The Arctic This Week August 10

The Arctic This Week August 10 - 16, 2015

By Doris Friedrich,Mike McCormack, Seth Myers and Ryan Uljua August 19, 2015

Photo: Flickr/blmiers2

Welcome and thanks for joining us this week! We hope that you find TATW interesting and entertaining to read. If you’re not a subscriber yet, you can sign up here. As always, all editorial choices, opinions and any mistakes are the authors’ own. Anything that we missed? Please feel free to share material with us if you think it deserves inclusion in TATW.

THIS WEEK’S TOP STORIES

Shell receives final approval for Chukchi Sea drilling as Fennica returns

The Obama administration has granted Shell its final permit needed to undertake oil exploration activities in the Chukchi Sea. Although Shell had already begun initial drilling, it needed to wait for the return of the icebreaker Fennica, which is carrying a blowout prevention system, to the area before drilling into deeper, oil-bearing rock. Fennica returned last week following repairs in Oregon (ABC). Activists have continued to condemn the government’s approval of the drilling, saying that it undermines the administration’s other climate change policies (Houston Chronicle). The former head of BP has also joined the chorus of voices speculating if the company made the right decision given the costs and potential safety issues (BBC). In a related story, the U.S. Coast Guard has stated that it will need to reduce capabilities in other mission areas in order to have resources in place should a contingency arise with the drilling (Reuters).

Norwegian coal industry key for maintaining sovereignty in Svalbard

Earlier this year, the Norwegian government’s decision to bailout the struggling Svalbard coal mining company Store Norske raised several eyebrows, mainly due to the Norwegian government’s condemnation of coal use abroad. However, as tensions heat up between Russia and Norway over sovereignty in the Svalbard archipelago, it increasingly appears like the Norwegian government’s decision to keep Store Norske running was at least in part motivated by a desire to sustain Norwegian economic activity in the region and, by extension, maintain sovereignty (AJ).

Spate of suicides in Bethel, AK prompts demonstration march

In light of a recent surge in the number of suicides in the Alaskan town of Bethel, members of the community came together last weekend to hold a demonstration march through the downtown area (AD). The march, which drew a broad spectrum of participants including politicians, healthcare workers, and kids, was held to further the topics of suicide awareness and prevention. Bethel, a town of just over 6,000 people, has recorded at least nine suicides in the past six months.

THE POLITICAL SCENE

United States

Climate Change, Not Arctic Drilling, Drives Obama Trip To Alaska (KUOW).

Cousteau: Obama can still prevent an Arctic catastrophe (Seattle Times).

North Slope Borough mayor's office dispensed over $800K in gifts, violated donation policy (AD).

McGuire prepping for Obama, Kerry visit (PN).

Europe

Russia protests to Norway over Svalbard travel restrictions (RT).

From Profit to Deficit (NORA).

Sami demand rights as indigenous people (EOTA).

Former presidential candidate John McCain comes to Norway (NRK, in Norwegian).

West Nordic Council's first honorary award went to the President of Iceland (KNR, in Danish).

Canada

Power for the North (AJ).

Russia

What’s Putin Doing in the Arctic? Trying To Keep Russians Distracted (Defense One).

The Truth About Politics and Cartography: Mapping Claims to the Arctic Seabed (The Wire).

Russia raises tensions (PN).

ENERGY

Greenland

Arctic Command investigates possible oil spill (KNR, in Danish).

Norway

Transocean faces rebuke over March incident (AB, in Norwegian).

Russia

In last week’s TATW we reported on how villages on the Kola Peninsula are drawing from renewable energy sources. More details on those projects can be found here (Bellona).

Murmansk still pins future to Arctic offshore oil (BO).

Gazprom Neft profits rise as output growth beats competitors (Bloomberg).

No discussion of private companies’ access to Russia’s Arctic oil fields in government meeting (TASS).

Rosneft buys 160 Italian helicopters for Arctic projects (BO).

United States

Ann Pickard: the little-known executive leading Shell’s gamble on Arctic oil (Guardian).

Why Shell cut ties to conservative lobby group over climate change (Bloomberg).

Opinion: How the government fast-tracked Shell’s Arctic drilling (In These Times).

Opinion: Arctic exploration is not new, just different--and safer (Bonney Lake Courier-Herald).

Lawmakers: Gov. Walker wants state to have majority stake in Alaska LNG (AD).

AIDEA gets 16 options for Interior gas (AJOC).

PTE pipeline, Exxon apply for connection (PN).

Great Bear responds to AOGCC fine on North Slope pressure testing (PN).

SAExploration seismic programs on Beaufort Sea approved (PN).

Miscellaneous

China and India go Arctic (Politico Europe).

Greeks cut Arctic deal (BO).

SCIENCE, ENVIRONMENT AND WILDLIFE

Earth sciences, climate and weather

Hometown U: Alaska’s disappearing coastline (AD).

Warming Opens Polar Shipping Route; ‘Ice-free Arctic Ocean’ by Summer 2035? (KUAC)

Study: Canada's Mackenzie River carries carbon from thawing permafrost to burial at sea (AD).

Earthquake swarm hits Yakutat (APM).

Siberia on fire (ST).

Erosion of organic carbon in the Arctic as a geological carbon dioxide sink (Nature).

Seasonal evolution of melt ponds on Arctic sea ice (Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans).

Fire in South Greenland under control (KNR, in Danish).

Here scientists see how the climate is changing (NRK, in Norwegian).

Wildlife and ecology

'Unusual' bacteria could be key to Northern muskox population's decline (CBC).

Darnley Bay researchers use drones to monitor N.W.T. beluga whales (CBC).

Major outbreak of infection in Murmansk wild salmon (BO).

Sled dog killed, another injured in musk ox goring outside Nome (AD).

Warm water killing fish in Mat-Su and Anchorage (AD).

Fears of extinction for West Siberian cranes due to cruel hunting in Iran and Pakistan (ST).

Remembering Finland bog protection controversy (EOTA).

Unraveling the mysteries of polar bear hair (EOTA).

Temporary ban on fishing reflects how fragile Arctic ecosystem is (Conversation).

Lab notes: What do Arctic lampreys eat? DNA provides a clue (NM).

Grizzly-polar bear hybrids appear in the rapidly warming Arctic (Inhabitat).

2 polar bears invade Nunavut family's campsite (CBC).

Walruses in the Arctic are running out of sea ice this year — again (Washington Post).

Environmental management

Man in bear costume taunts bears in Alaska (CBC).

Project brings salmon back to Swedish river (AD).

How to de-oil a polar bear: Grim outlook for wildlife impacts from an Arctic spill (AD).

Hunters protest single wolf kill in Sweden (EOTA).

2015 Arctic-Yukon-Kuskokwim Sustainable Salmon Initiative Final Product. “Always taught not to waste”: Traditional Knowledge and Norton Sound/Bering Strait Salmon Populations (Kawerak).

Georgia court weighs destiny of 18 captured beluga whales (Reuters).

Greenpeace holds "open boat" in Nuuk (KNR, in Danish).

Requires helicopter hunting of bears (NRK, in Norwegian).

Federal appeals court hears arguments on polar bear habitat (AD).

Expeditions & research blogs

FIU professor leading historic Arctic research expedition (FIU).

Students' Arctic adventure revealed 'a living and beautiful place' (Ottawa Citizen).

Research and university news

Extreme diving, crucial to Arctic research (AFP).

Programmed Multicopter Flies Through the Arctic Autonomously (AWI).

Arctic-Proof Drone to Study Climate Change (MarEx).

Russia’s North Pole-2015 station officially ends its Arctic mission (TASS).

Arctic scientists collaborate on climate research (AS).

FEFU Scientists propose creating Arctic campus for researchers (UArctic).

8th NRF Open Assembly and Trans Arctic Agenda organized in Iceland in Oct 2015 (UArctic).

Upcoming Polar Week - International Polar Week Fall 2015 (APECS).

History & Archaeology

The loneliest camp on Earth (AS).

Fresh discoveries of ancient man's bone in Altai Mountains cave (ST).

Researcher travels to Barrow for 80th anniversary of Will Rogers' death (AD).

An Arctic Blast from the Past (Houstonia).

MILITARY / SEARCH & RESCUE

United States

USCG Increasing Arctic Presence (MarEx).

Pentagon Report: Better preparedness in the Arctic required (NRK, in Norwegian).

Russia

Should Russia prepare to combat terrorism in Arctic? (RBTH).

The military gambit behind Putin's Arctic ambitions for Russian oil (OilVoice).

Russia, NATO Drills Fan Tensions as Europe on Edge, ELN Says (Bloomberg).

Russian nuclear submarine launched after modernization (BO).

Russia invites new countries to participate in Army Games-2016 (TASS).

Russia’s maritime doctrine keeps focus on strengthening Russian positions among sea powers (TASS).

Russian Missile Warning System Can Detect Mass Launch of Ballistic Missiles (Sputnik).

Aviation Complex: What Russian Air Force Wants to Fly in XXI Century (Sputnik).

Russia explores sunken American naval vessel (EOTA).

Canada

Harper Leaves Door Open For Canada To Join Ballistic Missile Defence Program (HP).

MINING

First controversial iron shipment sets sail from Baffinland's Mary River mine

The first cargo ship loaded with iron ore from the Mary River mine in Nunavut left Canada bound for Germany last week (CBC). The shipment is notable because its the first such vessel to depart from the Mary River mine via Pond Inlet since the Canadian government controversially stepped in and allowed Baffinland to conduct year-round shipping at the site, overruling a previous decision by Nunavut regulators

Greenland uranium approval?

The director of Australian-owned Greenland Minerals and Energy, a company that has led uranium exploration projects in Greenland since 2007, believes his firm will be granted government approval to start extraction activities as early as 2016, despite protests from locals (AJ).

Alaska

Weathering low prices: Alaska precious metals mines find ways to drive down costs, bolster production (PN).

Mine misgivings: Proposed mines near Southeast Alaska raise concerns (AD).

News Nuggets: Northern Dynasty plans to raise C$20M (PN).

News Nuggets: Land swap clears Willow Creek access (PN).

News Nuggets: Partners expand Hilltop gold footprint (PN).

Canada

URANIUM: More high grades from Patterson Lake South (CMJ).

GOLD: Kaminak reports infill results at Coffee project (CMJ).

GOLD-SILVER: Rockhaven drills high grades at Klaza (CMJ).

Northern Neighbors: First Klaza holes show growth potential (PN).

Northern Neighbors: Prairie Creek drilling cuts high grades (PN).