It’s surprisingly easy to stake a mining claim on public land in much of the United States, but a significant portion of Alaska is off-limits… at least for now.

My latest for High Country News

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Alaska Community Foundation creates fund to accept donations for storm-ravaged western Alaska adn.com/alaska-news/20…

Can’t even get aid to the Native Village of Scammon Bay (a federally recognized tribe) because their airport is gone

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DHSEM is working with the NWS to provide western AK with the up-to-date info and urge preparedness. Local, state, federal, tribal, and non-gov agencies and response orgs are aware and are preparing their response capabilities. The SEOC will continue to monitor the situation.

It’s coming. Be safe Western AK.

Lots of important projects recently got an influx of federal dollars in Southeast Alaska (Indigenous land stewardship, salmon habitat restoration, climate monitoring/action). HOW they're funded is also remarkable. My latest for High Country News:

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It's official: Mary Peltola will be sworn in on the 13th to serve the remainder of Rep. Don Young's term.

House clerk has recvd the offical election results.

Peltola gets his old office in Rayburn (minus the bear skin and animal heads) and his old office number.

Last day looking for beaver activity on #NorthSlope on the Ivishak. Found no sign of beaver activity but found thaw slump features! While these are happening w/o #beavers , their presence could accelerate #permafrostthaw . Some great lights treated us at our last Toolik Field Station bonfire!

Curious how Alaska's new rep in Congress Mary Peltola stands on environmental issues? Avery Lill snagged an interview with her for High Country News, give it a read! hcn.org/articles/north…

'I am pro-resource development. At the same time, I recognize that we've got to make sure that our ecosystems are healthy and balanced,' Mary Peltola told me in an interview for High Country News

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In this comic, Sólveig Eva asks: 'How much talent has gone uncelebrated because we feel entitled to women’s work?' Read more 👇 (1/4)

BREAKING: Mary Peltola (Mary Peltola) wins special election for Alaska’s sole seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Peltola is Yupik and is the first Alaska Native to ever be elected to the U.S. Congress.

Shrub expansion across the tundra is visible from space! In satellite images, areas dominated by shrubs are greener than open tundra during the summer. It's propelled by climate change and has cascading effects on ecosystems High Country News
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