2/13/25

Two spruce trees "kiss" as they are weighed down by snow. Photo by Emily Hikes

Finding ourselves in the heart of February, a season of love and renewal, it has been a privilege to watch sunlight breathe new life and energy into our world. For many, this time of year can feel desolate and frustratingly stationary but, just like this environment, we are taking the necessary time to grow strong. During this season, I love the sound the snow and ice make as they crunch beneath my boots and I cherish warm drinks in my favorite mug. What have you been loving lately?

- Emily Mesner (mesner@northern.org)

  Communications Coordinator

Last week, Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum issued Secretarial Order 3422 telling agency staff to quickly present plans in support of President Trump’s recent Executive Order promoting extractive industries in Alaska.

A Secretarial Order is meant to direct specific agency actions. Like the President’s Executive Order, at this point Burgum’s instructions are primarily a signal of the administration’s plans for Alaska. While more specific details and actions are yet to come, together, these orders make it clear that the Trump administration intends to cut back on regulations and revoke environmental and community subsistence protections. 

Major extractive development projects, like the proposed Ambler mining road and oil and gas leases in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, were previously stopped because of flawed environmental reviews under the first Trump administration. That means that attempts to rescind recent Biden-era environmental decisions and protections will likely set off a series of legal challenges in the months to come. 

We’re tracking the impacts of these orders closely, and will keep you up to date on ways to help maintain hard-earned protections for Alaska’s lands, waters, and subsistence rights.

A caribou walks on a ridge among fall foliage. NPS Photo by Emily Mesner

Alaska faces a significant funding deficit this year. One major consequence of Governor Mike Dunvleavy’s proposed budget is the continued underfunding of public education, leaving communities around the state confronting school closures. 

To help raise revenue, freshman Republican Senator Robert Yundt of Wasilla introduced legislation to tax oil companies equally. Senate Bill 92 would close the S-corp tax loophole. As a privately held company, or an S-corp, the major oil producer Hilcorp is not currently required to pay state corporate income taxes.

Advocates for a similar measure that did not pass last year estimated that closing this tax loophole would bring the state well over $100 million in revenue per year.

Dried strawflowers rest in the snow next to an outline of a heart. Photo by Christin Swearingen

Writing articles, sharing photos, or volunteering in person are all great options to support the causes you care about.

Additionally, many of our supporters are choosing to donate to the Northern Center from their donor advised funds, which is a tax-smart way to give. If you are 70.5 or over and have a traditional IRA, you could make a qualified charitable distribution and reduce the taxable portion of your required minimum distribution.

If you aren't in a position to give now, but would be excited to donate down the road, please reach out to learn more about the possibility of making a legacy donation. Thank you for being the strength behind our work.

Contact events@northern.org to learn how you could get involved.

A heart-shaped rock rests along the shore of the Yukon River. Photo by Emily Hikes

FAIRBANKS: Free skills workshop starts Feb. 22

The two-part workshop series, "How We Fight for Change & Win", begins at the end of this month and will help provide a great foundation for those already involved in campaigns.

This is a free, in-person series and also serves as a great entry point for those new to the work. Please click here to RSVP and learn more about the workshop, hosted by Fairbanks Climate Action Coalition.

ANCHORAGE: Environmental justice film series continues Feb. 27

The Alaska Community Action on Toxics is hosting a free, family-friendly community film series. This series, which continues through April, will share inspiring stories about environmental justice, bring people together around film and food, and provide a community space for dialogue that will lead to action. Space is limited and registration is recommended. Click here to learn more and see upcoming topics. 

FAIRBANKS: Comprehensive plan survey due March 3

Don't forget to participate in this survey for a chance to share your values and visions for the Fairbanks North Star Borough as they begin the planning process for their Regional Comprehensive Plan. For more information, visit their website. Additionally, local grassroots organizations Save Our Domes and Advocates for Safe Alaska Highways have both shared information about this planning process. Please see their webpages for more information and guidance on how to participate. 

The importance of ‘Being Caribou’

"With a new federal administration dead set on oil development in Alaska, its reminder that “we need to work from the bottom up” to protect the coastal plain is as relevant as ever," writes Sarah Gilman for High Country News as she remembers activist and author Karsten Heuer who passed away in November. "The book and the film used the limits of human bodies to cultivate empathy for the experience of other beings...".

The last skipper in Ouzinkie

By Northern Journal's Nathaniel Herz, read about how Gulf of Alaska villages lost their Native fishing fleets. "Over the last 50 years, hundreds of Alaska’s most valuable salmon permits have drained out of its Indigenous coastal villages," he writes. "Now, the profits flow increasingly to those who live in Alaska’s population centers or in other states."

• Check out this list from the Alaska Conservation Foundation highlighting 13 internship opportunities across Alaska.

• Job Openings

  • The Gwich'in Steering Committee seeks an organized, creative, mature, and dedicated individual to fill the position of Executive Assistant. This role, based in Fairbanks, is primarily responsible for providing administrative office support to the Executive Director and providing support to GSC by performing bookkeeping and travel. Send a letter of interest and resume via email to k.moreland@gwichinsteering.org, or via mail to 3401 Airport Way, Fairbanks, AK 99709.

  • Alaska Community Action on Toxics is hiring for multiple positions:
    • Plastics and Petrochemicals Campaign Coordinator
    • Protecting Future Generations Coordinator

  • Audubon Alaska is currently recruiting for two new roles:

    • Director of Conservation

    • Director of Geospatial Science

  • Fairbanks Climate Action Coalition is hiring a Keep It In the Ground (KING) Organizer. You can find the job description here.

MISSION

The Northern Alaska Environmental Center promotes conservation of the environment and sustainable resource stewardship in Interior and Arctic Alaska through education and advocacy.

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