AYEA community leaders support HB 199

March 8,2018 – The Cordova Times House Bill 199, a work in progress before the House Special Committee on Fisheries, has won the support of Alaska Youth for Environmental Action, a program of the Alaska Center Education Fund. Twenty-six young community leaders from across the state were to deliver a letter to Juneau on March 9 in support of “The …

ABB to install ‘plug-and-play’ grids in Alaska

March 7, 2018 – Wind Power Monthly UNITED STATES: Swiss grid specialist ABB has signed an agreement with a local utility in west Alaska to install two micro-grid systems in “last frontier” towns. The villages of Deering and Buckland are home to around 600 people — mostly indigenous Inupiaq people. ABB said the villages had sourced wind power, but its …

In Western Alaska, there’s water where there should be ice

February 26, 2018 – Alaska Public Media It’s been a record-breaking winter in Western Alaska. Temperatures in parts of the state have reached more than 40 degrees above normal, and sea ice cover in the Bering Sea has dropped to levels never before recorded. Last week, social media across the region lit up as residents posted photos and videos of …

To get good credit, Alaska’s fishing towns may have to factor in climate change

February 14, 2018 – Alaska Public Media Even though Alaska is warming nearly twice as fast as the rest of the U.S., its credit rating doesn’t seem to be in danger. But take a closer look at some of the state’s coastal communities and the story changes, especially when Alaska’s fishing towns consider adding climate risks to their balance sheets. …

Bill would exempt utility companies from pesticide pollution

February 15, 2018 – KTOO Public Media “I’m concerned that nobody’s going to be responsible,” [Sen. Bill Wielechowski] said. “I mean, should the manufacturer possibly be responsible? Should the person who’s applying it be responsible? It would seem to me, there should be some responsibility somewhere other than the person who has absolutely no say about where these poles go.” …

Mail dominance: All political eyes will be on Anchorage’s April election

February 7, 2018 – Anchorage Press “There’s sort of this narrative that you remove barriers from voting and more folks will vote, and I think there’s a lot of truth to that,” said Evan Anderson, the civic engagement coordinator for the Alaska Center Education Fund. “Overall, I expect vote by mail to increase voter satisfaction.” Read More

Ask a Climatologist: What is polar amplification?

January 10, 2018 – Alaska Public Media The Arctic is warming twice as fast as the rest of the planet. Listener Drew Grant, from Juneau, sent an email recently to our Ask a Climatologist segment wondering why the Arctic is warming so much faster. Brettschneider says it’s a phenomenon called polar amplification. Read More

GETTING PREPARED TO VOTE ON APRIL 3

Evan Anderson (AK Center) – Sol De Medianoche Let us not take our democracy for granted. Public process is open to the public for a reason, because the best decisions are made when everyone has a chance to have their voices heard. Your next chance to have your voice heard in a citywide election is just a few months away: …

Alaska Gov. Walker calls for commuter-rail study

January 10, 2018 – Progressive Railroading Alaska Gov. Bill Walker yesterday issued an executive order to establish a task force to study the feasibility of establishing commuter-rail service between Anchorage and the Matanuska-Susitna Valley. Read More