John Boehner Rules Out Continuing Resolution. With little time remaining before Congress departs for the holidays, Speaker John Boehner ruled out a continuing resolution to wrap up the remaining appropriations bills at a GOP Conference meeting today. "The Speaker said this morning, 'no CR,'" said Rep. Steven LaTourette (Ohio), a member of the Appropriations Committee. Roll Call

Cairn Sinks After Greenland Drilling Failure. Having already drilled three dry holes this year, the oil explorer confirmed that it had plugged and abandoned the final two wells drilled in 2011, further illustrating the challenges of striking black gold in the vast, little-explored terrain. Cairn, whose Greenland program has cost around $1bn (£637m) so far, said it would review the data gathered and that it was in discussions with potential partners about buying into its Greenland licenses. The Telegraph 

New Estimate Boosts Permafrost Contribution to Climate Change. An international group of researchers believes greenhouse gases from thawing permafrost will be released at a much faster rate than previously estimated, which could have significant implications for climate change projections. A survey of 41 scientists - including seven University of Alaska Fairbanks researchers - estimates the amount of carbon released from thawing permafrost by 2100 will be 1.7 to 5.2 times larger than previously estimated. Their conclusions, reported Wednesday in the scientific journal Nature, describe permafrost thawing as a likely accelerator of global warming. The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

Lieutenant Governor Calls for US Icebreakers in Arctic. Climate warming means more people are using Arctic waters, Alaska's lieutenant governor said Wednesday, and an even greater need for the country to maintain its presence in the region with polar ice breakers. "We're missing the boat while other nations are expanding their icebreaker fleet," Mead Treadwell said. Treadwell will bring that message to Washington, D.C., today, when he is scheduled to testify at a hearing of the House Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation chaired by Rep. Frank LoBiondo, R-N.J. The News Tribune

Inuit Sleds Being Built for Arctic Sovereignty Patrols. The future of Arctic sovereignty will be riding on traditional Inuit wooden sleds that are being assembled by a group of Canadian Rangers in Yellowknife. The nine Rangers have been tasked with building more than 30 qamutiks - sleds that are traditionally used to haul supplies over snow and ice - for use in guarding remote northern regions and promoting Canada's claim of sovereignty over the Arctic. CBC News

Alaska Science Forum: A Better Look at Glaciers on the Go. Using some of the great datasets available today, Mark Fahnestock figured the average winter temperatures of the Arctic from the time he was born until he was 10 years old. He compared that data to the same period in his son's life, finding the Arctic has warmed about five degrees since Fahnestock was his son's age. All that warmth affects things, the scientist said at a recent meeting in Fairbanks. "The glaciers are getting the message," Fahnestock said. As a glaciologist with the University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute, Fahnestock has witnessed some of the world's great glaciers purge colossal amounts of ice out to the sea. He showed a video clip of a massive Greenland glacier calving off half a billion tons of ice in a few minutes as he and his coworkers looked on. The transfer of ice to the sea was so dramatic it made the ground move, just a hair, in South Dakota, Fahnestock said. Capital City Weekly

Begich Calls for Funding Accurate Weather Forecasting. The federal government should improve its ability to forecast severe weather, such as the 100-year storm which hammered Alaska's northwestern coast, according to U.S. Sen. Mark Begich who chaired a Senate subcommittee hearing on the importance of accurate and reliable weather forecasting. Begich, chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries and the Coast Guard cited the hurricane-force storm that slammed into Western Alaska and the record number of weather-related disasters plaguing nearly every region of the country. In the hearing, Begich called for a series of solutions to better prepare for and respond to future storms. Senator Mark Begich

Delegation Wants Equal Treatment for Alaska's Fisheries. Alaska's Congressional Delegation sent a letter to Dr. Jane Lubchenco - the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Administrator - making the case that Alaska's waters should receive the funds necessary to improve operations, while similar endeavors are being funded on an ongoing basis in New England and on the West Coast. "You have made commitments to fund observers in other regions while they transition to catch share programs," wrote the delegation.  "We are concerned funding observers in these regions might jeopardize your ability to provide start up funds for the restructured North Pacific Groundfish Observer Program.  Meanwhile, the burden imposed on fishermen in Alaska's small boats and 60 -foot to 125-foot vessel fleets would be unwarranted." Senator Mark Begich