USCG: Meeting Arctic missions. "As the nation's lead federal agency for ensuring maritime safety and security in the Arctic, the Coast Guard will perform its statutory missions to ensure the Arctic remains a safe, secure and environmentally protected region. After a successful Arctic Shield 2012 operation on the North Slope and Barrow, Arctic Shield 2013 focuses on Western Alaska and the Bering Strait. This year's operation will continue the three-pronged approach of outreach, operations and capability assessments." Marine Link

Shipping through Russian Arctic has quadrupled in past year. "For years people have been speculating that the melting of Arctic sea ice due to climate change would open new shipping lanes. In fact, it's happening now. The Financial Times reports that, as of last week, 204 ships had received permits this year to ply the Northern Sea Route, which connects East Asia to Europe via the waters off of Russia's northern coast. Last year, just 46 vessels made the trip. Two years ago, the number was four." Anchorage Daily News

In lieu of drilling, Shell maps Chukchi seafloor. "Shell Oil is still doing work in the Alaskan Arctic this summer, despite cancelling its drilling season in the wake of disasters that left both its rigs inoperable. As KTUU-TV first reported, the company is mapping the Chukchi seafloor for ice gouges -- distinctive markings left by massive chunks of ice scraping across the bottom of the ocean. Knowing the location of ice gouges and their depth is important if Shell ever wants to build a pipeline from its oil prospects to shore." KUCB.org

Arctic thawing could cost the world $60tn, scientists say. "Rapid thawing of the Arctic could trigger a catastrophic 'economic timebomb' which would cost trillions of dollars and undermine the global financial system, say a group of economists and polar scientists. Governments and industry have expected the widespread warming of the Arctic region in the past 20 years to be an economic boon, allowing the exploitation of new gas and oilfields and enabling shipping to travel faster between Europe and Asia. But the release of a single giant 'pulse' of methane from thawing Arctic permafrost beneath the East Siberian sea 'could come with a $60tn [£39tn] global price tag', according to the researchers who have for the first time quantified the effects on the global economy." Guardian

Administration says [Outer Contintental Shelf] revenue sharing costs too much. "Murkowski's Fair Act would grant at least 27% of outer continental shelf royalties to coastal states. If states establish conservation funds, the allocation would jump 10%. So it's no wonder many coastal leaders, like North Slope Borough Mayor Charlotte Brower, support the plan. She said the revenues would go to major infrastructure improvements." Alaska Public

9th Circuit Court upholds fishing restrictions for Western Aleutian sea lions. "The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday upheld a lower court's ruling that keeps in place fishing closures and restrictions in the Western Aleutian Islands meant to protect and rebuild declining populations of Steller sea lions in Western Alaska." Alaska Dispatch

Rep. Simpson defends House EPA, Interior spending bill. "Rep. Mike Simpson (R-Idaho) defended the House GOP-proposed spending bill for the Environmental Protection Agency and Interior Department that Democrats have ripped this week, saying fiscal constraints forced deep cuts. 'It's not a pretty bill. We're not going to try and put lipstick on this,' Simpson, who chairs the Appropriations Committee subpanel responsible for the bill, told reporters Tuesday in the Capitol. In all, the $24.3 billion Environment and Interior bill slashes $5.5 billion, or 19 percent, from the 19 agencies it covers in fiscal 2014. The cuts reflect a House GOP decision to bring its spending bills under sequestration caps to accommodate an above-sequestration level budget for the Pentagon." The Hill