North Slope

An oceanographer on the study told investigators she had “never worked on an SEIS with such a short timeline in her 26-year career.” A fish biologist “stated that she believed the timeline was ‘so crushed’ that the quality of the SEIS was significantly compromised.”

For years scientists have documented changes in Alaska’s vegetation caused by a warmer climate. Researchers are now seeing animals establish new habitats on the North Slope in response to the altered landscape.

ConocoPhillips announced Wednesday that it will move ahead with construction of a $900 million project in the North Slope’s National Petroleum Reserve.

A legend of traditional Alaska Native games has died. Big Bob Aiken, known as the ‘The World’s Largest Eskimo’ still held records for the Indian and Eskimo stick pull competitions. He believed deeply in the original purpose of the games.

With a unanimous vote in the House Wednesday, the Alaska Legislature has passed Gov. Bill Walker’s bill to end the state’s partnership with TransCanada — and take a larger role in the effort to build a natural gasline from the North Slope.

Lawmakers now say it’s all but inevitable the legislature will approve the governor’s request to buy out TransCanada and take a larger stake in the Alaska LNG project.