8/8/24

…and feeling energized for the months ahead

A wolf walks along the Denali Park Road as the sun begins to set. NPS Photo by Emily Mesner

Change is in the air, and we’re here with updates on regional planning and a shifting judicial landscape. A scoping period for a Northeast Alaska Area Plan is getting underway for 4.5 million acres stretching from near Fairbanks to north of Arctic Village. Learn more about how recent Supreme Court decisions may reshape conservation efforts, and help us continue to improve our communications and fundraising efforts by taking our short survey, linked below.

- Emily Mesner (mesner@northern.org)

  Communications Coordinator

The Supreme Court is once again busy overturning long-standing precedent, creating new uncertainty for environmental regulations across the country. In their recent decision in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo—a case ostensibly about monitoring fishing in New England—the conservative majority gave judges the power to override experts working for federal agencies.

The Court overturned the so-called Chevron deference, a Supreme Court decision establishing that federal agencies should be the ones to navigate any lack of clarity in policies, not judges. That 1984 ruling actually enabled more pollution by upholding a lax Environmental Protection Agency position on the Clean Air Act, but it set a national precedent to prioritize federal agencies’ interpretation of policies.

In essence, the Chevron deference meant that experts like scientists, doctors, and researchers working for federal agencies wouldn’t be overruled by politically appointed judges. From an environmental perspective, the Chevron deference was far from perfect—with agency direction so dependent on who is in the White House—but overall, it was an important legal guardrail. 

Several other recent Supreme Court decisions make this a challenging moment for enacting new environmental protections, but along with our legal partners at Trustees for Alaska, we will adapt. To learn more, check out this great explainer from the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Screenshot of the Northeast Alaska Area Plan Land Status Map.

The Department of Natural Resources recently announced a scoping period for a new Northeast Alaska Area Plan covering 4.5 million acres. Some of these state lands encompass much of the Steese Highway, which offers access for recreation and subsistence use near Fairbanks. 

Though the state lands, shown in light blue on the map above and linked here, represent a fraction of the total area for this planning process, their official classification will impact how they (and the surrounding Native and federal lands) are managed. An ongoing debate between federal and state agencies over navigable waterways also plays into how this plan might take shape. 

Initial informational meetings will be held in Fort Yukon at City Hall from 3-5 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 13, and in Fairbanks at the Noel Wien Library Auditorium from 5:30-7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 14.

This is just a first step as DNR weighs input from the public, and other state and federal agencies, to create their management proposal. We’ll have more updates in upcoming e-newsletters about how to participate so keep an eye out here. 

For more information, email our Arctic Program Coordinator Sean McDermott at sean@northern.org. You can also reach out directly to DNR planning process lead Rob Ear at neaap.comments@alaska.gov, or by calling 907-269-8533.

A substantial heap leach collapse occurred at a major gold mine in the Yukon Territory on June 24, creating a disaster for local communities and the Yukon River watershed. Heap leaching is a chemical process that often uses cyanide to dissolve and extract metals from piles of low-grade ore, and is notably one of the processes used at Kinross’ Fort Knox, north of Fairbanks. The subsequent release of hundreds of thousands of cubic meters of toxic cyanide solution into the surrounding environment is especially dangerous to aquatic and human life.

The mining company, Victoria Gold, has a history of poor regulatory compliance. Weeks of lackluster response led the territorial government and the First Nation of Na-cho Nyäk Dun––whose lands the mine operates in––to conclude the mining company cannot adequately respond to the disaster. The cyanide leaching into the surface and groundwater, lack of remediation funds, and the potential for further failures at the mine site has many groups on alert. Na-cho Nyäk Dun, as well as the Carcross/Tagish First Nation, are calling for a moratorium on mining in their lands and an independent analysis of the incident. They are joined by Alaska Native communities downstream on the Yukon River in concerns about the increased threats to salmon, which are already in a precarious position. 

Disasters like this are why we continue to advocate for more stringent environmental analysis and mining regulations. Industry leaders and Alaska legislators frequently cite Alaska as having “world-class environmental practices”, yet this is far from the truth. With the ongoing expansion of industrial gold mining in the state, we need to guide our government towards more safeguards, and compel them to focus on establishing and enforcing the highest possible environmental and social standards, such as the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance.

November is quickly approaching. There are a few important dates to remember, both locally and nationally.

• Alaska State Primary - Aug. 20 (early voting is open now)
• Fairbanks Municipal Elections - Oct. 1 (click here for more information)
• U.S. Presidential Election - Nov. 5 (the deadline to register to vote in this election is Oct. 6)

Artwork will be used in statewide, non-partisan "Get Out the Vote" campaigns and will be projected onto buildings and landscapes during a week of action in October, and will be printed on posters, stickers, and t-shirts with the purpose of building voter awareness and engagement across Alaska. The deadline to apply is Aug. 12.

You will need to submit 3-5 examples of previous work, a brief artist bio, and a description of your proposed artwork. If you have any questions, contact Jessica Thornton at jessi@nativemovement.org, or Autumn Cantu at autumn@mobilizationcenter.org. For more information, click here.

Photo of blueberries among fall foliage by Ryan Arash Marsh.

Join naturalist guide Ryan Arash Marsh on Aug. 17 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. for a berry picking walk geared towards beginners at Murphy Dome. Get to know the tundra ecosystem, the various edible and inedible berries, and some of the tools and techniques for harvesting and processing. Expect to hike 1-2 miles, including off-trail through the shrubby tundra, and bring a container for your berries, like a small bucket or basket. This is a donation-based event. Register here.

Also for your calendars, BIPOC Bird Club is back in time for fall migration! This is a new program of Adventure Borealis' and welcomes all people of color to learn about local birds. BIPOC birders of all backgrounds and skill levels are encouraged to join, and if you’re a white ally who supports the community, you’re welcome too! Meet at the farmhouse at Creamer's Field in Fairbanks at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 21. This is a free event and registration is not required.  

Thank you to everyone who responded to our feedback survey we sent in March. We use data from the survey to make improvements in our communications and fundraising. Please help us track improvement by taking the short survey again with the button below.

Bill mandating end to use of PFAS-containing firefighting foams becomes law in Alaska

Alaska officials echo federal push to promote healing after boarding schools report

For the Alaska Beacon, Claire Stremple writes: "Assistant Interior Secretary Bryan Newland included several recommendations in the report, such as acknowledging, apologizing for and repudiating the forced assimilation policy. Other steps Newland recommended include: investing in culturally based community-driven healing efforts; building a national memorial to the board school experiences; returning the remains of children who died at the schools and never returned home; and returning the school sites to tribes at their request." Read more via the link above.

• Night for the North is Northern Center's annual auction and dinner. This year it will be held at the Birch Hill Recreation Area in Fairbanks on Nov. 9. Our theme is "sled dogs." Proceeds from the event help support our programs, including the Jim Kowalsky Youth Engagement Fund. We are seeking business sponsors, individual donors, and volunteers. To help, please contact Christin at events@northern.org.

• The Tanana Valley Sandhill Crane Festival, hosted by Friends of Creamer's Field, is Aug. 20-25. They are seeking volunteers, silent auction item donations, and poetry submissions. Click here to learn more.

The Northern Alaska Environmental Center is a nonprofit and depends on the contributions of its members and supporters. You can donate at any time by going to northern.org/donate, or by clicking the button below. Thank you for continuing to make our advocacy possible! 

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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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