Background Articles

The EPA is pushing Alaska to update water pollution rules due to Alaskans' high seafood consumption, with state officials acknowledging the need for revised standards.

Scientists are enhancing flood forecasts in Juneau as Suicide Basin refills, following an unexpected record flood last year caused by rapid drainage.

If blazes break out in parts of the Yukon Flats National Wildlife Refuge, firefighters will protect the layers of forest floor and permafrost that hold carbon.

A study finds that while permafrost thaw in the North is causing local and regional changes, it is not a global climate tipping point.

In Northwest Alaska, the Red Dog mine faces potential delays in expansion, risking future revenue and jobs for the local community, amid environmental and cultural impact concerns.

In recent weeks, three human infections with the virus have been confirmed—all in dairy workers who had contact with sick cows. All three developed symptoms of eye infections known as conjunctivitis. The latest case, reported in Michigan this week, also involved respiratory symptoms more typical of a flu infection.

Anchorage experienced its third-longest streak of sub-60 degree days, despite Alaska's spring temperatures being normal by recent standards but cooler than historical averages.

The article discusses the potential for bird flu to mutate and spread to humans through domestic cats, highlighting unusual cases of cat infections and the risks posed by raw diets and unpasteurized milk.

Rivers and streams in Alaska are changing color – from a clean, clear blue to a rusty orange – because of the toxic metals released by thawing permafrost, according to a new study.

While blue mussels are a traditional source of subsistence food in Unalaska, in recent years, reduced numbers and concerns about paralytic shellfish poisoning, or PSP, have limited the amount locals can safely harvest.

A federal bill aims to expand IHS duties to include veterinary care in rural Alaska, addressing the scarcity of such services and the risk of rabies from wildlife.

Experts decided that during the fishing season, red fish in the water area of the Anadyr estuary can be caught only two days a week. It was decided to introduce a large number of passing days to preserve the chum salmon population spawning in this basin.

This summer, NOAA and the International Whaling Commission will conduct aerial and ship-based surveys in the eastern Bering Sea to monitor beluga and large baleen whale populations, employing new methods and expanding survey areas based on previous findings.

Recent discoloration of 75 streams in Arctic Alaska reflects increased iron and trace metal loading following climate-driven permafrost thaw. These findings have considerable implications for drinking water supplies and subsistence fisheries.

The Grey-headed chickadee found in the far north of Yukon and Alaska was listed as endangered this month, and experts say the bird is so rare that it's hard to estimate its numbers. The decline might be related to competition as Boreal Chickadees are moving north because of climate change.

The GNWT says it's earmarked $800 per resident age 18 or over and $400 for each dependent under 18. Applicants may be required to provide proof of residency in the community they live in, such as a utility bill, proof of dependents such as birth certificates, and identification like a driver's license — so if you are ordered to evacuate make sure you pack those along.

Alaska's legislature has passed a bill to ban PFAS chemicals in firefighting foams, addressing the contamination of drinking water.

A University of Hawaii study examining the health effects of last year’s deadly wildfires on Maui has found that up to 74% of participants may have difficulty breathing and otherwise have poor respiratory health.

Low water levels on the Mackenzie River are causing cargo shipments to use a different route to access northern communities, beginning in the Arctic Ocean. 

An Alaska Native corporation is withdrawing from the Ambler road project due to concerns over environmental impact and subsistence practices, despite economic potential.