October 9, 2014

The Alaska Arctic Policy Commission has asked the U.S. State Department to prioritize Arctic resource extraction during the 2-year U.S. chairmanship of the Arctic Council starting in 2015. The Arctic Council is an intergovernmental committee composed of eight member countries with territory in the Arctic Circle as well as Arctic Indigenous communities and a number of non-Arctic observer states. The U.S. will serve as chair of the Council from May 2015 to May 2017.

The Commission’s letter expresses concern for Alaska jobs and economic stability and discourages expanding wilderness areas or regulation. Alaska relies on oil industry revenues for 90 percent of the state’s discretionary budget so resource development is of particular interest. The Commission also requested that the White House form an Arctic Council Advisory Committee, composed of state, local and Alaska Native representatives to increase stakeholder involvement in the U.S. chairmanship.

The Commission requested federal assistance for Native communities affected by climate change, including villages along the northwest coast of Alaska, where changing shorelines and melting permafrost threaten infrastructure.

Sources: Alaska Arctic Policy Commission, the Arctic Council, E&E News

Updated 11/4/2014