Mike Sfraga, director of the Polar Institute at the Washington, D.C.-based think tank the Wilson Center, says climate change is making the Arctic Ocean more accessible.
Arctic
Fire in North Slope village of Kaktovik engulfs school overnight
The North Slope Borough mayor says there were no injuries to report as of Friday morning. He says the weather, which dipped to -35 degrees, has made fighting the fire difficult for first responders.
Goldman Sachs, in Arctic drilling tiff with Dunleavy, hires veteran Juneau lobbyist
After Goldman Sachs announced it would not finance oil drilling in the Arctic, Gov. Mike Dunleavy suggested he could cut off the millions of dollars a year that the state pays the Wall Street firm. Now Goldman is playing defense: Last week, it hired a Juneau lobbyist to represent its interests in Alaska.
Federal judge rejects North Slope tribe’s challenge to Conoco drilling program
A judge ruled that an environmental review of ConocoPhillips’ exploration work did not violate federal conservation laws, as the Nuiqsut tribal government and environmental groups alleged.
Opening the Arctic Refuge brought Alaska’s largest Native corporation $22.5M from BP and Chevron
Arctic Slope Regional Corp. has long been one of the most aggressive advocates for opening ANWR to oil development.
Polar bear protections delayed oil exploration in the Arctic Refuge. A new study could help.
By using heat-sensing cameras to detect dens, and accepting strict limits on when to survey, impacts could be dramatically reduced.