WASHINGTON, Aug. 6 -- A coalition of 14 environmental organizations has submitted a public comment letter to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) opposing its proposal to rescind the Management and Protection Regulations for the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (Reserve). The coalition argues that the rescission would eliminate essential protections for unique subsistence resources and ecological values in the Reserve. The BLM's management regulations were adopted in 2024 and, according to the   more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 8 -- The U.S. Air Force issued the following news: * * * ACE: forging Multi-Capable Airmen in the Indo-Pacific * KADENA AIR BASE, Japan (AFNS) -- U.S. Air Force Airmen from Kadena Air Base and Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, alongside Marine Corps Air Station Futenma Marines, recently completed a joint Agile Combat Employment training event at Okuma Recreation Facility, July 15-23. The multi-day exercise focused on one key goal: developing warfighters trained to e  more

SEATTLE, Aug. 5 [Category: BizAerospace] -- Alaska Airlines, a subsidiary of Alaska Air Group, issued the following news release: * * * Alaska Airlines continues international expansion with new flights to London and Reykjavik... * Our daily nonstop to London Heathrow will connect business and leisure travelers to the largest intercontinental market from Seattle, our growing global gateway For the first time, we're showcasing the striking new exterior design of Alaska-branded 787-9 long-ha  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 4 -- The Alaska Airmen's Association (AAA), a non-profit organization representing over 2,000 members, has submitted a public comment letter to the U.S. Department of Transportation regarding the proposed establishment, modification, and revocation of Class E airspace in Alaska. The AAA's mission emphasizes the promotion, protection, and preservation of general aviation in the state. In its correspondence, the Alaska Airmen's Association expressed support for the efforts to cle  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 6 -- The Alaska Oil and Gas Association (AOGA) has submitted a public comment letter to the U.S. Department of the Interior expressing strong support for the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) proposal to rescind the "Management and Protection of the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska" regulations. In the letter, AOGA argues that the rules, initially enacted on May 7, 2024, exceed the agency's authority and contradict the intentions of Congress regarding the National Petroleum   more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 3 -- The Alaska Professional Hunters Association submitted a public comment letter to the U.S. Department of the Interior requesting a policy change that would allow hunting guides to respond to client evaluations. The APHA argues this would reduce regulatory burden. The association's letter was sent to Secretary Douglas Burgum in response to a regulatory reform request for information. The APHA explains that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service uses client evaluations of hunting  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 3 -- American Bird Conservancy, a nonprofit organization focused on bird conservation, has submitted a public comment letter to the U.S. Department of the Interior urging the agency to abandon proposed rulemaking concerning the management and protection of the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPR-A). The organization insists that the current regulations, in place since May 2024, should remain intact to ensure the preservation of wildlife, particularly sensitive bird species  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 6 -- The American Petroleum Institute (API) has submitted a public comment letter to the U.S. Department of the Interior expressing support for the proposed rescission of the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) 2024 regulations regarding the management and protection of the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPR-A). API argues that the existing rules significantly contradict congressional directives and hinder oil and gas development essential for national energy security. The  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 7 -- The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee posted the following news release: * * * Begich Silent as Tariffs Drive Up Back-to-School and Prescription Drug Costs * As Alaska families brace for rising costs on everything from school supplies to prescription drugs, Nick Begich is nowhere to be found -- not at town halls, and certainly not standing up for the people he was elected to represent. Why? Because he'd have to explain why he's failing to make life more affo  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 6 -- The Center for Biological Diversity has issued a public comment letter to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) urging the agency to revoke its proposal to rescind the "Management and Protection of the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska" regulations, originally established in a final rule last year. The organization argues that the proposed rescission threatens to convert a unique landscape into an industrial oil field, which could contribute to worsening climate conditions  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 4 -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Coast Guard issued the following news release: * * * Coast Guard rescues 4 people from sinking vessel in Gulf of Alaska * KODIAK, Alaska -- The Coast Guard rescued four people from a sinking vessel in the Gulf of Alaska, Friday. Watchstanders at the Coast Guard Arctic District command center in Juneau received a report at approximately 10:17 a.m. that the 110-foot tug vessel Sea Ranger was taking on water 130 miles south of Cor  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 6 -- The Conservation Lands Foundation (CLF) and Friends Grassroots Network issued a public comment letter to the U.S. Department of the Interior's Bureau of Land Management (BLM) expressing strong opposition to the proposed rescission of the "Management and Protection of the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska" Final Rule, known as the 2024 Rule. These groups, representing various communities throughout the western United States, argue that the rescission compromises ecologica  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 6 -- Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, issued the following news release: * * * Delegation Reintroduces Landless Legislation to Address Decades-Long Injustice * Bill allows for new Native Corporations for 5 Landless Communities in Southeast Alaska Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, and Representative Nick Begich, all R-Alaska, today issued statements on the reintroduction of legislation that would allow the Alaska Native communities of Haines, Ket  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 5 -- The Democratic National Committee issued the following news release: * * * ICYMI: Democrats Launch "Organizing Summer" Blitz to Press Republicans on Trump's Billionaire-First Budget Key Point: "Democrats are launching a nationwide summer blitz designed to force vulnerable Republicans to defend President Donald Trump's big tax breaks and spending cuts bill -- especially Medicaid cuts that will leave millions of Americans without health care coverage. ... The Democratic Na  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 5 -- The U.S. Department of Defense, through its Alaska District, has announced a funding opportunity targeting wetland restoration utilizing Engineering with Nature (EWN) solutions. With an award ceiling of $66,000, this initiative aims to assist the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) in enhancing the Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL) Permafrost Tunnel Research Facility (PTRF) near Fort Wainwright, Alaska.  more

ATLANTA, Georgia, Aug. 7 (TNSjou) -- Emory University Rollins School of Public Health issued the following news release: * * * Affordable Programs Prevent Youth Substance Misuse While overdose deaths in the U.S. sharply declined in 2024, they remain high. Almost 90,000 Americans died from drug overdoses between October 2023 and September 2024. Overdose death rates are particularly high in American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) people. The earlier someone starts substance use, the more lik  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 5 -- The FBI issued the following news release on Aug. 4, 2025: * * * FBI Anchorage Announces $10,000 Reward in Search for Fugitive Esthepen Delossantos Pebenito Today, the FBI Anchorage Field Office announced a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Esthepen Delossantos Pebenito, also known as "Pepe" or "Stephen Pebenito," who is wanted for his alleged involvement in the distribution of methamphetamine in Anchorage, Alaska, in 2019.   more

ANCHORAGE, Alaska, Aug. 8 -- GCI, a telecommunications company, issued the following news release: * * * Fiber deployments underway in multiple Aleutians Fiber Project communities Crews are building local fiber-to-the-premises networks in Chignik Lake, Chignik Lagoon, Perryville and False Pass * ANCHORAGE, Alaska - The Aleutians Fiber Project is entering the final stretch with work underway in Chignik Lake, Chignik Lagoon, Perryville and False Pass. These communities are four of the project  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 3 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R44692) on July 17, 2025, entitled "Five-Year Offshore Oil and Gas Leasing Program: Status and Issues in Brief" by natural resources policy specialist Laura B. Comay. Here are excerpts: * * * Contents Leasing Program Status ... 1 Selected Issues for Congress ... 4 Number of Sales in the 2024-2029 Program ... 4 Timing Considerations for the Five-Year Program ... 5 Regional Leasing Decisions  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 7 -- The House Natural Resources Committee issued a report (H.Rpt. 119-188) on the Alaska Native Vietnam Era Veterans Land Allotment Extension Act (H.R. 410), which aims to extend the Alaska Native Vietnam era veterans land allotment program. The report was advanced by Rep. Bruce Westerman, R-Arkansas, on July 10, 2025. Here are excerpts: * * * Purpose of the Legislation The purpose of H.R. 410 is to extend the Alaska Native Vietnam era veterans land allotment program, and f  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 5 -- Rep. Jared Huffman, D-California, ranking member of the House Natural Resources Committee, issued the following news release on Aug. 4, 2025: * * * Huffman, Markey Lead Colleagues in Opposing Trump's Reckless Threats to the Western Arctic Today, Natural Resources Ranking Member Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), and 27 Democratic colleagues wrote to the Department of the Interior condemning the Trump administration's move to eliminate protectio  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 4 -- Rep. Jared Huffman, D-California, issued the following news release: * * * Huffman, Markey Lead Colleagues in Opposing Trump's Reckless Threats to the Western Arctic * Washington, D.C. - Today, Natural Resources Ranking Member Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), and 27 Democratic colleagues wrote to the Department of the Interior condemning the Trump administration's move to eliminate protections for the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska, on  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 8 -- The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee posted the following news release: * * * IN THE STATES: Republican Senators Bring Home Higher Prices, Economic Chaos, and Health Care Cuts for August Recess * This August recess, Senate Republicans are returning to their home states with baggage that includes spiked costs, Medicaid cuts, and an economy in freefall - and they're feeling the heat from their constituents. From Alaska to Georgia, Iowa to Maine, Michigan to Nort  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 4 -- The U.S. Air Force issued the following news: * * * Joint forces conclude Red Flag-Alaska 25-3 EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska (AFNS) -- Personnel from each U.S. military branch concluded the two-week, joint force training exercise, Red Flag-Alaska 25-3, at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska.  "The purpose of Red Flag-Alaska is for the joint force to practice combat skills we don't normally get to practice at a home station," said U.S. Air Force Col. Christian Bergtholdt, R  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 3 -- Kuukpik Corp., the Alaska Native Village Corporation for Nuiqsut, has issued a public comment letter to the U.S. Department of the Interior Acting Assistant Secretary, Land and Minerals Management requesting the rescission of the Management and Protection of the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska Final Rule. The letter outlines the corporation's concerns that the existing rule is too extreme and lacks clarity in key areas, ultimately hindering the balance between subsiste  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 6 -- Landmark Legal Foundation has submitted a comment letter to the Bureau of Land Management regarding a proposed rule aimed at rescinding the current management and protection regulations for the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska. The organization argues that the proposal is necessary to restore a balance between environmental protections and the essential development of oil and natural gas resources. The letter outlines what Landmark considers the shortcomings of the exi  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 5 -- Sen. Edward J. Markey, D-Massachusetts, issued the following news release: * * * Markey, Huffman Lead Colleagues in Opposing Trump's Reckless Threats to the Western Arctic * Washington (August 5, 2025) - Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), member of the Environment and Public Works Committee, and Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the House Natural Resources Committee, led 27 Democratic colleagues in writing to the Department of the Interior condemning the Trum  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 6 -- The Maryland Ornithological Society submitted a public comment letter to the Bureau of Land Management opposing the recission of management and protection measures for the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPR-A). The organization argues that the recission threatens crucial habitats for numerous bird species as they continue to face alarming population declines. The society maintains that the NPR-A is a vital breeding and molting ground for various bird populations, pa  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 8 -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Coast Guard issued the following news release: * * * MEDIA ADVISORY: Coast Guard to commission Coast Guard Cutter Storis in Juneau * JUNEAU, Alaska -- The Coast Guard is scheduled to hold a commissioning ceremony for Coast Guard Cutter Storis, the service's first new icebreaker in 25 years, Sunday. WHO: Adm. Kevin Lunday, acting Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard. WHAT: Commissioning ceremony for Coast Guard Cutter Storis and  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 8 -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Coast Guard issued the following news release: * * * MEDIA AVAILABILITY: Coast Guard to commission Coast Guard Cutter Earl Cunningham (WPC 1159) in Kodiak, Alaska * KODIAK, Alaska -- The Coast Guard is scheduled to hold a commissioning ceremony for Coast Guard Cutter Earl Cunningham (WPC 1159), the service's newest Fast Response Cutter (FRC), Monday. WHO: Adm. Kevin Lunday, acting commandant of the Coast Guard; Lt. Fredrick Sco  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 6 -- The U.S. Air Force issued the following news: * * * Meink wraps Indo-Pacific visit, emphasizes alliances, integrated readiness * ARLINGTON, Va. (AFNS) -- Secretary of the Air Force Troy E. Meink concluded a multi-nation visit to the Indo-Pacific region, where he met with senior defense officials, observed multinational training and visited with Airmen and Guardians supporting Department-Level Exercise 2025. The trip included stops in Hawaii, Guam, the Philippines, Japa  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 6 -- The U.S. Space Force issued the following news: * * * Meink wraps Indo-Pacific visit, emphasizes alliances, integrated readiness * ARLINGTON, Va. (AFNS) -- Secretary of the Air Force Troy E. Meink concluded a multi-nation visit to the Indo-Pacific region, where he met with senior defense officials, observed multinational training and visited with Airmen and Guardians supporting Department-Level Exercise 2025. The trip included stops in Hawaii, Guam, the Philippines,  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 6 -- The Montgomery Bird Club (MBC) has submitted a public comment letter to the Bureau of Land Management opposing the proposed recission of the Management and Protection of the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska. The members of the organization are adamant that the government's rationale for this recission lacks credibility and poses a threat to crucial wildlife habitats. In its letter, MBC highlights two primary points of concern regarding the federal government's claims o  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 9 -- The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) has submitted a public comment letter to the U.S. Department of the Army challenging the agency's interim final rule that rescinds its National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) implementing regulation at 32 CFR Part 651. This action, according to NCAI, undermines the process of Tribal consultation and could compromise protections for Tribal lands and resources. In the letter, the NCAI emphasizes the importance of robust Triba  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 4 -- The U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service issued the following news release: * * * New housing project completed in Glacier Bay with Great American Outdoors Act Funding * News Release Date: August 4, 2025 Contact: Matthew Cahill, Public Information Officer, 907-697-2230 Bartlett Cove, Alaska. - Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve recently completed a $19 million construction contract funded by the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) Legacy Restora  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 9 -- DALS Credit Solutions Co has submitted a public comment letter to the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), urging the agency to take crucial steps in advancing competitiveness within its procurement system, especially for non-tribal small businesses. The organization emphasizes that Executive Order 14265 presents a timely opportunity to address systemic inequities that have long hindered these independent contractors. The letter highlights that non-tribal small business contr  more

ANCHORAGE, Alaska, Aug. 9 -- GCI, a telecommunications company, issued the following news release: * * * Project crews continue fiber deployment in more AIRRAQ Network communities The joint Bethel Native Corporation-GCI project will bring fiber-optic connectivity to 13 Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta communities * ANCHORAGE, Alaska - On the heels of the launch of 2.5 gig residential internet speeds in Bethel, the first community connected through the AIRRAQ Network, project crews remain hard at work   more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 5 -- Rep. W. Greg Steube, R-Florida, issued the following news release: * * * Rep. Steube and Sen. Sullivan Introduce SAFE Act * WASHINGTON -- U.S. Representative Greg Steube (R-Fla.) joined with Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) today in introducing the Securing Academia from Foreign Entanglements (SAFE) Act. This bill addresses financial contributions from hostile countries to universities in the United States. "Students and faculty deserve full confidence that their unive  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 7 -- Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vermont, issued the following news release: * * * Senate Unanimously Passes Bipartisan Welch-Murkowski Resolution Celebrating U.S.-Denmark Friendship * Bipartisan resolution recognizes decades of deep and enduring friendship between Denmark and the U.S.; Resolution earned support from Danish officials WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) celebrated the Senate's unanimous passage of his bipartisan resolution, led with Senator Lisa Mu  more

NORFOLK, Virginia, Aug. 7 [Category: Animals] -- People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals issued the following news release: * * * Tables Turned: PETA Tells Kraken to Stop Hooking Fish After Bear Scare * Seattle - In response to a now-viral video showing the Seattle Kraken mascot, Buoy, being charged at by a grizzly bear while fishing in Alaska, PETA sent a letter today to Seattle Kraken CEO Tod Leiweke, encouraging the team to bench their rods and leave fish in peace now that they know w  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 6 -- Turtle Island Restoration Network (TIRN), Forest Knolls, California, has submitted a public comment letter to the U.S. Department of the Interior expressing strong opposition to the proposed rescission of the "Management and Protection of the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska" regulations. This proposal seeks to rollback protections for 13 million acres of ecologically vital land in the Arctic, which TIRN argues poses a serious threat to wildlife and local communities.   more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 4 -- The Native Village of Dot Lake has submitted a public comment letter to several U.S. federal agencies, including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Department of Energy, and U.S. Department of Transportation, requesting a reassessment of recently revised National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regulations. The letter highlights significant concerns regarding the impact of the Interim Final Rules that were published on July 3, 2025, and   more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 8 -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Coast Guard issued the following news release: * * * U.S. Coast Guard Responds to Increased Chinese Research Vessel Activity in U.S. Arctic * JUNEAU, Alaska -- The U.S. Coast Guard detected and responded to two Chinese research vessels operating in the U.S. Arctic and is currently monitoring a total of five similar vessels in or near the U.S Arctic. On August 5, a C-130J Hercules fixed wing aircraft from Air Station Kodiak resp  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 5 (TNSLrpt) -- The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, has published a report detailing a three-tiered strategy for monitoring eelgrass beds in Izembek Lagoon, Alaska. The report, titled 'Mapping Eelgrass (Zostera marina) Cover and Biomass at Izembek Lagoon, Alaska, Using In-Situ Field Data and Sentinel-2 Satellite Imagery,' was prepared by David C. Douglas, Michael D. Fleming, Vijay P. Patil, and David H. Ward. The document, Open-File  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 5 (TNSLrpt) -- A report from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) titled 'Selected Special Conditions Affecting Peak Streamflow and Extreme Floods in Alaska Through Water Year 2022' sheds light on the complex factors behind the state's most powerful flood events. The document, prepared in cooperation with the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities, was authored by Janet H. Curran and issued in 2025 as Scientific Investigations Report 2025-5056. The report invento  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 8 -- The Voice of the Arctic Inupiat (VOICE), a nonprofit organization dedicated to the cultural and economic self-determination of the North Slope Inupiat, has submitted a public comment letter to the U.S. Department of the Interior issuing firm opposition against recent changes in management and protection of the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPR-A). The letter highlights deep concerns over the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) Final Rule regarding oil and gas leasing   more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 8 -- The U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service issued the following news release: * * * Whale Waters Update for Glacier Bay Effective August 9, 2025 * News Release Date: August 8, 2025 Contact: Matthew Cahill, Public Information Officer, 907-697-2230 BARTLETT COVE, ALASKA - Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve Acting Superintendent Joni Seay announced today that the 13-knot vessel speed limit is being removed around South Sandy Cove and Garforth Island  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 3 -- Winfluence Strategies & Consulting, a D.C.-based small business and commercial fishing firm, has submitted a public comment letter to the U.S. Department of the Interior advocating for the rescission of the 2024 National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPR-A) Rule. The organization emphasizes that the rule was implemented without proper consultation and overlooks the needs of local communities during crucial subsistence times. According to Winfluence Strategies, the 2024 ru  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 6 -- The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has submitted a public comment letter to the U.S. Department of the Interior's Bureau of Land Management (BLM) expressing strong opposition to the proposed rescission of the 2024 regulations that govern the Management and Protection of the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPR-A). The organization argues that removing these regulations would disrupt a vital regulatory framework designed to balance energy development with the preservation of  more