...and we want to know what you want to know. |
Are you getting the environmental news, action opportunities, and community you need? Please take a few minutes to fill out
this survey and share your feedback with us. Thank you to all who have responded so far!
Read on for other ways to plug into our work this month and next. |
Tell Congress: We need real reform to mining regulation, not a giveaway of public lands |
Photo: Red Devil Mine Cleanup, Bureau of Land Management After over 150 years under the same regulatory scheme, the United States is in dire need of mining regulation reform – but some of the latest bills proposed on the issue would make matters worse, not better. Northern Center urges legislators to support the Clean Energy Minerals Reform Act of 2023, and strongly opposes the Mining Regulatory Clarity Act.
The Clean Energy Mineral Reform Act would strengthen regulation by establishing environmental and cleanup standards specific to the mining industry, instituting a fair royalty on minerals to fund abandoned mine cleanup, and defending Indigenous and mining-affected communities and landscapes by giving land managers the ability to balance mining with other land uses. The Mining Regulatory Clarity Act, on the other hand, would prioritize mining related development over any other use of public lands, and remove elements of the already barebones permitting process for the use of lands adjacent to mine sites.
Read the full article on our website for more information about each proposal and how you can help advocate for meaningful reform.
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Save the Date: Celebrate Solstice with Northern |
We've got lots going on this year during the week of Summer Solstice, and we hope you'll join us in celebrating the longest day of the year.
On Thursday, June 22 at 7:00 PM at a local peat bog, program director Ryan Marsh will lead the first excursion for our newest program, Adventure Borealis. We will spend a couple of hours enjoying the evening light and plentiful birdlife that gather and nest at this hidden gem in the boreal forest adjacent to Creamer's Field. No experience necessary! We will be birding from good trails, but access can be muddy through the bog. Friday June 23 from 6:00-8:00 PM, join us for a Solstice Picnic in our backyard. Come catch up with fellow members, staff, and Board, and expect music and lawn games. We can't wait to fill you in on all we've been working on and get the chance to hear your perspectives. Please bring a side dish or dessert and BYOB.
Finally, stop by our table during the Midnight Sun Festival in downtown Fairbanks on June 24. We'll have stickers and other swag with us, and hope you'll make a point of saying hi to our staff and volunteers throughout the day. |
Thank you! You helped us reach our April goal |
We met our goal of $30,000 in April! Thank you so much everyone who sent in checks, donated online, or came by the office to ensure our match was fully met.
When you give to the Northern Center, you make our programmatic advocacy and education possible, and we are so grateful for your support. These funds will be used to continue to organize and advocate for Arctic conservation and Clean Water & Mining, directly fund our Youth Education work, and help launch our newest program, Adventure Borealis. You can help make our work possible anytime with a one-time or recurring donation on our website. |
If you have lived in Alaska for at least 10 years, and would like to help inform research on the psychological impacts of climate change, contact emcohen@alaska.edu to participate in a survey.
All participants will be sent a $40 digital gift card via email as compensation. |
Reminder: Submit your comments opposing the mineral entry on Murphy Dome by May 22, 2023. More information about this permit application and comment process can be found here.
Do you have a guest room or cabin that will be available this summer? We are seeking one or two generous people to house our TWO summer interns. Thank you to our members who housed interns in the past! Contact Lois at lois@northern.org if you have questions or would like to volunteer your space.
- Call for papers! The Arctic Institute is seeking writing with a Queer and Indigenous perspective on the Arctic. Learn more here and submit an abstract by June 1.
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A study from the Climate + Community Project shows that we can reduce emissions and pressure on ecosystems, all while improving community well-being and access to transportation without contributing to an environmentally destructive mining boom.
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As this story map from The Washington Post shows, the green energy transition and its subsequent demand for more electric vehicles poses significant environmental threats as increased mining to meet demand for battery materials will lead to greater land-use conflicts and social and environmental harm. While we must transition to a cleaner energy economy, it is imperative that this transition is also JUST. This is why investing in shared community transportation infrastructure is critical to reducing individual demands for EVs, thereby reducing environmental and social impacts from resource development.
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Do you have a No Road to Ambler sweatshirt or tee shirt? We'd love to see where you're wearing it. Send a photo of yourself in your No Road to Ambler sweatshirt to katie@northern.org and include a sentence or two about why you oppose this road. We're hoping to share images from all over Alaska in the coming months, and would love to include our Northern Center supporters. Don't have a sweatshirt yet? Get one here.
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The Northern Alaska Environmental Center is a nonprofit and depends on the contributions of its members and supporters. You can donate any time by going to
northern.org/donate. Thank you for continuing to make our advocacy possible! |
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| May 18: 2023 Arctic Research Open House
4 to 7pm at the UAF West Ridge Campus. Learn about science happening at UAF that reaches "around the world in Arctic ways!" Visit with over a dozen research groups and colleges along the West Ridge Troth Yeddha’ campus. Park for free in lots along Koyukuk Drive. For more information, contact 907-474-6000. |
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| May 22-25: Alaska Sustainable Energy Conference
The 2023 Alaska Sustainable Energy Conference will focus on Alaska’s role leading the energy transition from established renewable sources to innovative and emerging technologies. If you're attending, be sure stop by the Northern Center's table to say hello. |
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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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