frederick Sound humpback whales

SETI researchers camped at a remote Southeast Alaska lighthouse last summer to investigate humpback whale communication.
a session

Alaska Native blood quantum clarified for hunting sea otters

A recent U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service opinion confirms that any coastal tribal member can hunt sea otters.
a harbor

Dire condition of Alaska’s seafood industry has many causes and no easy fixes, experts say

A legislative task force is considering many responses to rescue the industry and communities that depend on it.

‘Stunning’ 47-foot fin whale washes ashore near Anchorage’s Westchester Lagoon

Biologists say the whale, believed to be a young female, was first reported Saturday lying on mudflats near a popular trail.
a woman

Memories, stories and family heirlooms make the final move from Newtok

The Newtok Village Council has decommissioned the village, deeming it too unsafe to live in.
activists

Trump wants to ‘Drill, baby, drill.’ What does that mean for climate concerns?

President-elect Donald Trump wants to increase oil and gas production and roll back the Inflation Reduction Act.
birds fly by a mountain

Biden administration gives support to controversial land trade in Alaska wildlife refuge

A land swap would allow for a road through the Izembek National Wildlife Refuge that supporters say King Cove needs; opponents say it would be ecologically ruinous.
a barge

‘All public services … decommissioned and shut down’: Newtok’s end is imminent

The last residents are moving to Mertarvik, as the local tribal government has deemed the village too unsafe to remain there this winter.
a dog

A dog on Prince of Wales Island is helping to conserve wolves by tracking their poop

Last summer, managers hired a dog named Barley to sniff out an important source of data on Prince of Wales Island wolves: their poop.
a salmon

Multi-agency effort tracks coho salmon with radio technology

Coho is one of several salmon native to the Kenai River watershed, but biologists still don’t know everything about their behavior.
a polar bear

Chukchi Sea polar bears are increasingly exposed to disease-causing pathogens

A new study signals potential future stress for bears already coping with a warming environment in Alaska and Siberia.
salmon

Strong sockeye salmon return expected next year in Alaska’s Bristol Bay region, biologists say

The size of the famous Bristol Bay run is forecasted to be above the long-term average, but the economic outlook is unclear.
a mine

Greens Creek Mine in Southeast Alaska gets feds’ approval to begin expansion

The move will extend the Admiralty Island mine's operations for up to 18 years, with new environmental mitigation and oversight.
a river through tundra

Biden administration plans new limits on oil leasing in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

A new environmental study recommends additional protections for wildlife, waterways and permafrost, with new rules for a legally mandated lease sale.
a woman

Juneau’s temporary flood fighting plan is underway. Some homeowners don’t want it.

Some property owners along the Mendenhall River say the plan to hold off glacial outburst floods is too expensive and invasive.
a whale

Alaska fisher could get 6 months in prison after attempting to kill sperm whale

Dugan Paul Daniels pleaded guilty to a federal misdemeanor earlier this year, and prosecutors released their sentencing recommendation.
battery systems

Nome’s new battery system promises more consistent energy costs

The new battery energy storage system, fitted in two shipping containers, can help take up slack from other energy sources.
Seward Harbor

Seward gets $45.7M grant to connect cruise ships to electricity

The project, funded by the Environmental Protection Agency, could reduce fossil fuel emissions and lower electricity costs.
a rehearsal

The play that lived: ‘Harry Potter’ comes to Ketchikan High stage after landslide

“We don’t let things stop us,” said drama instructor Tommy Varella-Kossack, whose home was destroyed in the Aug. 25 slide.
a cruise ship

Last cruise ship leaves Juneau’s tumultuous tourism season

Thursday's departure ended a season dominated by a contentious ballot proposition and a surprise port announcement.
Mary Peltola

Rep. Mary Peltola talks regional fisheries, Arctic security during Unalaska visit

Peltola stopped by Unalaska to hear more about the community’s unique concerns during her reelection bid.
a refuge

Several key steps toward drilling in Alaska’s Arctic refuge are due before year’s end

A legal ruling on a 2021 lease sale is expected as soon as Friday from a federal judge in Alaska.
a rescue

Kotzebue airport reopens as flood damage assessments and cleanup continue

With winter quickly approaching, many homes are unsafe. Two homes, Kotzebue’s dock, roads, bridges and subsistence camps were destroyed.

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