Is the US Prepared to Protect Its Arctic Interests?
The answer to this question is a resounding “no.” The U.S. is not prepared to protect its interests in the Arctic over the next decade. The primary legal regime that is being relied upon by all members of the Arctic fraternity, the Law of the Sea Convention, has not been adopted by the U.S. The operational resources needed to pursue our interests have not been funded and there is currently little prospect that they will be funded in the near future. U.S. interests in the Arctic are vast.
Warming Aids Arctic Economies, but Short of 'Cold Rush'
Climate change is aiding shipping, fisheries and tourism in the Arctic but the economic gains fall short of a "cold rush" for an icy region where temperatures are rising twice as fast as the world average. A first cruise ship will travel the icy Northwest Passage north of Canada in 2016, Iceland has unilaterally set itself mackerel quotas as stocks shift north and Greenland is experimenting with crops such as tomatoes. Yet businesses, including oil and gas companies or mining firms looking north, face risks including that permafrost will thaw and ruin ice roads, buildings and pipelines.
Alaska Welcomes USCG Admiral Papp Arctic Assignment
Alaska Senate Majority informs that it welcomes news that Admiral Robert J. Papp Jr., the 24th Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard since May 25, 2010, has been appointed by the U.S. State Department as a Special Representative for the Arctic Region. The Co-chairs also were very pleased to see Fran Ulmer, President Obama's Chair of the U.S. Arctic Research Commission, named Special Advisor on Arctic Science and Policy. “As Co-Chairs of the Alaska Arctic Policy Commission, we have fought hard to make sure Alaska’s voice is heard. We would like to congratulate Admiral Papp on his appointment and look forward to working closely with him in the future, and helping him understand Alaska’s unique position and interests in the Arctic.” said Senator Lesil McGuire.
Key Arctic Bills Introduced by Alaska Senator
New bills introduced by US Senator Mark Begich are aimed to strengthen Arctic science, health and diplomacy. "As we face an Arctic Ocean which is increasingly ice-free, our country has both an historic opportunity and enormous challenges,” U.S. Sen. Mark Begich said. Strengthening America’s understanding of changes underway in the Arctic, the impacts of Arctic warming on the health of northern residents and strengthening the nation’s international presence in the Arctic are the subjects of three bills recently introduced in the Senate by Begich .
USARC Calls for Arctic Oil Spill Research
The U.S. Arctic Research Commission believes that the U.S. needs a robust research program to address spill response in broken ice, as shipping moves into the Arctic Ocean and offshore oil drilling - in several Arctic nations - moves forward. Mead Treadwell, chair of the U.S. Arctic Research Commission, prepared testimony for the August 20 field hearing in Anchorage of the U.S. Senate's Homeland Security Subcommittee of the Senate Appropriations Committee. Treadwell told the committee that, contrary to laws passed by Congress after the Exxon Valdez oil spill disaster in 1989, a significant national oil spill research program does not exist, nor is one planned to fit the special needs of the Arctic. It was anticipated that the U.S.
Underprepared for Maritime Accidents
The UNH/NOAA said that the existing infrastructure for responding to maritime accidents in the Arctic is limited and more needs to be done to enhance emergency response capacity as Arctic sea ice declines and ship traffic in the region increases, according to new report released on Jan. 29 by the University of New Hampshire and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The report details findings from a panel of experts and decision-makers from Arctic nation governments…
Coast Guard Reauthorization Bill Addresses Objectives of USARC
U.S. Arctic Research Commission (USARC) issues this statement in support of the Coast Guard Reauthorization Bill recently introduced by Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and Committee Chairman Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii). Several items in this bill are responsive to the Commission’s Summary Report on Goals and Objectives for Arctic Research 2007, delivered to the White House and Congress earlier this year. In that report, USARC called for an assessment of Arctic research infrastructure needs, research into oil spills in ice-covered waters, and appropriate investment in new research platforms, including icebreakers, and forward basing to support the nation’s Arctic research programs.
