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The House and Senate are in session.
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 Budget Negotiations Give Scientists Hit by Sequester Reston to Hope. With budget negotiations beginning in earnest, top scientific research institutions are pressuring Congress to spare them the continued pain of sequestration cuts. The Science Coalition released a report Tuesday morning highlighting 100 companies that grew out of the investment of just $330 million in federal research funding. The report also sounds the alarm about the impact $95 billion in federal research and development cuts could have over the next decade. Huffington Post
Obama Nominates Top Donors as Ambassador to Iceland, New Zealand. President Obama on Tuesday night nominated two top fundraisers from his reelection campaign to top diplomatic posts in Iceland and New Zealand. The White House announced Robert Barber's nomination as the ambassador to the Republic of Iceland, while Obama picked Mark Gilbert to be ambassador to New Zealand. The Hill
 Organic Standards for Farm-Raised Fish Come Slowly. Farm-raised fish is one of the few types of food not currently available at the grocery store with a U.S. Department of Agriculture organic label on it, but the agency shouldn't be in too much of a rush to rectify that, a handful of organic and consumer advocacy groups warn. The National Organic Standards Board has received more than 900 letters in relation to its request for comments regarding the use of certain synthetics by aquaculture operations hoping to secure future organic accreditation. In particular, the NOSB is looking for reaction to petitions submitted in relation to allowing the use of trace minerals and vitamins, chlorine to be used as a disinfectant and tocopherols to delay rancidity in fats. Politico
Defense Policy Bill Likely Thanksgiving Appetizer. Just before senators head home to consume turkey, yams and apple pie, they seem poised to reprise a "family tradition" of taking up the defense policy bill. But like any good family gathering, Majority Whip Richard J. Durbin said to expect a few good fights. "I don't know how many times I've heard 'For 52 straight years, the Senate has passed the defense authorization bill!' It's kind of a family tradition here that we do bring it up, and I'm hoping that will create a more positive environment," the Illinois Democrat told reporters. Roll Call
 South Koreans Take First Northern Sea Route Cargo from Russia. On Tuesday, after 22 days at sea, a South Korean pilot service using the Northern Sea Route (NSR), reached its destination in Gwangyang, South Korea. Korean shipping line Hyundai Glovis chartered a Swedish oil tanker to carry 44,000 tons of naphtha, a light derivative of crude oil, from the Russian port of Ust-Luga, 110 kilometers west of St. Petersburg on the Gulf of Finland. At Ust-Luga, the privately-owned company NOVATEK - Russian's second-biggest gas producer - has a gas condensate trans-shipment and fractionation complex, which opened in June 2013. Alaska Dispatch
Canada Needs More Escorts for Plan to Boost Arctic Ships. When the Danish-owned Nordic Orion became the first bulk carrier to transit the Northwest Passage, it relied on an escort for part of the route by the Canadian Coast Guard's most capable icebreaker, the Louis S. St-Laurent. The ship's voyage, completed this month, symbolized the Canadian government's plan to bolster its claim to Arctic waters as polar ice melting makes more shipping possible. It also symbolized how much the government needs to do: the 45-year-old Louis S. St-Laurent is one of only two Canadian icebreakers capable of making sure the 1,450-kilometer (900-mile) trip can be done safely. Bloomberg
 Arctic Reindeer's Eyes Change Color Depending on Light: Study. An Arctic reindeer's eyes change color, from gold to blue, depending on the season, new research has found. When the sun is shining brightly in the summer, their eyes are gold, but that changes to a deep blue in winter when it's almost always dark. Sun News
RFP Bids Due Soon. As a result of the recent discussions regarding Social Science during the Board, Advisory Panel, and Science Panel meetings, the North Pacific Research Board would like to issue a request for quotes to organize a Social Science workshop and produce a final report as a follow-up to the commissioned white paper, "Global Review of Social Science Integration with Natural Resource Management." Please note that the deadline is Wednesday, November 13 at 5pm AKST. The RPF is available here.
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Legislative Action
No Arctic legislation was considered yesterday.
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Future Events
17th Sitka WhaleFest: "Arctic Sea Change: What's Ahead?" October 31 - November 3, 2013, (Sitka, Alaska). "Sitka WhaleFest presents a unique science symposium blending local knowledge and scientific inquiry concerning the rich marine environment of our northern oceans. Surrounded by community and cultural activities, the weekend events include symposium lectures, interactive student sessions, marine wildlife cruises with scientists, a marine-themed artisan market, music, local foods, student art show, and a fun run/walk."
 "The Arctic is changing. This is an indisputable fact. How the people and animals who depend upon the Arctic will adapt to change is an open question. How will narwhals and polar bears cope with less summer ice? Bowhead whales may have their world rocked when humpbacks, fins and other baleen whales begin - they already are - feeding in their backyard. The resource users of the Arctic will need to make adjustments and changes to live in this new world. Who will be the sea winners and sea losers? These are questions we will discuss with the experts who are passionate about the Arctic."
Workshop: Community Oil Spill Response in Bering and Anadyr Straits, November 7-8, 2013 (Anchorage, Alaska). "This workshop will bring together diverse stakeholders to learn more about and respond to community desires to be part of oil spill first-response efforts that help protect food security and other local resources; come to agreement on the multiple roles local community members can play in responding to oil spills; and create an action plan for moving forward on this topic. The workshop is sponsored by the Wildlife Conservation Society."
 opening of northern shipping routes, over a relatively short period of time we are seeing maritime security considerations start to blend with arctic security."
"With a focus on Economic Development, Security and Public Safety, MAS13 will bring together organizations that play a key role in the execution of Maritime & Arctic Security: whether that role be Cultural, Research, Government Policy/Regulation, Education, Surveillance, Enforcement, and Technology Development/Application."
Full Conference Agenda
The World Wildlife Foundation hosts the Fuller Symposium on the Forces of Nature.
Speakers from around the world will engage in active discussion around topics including local responses to forces like land grabbing and climate change, evaluation of community conservation impacts, new technologies for catalyzing social movements, private-sector initiatives, and global policy opportunities. Edward Itta is one of the scheduled speakers. The annual Fuller Symposium convenes thought leaders in science, policy, conservation, and development to discuss innovative approaches to complex issues facing our planet. USARC Commissioner Edward Itta will present.
Alaska Water and Sewer Challenge Request for Proposals Due November 15. The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, Village Safe Water announces a research and development effort to seek better and more affordable methods to deliver drinking water and sewage disposal services to communities  in rural Alaska. The three-month long, international solicitation calls for individuals from a variety of diverse fields - engineering, science and research, behavioral science, and innovative design - to organize as teams and submit Statements of Qualifications. Up to six of the top ranked teams will be funded to develop proposals over a six month period next year. Future phases of the project include building prototypes and testing them in lab and field settings.
For more information about the project please:
Arctic Cities, Global Processes, and Local Realities, December 2-4, 2013 (Rovaniemi, Finland).
"The conference is organized jointly by the City of Rovaniemi and the Arctic Centre of the University of Lapland, Finland. The goal of the conference is to present the latest scientific research and knowledge about the global processes as they become local realities. Even if the Conference is scientific in orientation, it aims to bridge science and knowledge into action by bringing top scholars to share their research results, and to organize joint discussion with the leaders of the Arctic Cities. Sessions include: Rovaniemi Process: past, present, future; Arctic responses to global environmental problems; people and extractive industries; tourism in the Arctic; the Arctic in global economy; climate change in the Arctic; indigenous peoples in cities; and, Arctic global flows. Cross-cutting themes include: Arctic cities and global processes; management and governance in the Arctic; and, Arctic together with non-Arctic."
American Geophysical Union (AGU) Fall Meeting, December 9-13. (San Francisco, CA) The AGU Fall Meeting is the largest worldwide conference in the  geophysical sciences, attracting more than 24,000 Earth and space scientists, educators, students, and other leaders. For 46 years, scientists from around the world gather at the AGU Fall Meeting to exchange information and broaden their knowledge base. In addition to the scientific programming, the meeting offers over 50 Town Halls and Workshops, including one on Monday, Dec. 9, titled, "Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee (IARPC) and Study of Environmental Arctic Change (SEARCH), organized by Helen Wiggins, Brendan Kelly, and Hajo Eicken, from 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm in 2018 Moscone West. Search the AGU meeting for Arctic-related research sessions here.
Alaska Marine Science Symposium, January 20-24, 2014. (Anchorage, Alaska) The mission of the Alaska Marine Science Symposium is to bring together scientists, policymakers, students, educators, media and the public to share research findings focused on Alaska's marine fisheries and ecosystems. The Symposium is built around regional themes-Bering Sea, Arctic Ocean, and the Gulf of Alaska. Within each theme, there will be discussions on climate, oceanography, lower tropic levels, the benthos, fishes and invertebrates, seabirds, marine mammals, local and traditional knowledge, and socioeconomic research.
The agenda is available here.
Association of American Geographers Polar Geography Sessions, April 8-12, 2014. Tampa, Florida. Polar Geography Sessions are being planned in areas such as Sustainable Development in the Arctic, Urbanization and Transportation in the Arctic, etc. Contact Scott Stephenson (stephenson@ucla.edu) for more information, and see attached flyer.
Arctic Science Summit Week April 5-8, 2014 and Arctic Observing Summit, April 9-11, Helsinki, Finland. ASSW is a gathering for Arctic research organizations. Any organization engaged in supporting and facilitating arctic research is welcome to participate. The ASSW meeting in 2014 will be arranged during April 5-8 in Helsinki Kumpula Campus, in the facilities of FMI and Physics Department of the University of Helsinki. Second circular here.
International Congress of Arctic Social Sciences, May 22-26, 2014 (Prince George, British Columbia). "The International Arctic Social Sciences Association (IASSA) announces the 8th International Congress of Arctic Social Sciences (ICASS VIII).ICASS is held every three years, bringing together people from all over the world to share ideas about social science research in the Arctic. ICASS VII, held in Akureyri in June 2011, attracted 450 participants from 30 different countries. ICASS VIII's theme is Northern Sustainabilities. By using the plural, we underscore both that "sustainability" has social, cultural, economic, political and environmental dimensions, and that definitions of the concept vary."
 IceTech14: International Conference and Exhibition on Performance of Ships and Structures in Ice, July 28-31, 2014 (Banff, Alberta, Canada). "The focus will be on the general theme of performance of ships and structures in ice - but with emphasis and special sessions on looking to the future in a warming world. Coverage will include technical aspects of offshore operations in Arctic and ice populated waters, as well related ice mechanics, icebreaking and ice resistance, global warming and geopolitical effects, safety and EER, subsea facilities and operations, and other relevant subjects in a polar context particularly in view of current global concerns. Both technical papers and selected panel sessions will be included. We will also continue to host a small commercial exhibition for organizations wishing to set up stand."
Abstract Submission Deadline: November 17, 2013
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