Governor Issues Statement on Resignation of John Katz. Governor Sean Parnell issued the following statement on the resignation of John Katz, director of state and federal relations and special counsel to the governor in Washington, D.C. "For more than 40 years, John has served Alaska with dedication, integrity and professionalism. John's work during his distinguished career has significantly shaped public policy that has made Alaska a better place. It has been a privilege working with John, he will be greatly missed and I wish him all the best in the future." Alaska Business Monthly 

Group Urges Research Into Aggressive Efforts to Fight Climate Change. With political action on curbing greenhouse gases stalled, a bipartisan panel of scientists, former government officials and national security experts is recommending that the government begin researching a radical fix: directly manipulating the Earth's climate to lower the temperature. Members said they hoped that such extreme engineering techniques, which include scattering particles in the air to mimic the cooling effect of volcanoes or stationing orbiting mirrors in space to reflect sunlight, would never be needed. But in its report, to be released on Tuesday, the panel said it is time to begin researching and testing such ideas in case "the climate system reaches a 'tipping point' and swift remedial action is required." New York Times 

Stalled in Senate Since May, Nomination for Deputy Commerce Post Withdrawn. President Obama has withdrawn the nomination of Terry D. Garcia to be the deputy Commerce secretary. Obama had nominated Garcia, an executive vice president at the National Geographic Society and a former Commerce Department official, in May, but the nomination has not advanced in the Senate. Also still pending is Obama's nomination of John Bryson to be Commerce Secretary. Senate Republicans had vowed to block Bryson's nomination until Obama had submitted trade deals with South Korea, Colombia and Panama to Congress. After Obama submitted the trade pacts on Monday, a spokesman for the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee said that the panel would soon mark up the Bryson nomination. Congressional Quarterly

Unprecedented Arctic Ozone Loss Last Winter. A NASA-led study has documented an unprecedented depletion of Earth's protective ozone layer above the Arctic last winter and spring caused by an unusually prolonged period of extremely low temperatures in the stratosphere. Science Daily 

Canada's Commitment to Ozone Study. The discovery of an Arctic ozone hole of unprecedented size is in the headlines at the same time as the news that the federal government plans to cut staff working on Canada's study and monitoring of the ozone layer. The coincidence suggests that the government should perhaps think harder about its commitment to monitoring the ozone layer. The hole that appeared in Earth's protective layer above the Arctic was the biggest recorded in the northern hemisphere. Since the ozone layer works as a shield against the sun's ultraviolet radiation and its absence exposes humans to the dangers of skin cancer and cataracts, the finding is worrisome. Montreal Gazette

Chukchi Lease Sale Stands. The federal government is upholding the 2008 oil and gas lease sale in the Chukchi Sea. The sale was challenged in court and last year, a judge required the Interior Department to complete a supplemental environmental impact statement and then decide whether to vacate the sale. Environmental groups are disappointed in the decision, saying drilling should not move forward until more is known about the Arctic Ocean environment. Alaska Public Radio  

Shell Exes See Icebreaker Being Built in Larose. Shell Oil executives came to Larose for a look at their unfinished 360-foot icebreaker - the biggest and one of the most advanced ever built by Edison Chouest Offshore. Shell awarded the contract for the arctic supply vessel in 2009, in anticipation of recently won permits to drill in the Beaufort Sea off the Alaskan coast. It's designed to stabilize oil rigs and protect them from ice in rough Arctic waters. "You work on it and you hear about it, but eventually you just want to come down and kick the iron," Pete Slaiby, vice president of Shell Alaska, told The Courier (http://bit.ly/prcFlZ) on Friday during his first visit to the ship. The hull towered more than 30 feet above him at Chouest's Shipyard North American facilities in Larose. Alaska Journal of Commerce

Beluga Whales Are Beautiful, Yet Toxic? The high amount of Persistent Organic Pollutants is threatening the ancient hunting culture of the Arctic. Belugas have always been hunted in small numbers and have been a good source of protein and Omega 3 fatty acids. The blubber and skin together called Muktuk is still a delicacy in Inuit communities but unfortunately this is also where most toxins are to be found. POPs can cause cancer and many other malign diseases in humans and thus the Beluga is loosing it value as prey. A very sad way to put a stop to over hunting, but nonetheless a good picture of the reality of the issue. National Geographic