Posts by Anja Semanco
Little-Known “D1” Lands Protecting 28 Million Acres in Alaska Under Threat
In 1971, President Richard Nixon (surprisingly enough) passed the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, which at the time was the largest land claims settlement in U.S. history. One of the most impressive features of the bill was section 17(d)(1) which gave the Interior Secretary the authority to set portions of that land aside to be protected for subsistence ways of life, cultural relationships with the land, and protection for wildlife.
Read MoreHouse Committee Moves Forward With Arctic Extraction Bill
Today, the U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources voted to advance Rep. Stauber’s “Alaska’s Right to Produce Act of 2023” (HR 6285). If passed into law, this bill would not only reverse the recent safeguards the Biden administration put in place to protect more than 10 million acres of the Western Arctic, but it would also undo the cancelation of leases in the Arctic Refuge.
Read MoreHow Amazing Arctic Animals Survive An Alaskan Winter
While fall is evident just about everywhere in the lower 48, winter is already moving into Alaska. In honor of the season, please meet a few of the Arctic’s most incredible animals — creatures who endure extreme, dynamic conditions in their own extraordinary way.
Read MoreThe League Honors President Jimmy Carter With The Mardy Murie Lifetime Achievement Award
In early November, the League hosted a spectacular event at the Burke Museum Museum of Natural History and Culture in Seattle to honor President Jimmy Carter, announce this year’s recipient of our Adam Kolton Storytelling Grant Award, and celebrate our dedicated board who continues to support the League all year long in our tireless fight to protect America’s Arctic.
Read MoreAlaska Wilderness League Applauds Appointment of Laura Daniel-Davis To Acting Deputy Secretary
Today, Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland announced that President Biden will designate Laura Daniel-Davis as Acting Deputy Secretary, replacing outgoing Deputy Secretary Tommy Beaudreau. Daniel-Davis enters this position with more than three decades of public policy, non-profit and government experience focused on public lands conservation and partnerships.
Read MoreAmbler Road: A Disastrous Proposed Industrial Corridor
The history of the proposed Ambler Road project has been ongoing for years. In 2020, the U.S. Department of Interior, under the Trump administration, approved federal permits for the road. Thanks to that advocacy, and thousands of other engaged activists from the Ambler region, Alaska, and across the nation, we now are close to exactly what we requested.
Read MoreStorytelling on the Kuskokwim with Polly Andrews
Amidst planning and preparations for activities in late summer and early fall, Polly Andrews graciously offered a new composition and song as a gift to Alaska Wilderness League. In doing so, Polly shared that the song was made possible in part by the support of the 2022 Adam Kolton Alaska Storytelling Grant Award, enabling her to partner with Yup’ik (Ossie Kairaiuak, Chefornak) and Cup’ik (Michael Ulroan, Chevak) artists. Those partnerships will continue thanks to the grant award, in addition to upcoming workshops with the Kuspuk School District (in the Kuskokwim River village of Lower Kalskag) and North Star Behavioral Health center.
Read MoreProtections for America’s Arctic: What You Need to Know
Did you catch the good news? Last week, the Biden administration announced a suite of actions to protect diverse landscapes across America’s Arctic, recognizing the importance of Alaska’s public lands and waters for communities, biodiversity and our global climate. Oil and gas development across the Arctic is a major threat, and these announcements get us…
Read MorePress Release: Biden’s Proposed Actions for America’s Arctic Recognize Alaska’s Conservation, Climate Potential
Today, the Biden administration announced a suite of actions to protect diverse landscapes across America’s Arctic, recognizing the importance of Alaska’s public lands and waters for communities, biodiversity and our global climate. These announcements are an essential step toward addressing the threat of oil and gas development across the Arctic — a region that provides some of our nation’s last remaining opportunities to protect ecosystems at a landscape level.
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