Senate Committee Hears Testimony on Native Languages Bill. Most of the 2012 legislative session has focused on securing Alaska's future - through oil tax reform, natural gas and better education - but on Tuesday the Senate State Affairs Committee heard testimony on preserving part of Alaska's heritage - Native languages. During testimony for a measure that would establish the Alaska Native Language Preservation and Advisory Council many experts and Native advocates told the Senate that Alaska Native languages - a bastion of Native culture and identity - are at risk of going extinct and need protection. Fairbanks Daily News Miner  

National Task Force Eyes Rural, Tribal Exposure to Violence. The epidemic of children being exposed to violence in communities across the nation will have to become more of a public discussion before the cycle can end, members of a national task force assembled by U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder said Tuesday. The National Task Force on Children Exposed to Violence held its second public meeting in Albuquerque to gather testimony from victims and experts on violence in rural and Native-American communities - two areas often plagued by higher incidents of poverty and child abuse but with fewer options for help. Fairbanks Daily News Miner

Seal Disease Investigation Intensifies. The investigation into a fatal disease among ringed seals in the Arctic and Bering Strait regions of Alaska has intensified following a federal agency's determination the outbreak constitutes an "unusual mortality event." The decision by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration this past December means additional resources will be dedicated to identifying what's behind the illnesses and deaths of more than 100 seals since the summer (see JAVMA, Dec. 15, 2011, page 1524). As of press time in January, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service had not determined whether it would declare the outbreak an unusual event. American Veterinary Medical Association

Traditional Inuit Knowledge Essentials to Scientific Research: NTI: Recent study on killer whales shows scientists take traditional knowledge more seriously. Is a newly-released study on the behaviour and diet of killer whales in the Canadian Arctic proof that the science community is finally warming up to traditional Inuit knowledge? Paul Irngaut, a wildlife adviser with Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. thinks so. University of Manitoba researchers recently interviewed more than 100 Inuit hunters and elders to gather information on the recent influx of killer whales into Nunavut waters, as the sea ice melts and enlarges their habitat. Nunatsiaq Online

President Obama to Host White House Science Fair. On Tuesday, February 7th, President Obama will host the second White House Science Fair celebrating the student winners of a broad range of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) competitions from across the country. The President will also announce key steps that the Administration and its partners are taking to help more students excel in math and science, and earn degrees in these subjects. At the fair, the President will view exhibits of student work, ranging from breakthrough research to new inventions, followed by remarks to an audience of students, science educators and business leaders on the importance of STEM education to the country's economic future. The White House

Observing the Ocean Just Got Easier: Regional IOOS Associations Improve Online Access to Data, Info. The U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System, or IOOS®, is a vast, coordinated network of people and technology working together to deliver data on our coastal waters, Great Lakes, and oceans. IOOS isn't just a NOAA program. Our ocean, coasts, and Great Lakes are too big for one agency to monitor. Instead, this system consists of partners from federal, regional, private sector, and academic organizations. NOAA 

FV Kimberly Grounding. This is only a potential spill. In the middle of the night of Jan. 25, 2012, the FV Kimberly was forced aground by weather with winds gusting to over 100 knots on the West side of Shelikof Strait in Jute Bay. The vessel owner reports that there are approximately 1900 gal. of diesel, 400 gal. of hydraulic oil, 70 gal. of lubricating oil, and 25 gallons of antifreeze on board. The owner of the vessel reports that it was not taking on water when they abandoned the vessel even though the vessel had been blown a considerable distance up the primarily sandy beach. The USCG rescued the 4 crew members from the grounding. The RP is working with Magone Marine Services to develop a plan for removal of the fluids and any other hazardous substances from the vessel once weather permits. The RP will then evaluate options and develop a plan for removal of the vessel from State tidelands. NOAA Incident News 

Igor Krupnik Awarded IASC Medal 2011. The International Arctic Science Committee (IASC) is proud to announce that the IASC Medal 2012 will be awarded to Dr. Igor Krupnik. Igor Krupnik is one of the most diverse arctic scientists. The reasons for awarding him are multifold, each of them worthy to be awarded by themselves. Igor is awarded the IASC medal for making scientists, decision makers, and the general public aware that the Arctic is not only about ice and polar bears but also about its inhabitants; for bridging between natural and social sciences as well as to the knowledge of the indigenous arctic residents; and for invaluable contributions to the success of the International Polar Year. ARCUS

No Arctic legislation was formally considered yesterday.

Juneau Arctic Policy Forum, February 2, 2012. The Juneau Arctic Policy Forum will be hosted by the Institute of the North and will highlight the work done to develop and promote Alaska's role in Arctic decision-making. There will be presentations and discussion about the Pacific Northwest Economic Region (PNWER) Arctic Caucus and results from the Northern Waters Task Force. We also hope to include updates from the U.S. Coast Guard and the University of Alaska. Click here.  

The Standing Committee of Parliamentarians of the Arctic Region, February 14 2012. The parliamentarians will discuss Arctic cooperation with the Chair of the Arctic Council Foreign Minister Carl Bildt. Further on the agenda we find issues like oil and gas development in the Arctic and the effect of climate change on human health. 

Arctic Policy Forum, February 15, 2012. This Arctic Policy Forum will feature a compelling panel discussion of the history, current issues, and future plans of NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command) in Alaska. This Arctic Policy Forum, hosted by the Institute of the North and sponsored by the Government of Canada, will leave participants with an increased understanding of:
* A 50 year partnership and cross-border collaboration
* Arctic governance and sovereignty
* Public safety; and search and rescue
* Maritime and aviation issues related to the Arctic environment

The Arctic Imperative Summit, August 24-28, 2012. The summit will be hosted by Alaska Dispatch and will bring together leading voices in this conversation, including residents from the small villages that comprise Alaska's coastal communities, state, national and international leaders, the heads of shipping and industry, as well as international policymakers and the news media. The goal of the summit is to sharpen the focus on the policy and investment needs of Alaska's Arctic through a series of high level meetings, presentations, investor roundtables and original research. Click here.