Deer

Despite shutdown, Trump administration continues work to begin oil drilling in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

As the partial government shutdown drags on, the Trump administration is making sure some Interior Department employees continue work on one of its biggest, most controversial priorities: opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling.

Drilling opponents were quick to criticize the move, contrasting it with the overflowing trash cans and unattended public toilets in national parks managed by Interior, which have become a symbol of the continuing stalemate in Washington, D.C. 

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But groups opposed to expanding oil development in Alaska’s Arctic criticized Interior’s decision to continue its NPR-A and Arctic refuge-related work during the partial shutdown.

One former Interior employee, now working for a law firm that represents environmental organizations that have sued the Trump administration over oil development, said it is “unusual” to press forward with public meetings during a shutdown.

“When I was with the government I never saw anything like that happen — generally, all non-essential work was basically shut down and employees are not even supposed to be checking their emails,” said Bridget Psarianos, a staff attorney with Trustees for Alaska who formerly worked as project manager for BLM’s Alaska office.

Arctic Reindeer Populations Are Dying Because Of Climate Change, A New Report Shows

Wild reindeer in the Arctic may soon be reduced to the stuff of children’s tales, according to a new report evaluating the impact of climate change in the area. Over the last twenty years, herd populations of wild reindeer and caribou in the Arctic tundra have dropped by more than half, according to the Arctic Report Card, an annual report that’s been releasing updates on the status of the Arctic environment since 2006. One of the report’s key findings: Arctic reindeer and caribou populations have declined by roughly 56 percent in the last two decades.

Scientists estimate there are around 2.1 million of the populations left in the area, though some herds experienced worse declines than others. In the Alaska-Canada region, for example, five herds were reduced by more than 90 percent, and don’t show any promising signs of recovering from this loss. The researchers noted that while it’s typical for herd numbers to fluctuate, many of the herds are exhibiting record low populations.

There is not one sole cause for the decline, but researchers in the report agreed that climate change in the Arctic was “an overarching factor.” Air temperatures in the Arctic from 2014 to 2018 have surpassed all previous records since 1900, and temperatures in the Arctic are warming at double the rate of the rest of the world, the report noted. In one example, caribou’s adaptability (or lack thereof) to the changing temperatures was linked to diminished pregnancy and calf survival rates due to consecutive years of poor weather conditions like drought.

Arctic Reindeer Populations Are Dying Because Of Climate Change, A New Report Shows

Wild reindeer in the Arctic may soon be reduced to the stuff of children’s tales, according to a new report evaluating the impact of climate change in the area. Over the last twenty years, herd populations of wild reindeer and caribou in the Arctic tundra have dropped by more than half, according to the Arctic Report Card, an annual report that’s been releasing updates on the status of the Arctic environment since 2006. One of the report’s key findings: Arctic reindeer and caribou populations have declined by roughly 56 percent in the last two decades.

Scientists estimate there are around 2.1 million of the populations left in the area, though some herds experienced worse declines than others. In the Alaska-Canada region, for example, five herds were reduced by more than 90 percent, and don’t show any promising signs of recovering from this loss. The researchers noted that while it’s typical for herd numbers to fluctuate, many of the herds are exhibiting record low populations.

There is not one sole cause for the decline, but researchers in the report agreed that climate change in the Arctic was “an overarching factor.” Air temperatures in the Arctic from 2014 to 2018 have surpassed all previous records since 1900, and temperatures in the Arctic are warming at double the rate of the rest of the world, the report noted. In one example, caribou’s adaptability (or lack thereof) to the changing temperatures was linked to diminished pregnancy and calf survival rates due to consecutive years of poor weather conditions like drought.

due to this event, it’s more important than ever to support water protectors and pipeline activsts. here is the official website for the unis’tot’en camp so you can educate yourself on the issue. also please donate if you can.

The RCMP are setting up exclusion zones and closed roads to the public and media as officers get set to dismantle two camps on unceded Wet’suwet’en territory.

“During the police enforcement operation, temporary exclusion zones and road closures will be established for police and public safety reasons,” said the news release sent out Monday morning that confirmed the RCMP will enforce a court order requested by a pipeline company trying to build a pipeline through Wet’suwet’en territory.

“Those areas will be clearly marked and media/public are welcome to stand at the perimeter, but no one will be allowed to enter the exclusion zones. These zones will only be maintained as long as necessary.”

See full statement here: What to expect during the police enforcement of court ordered injunction in Houston, BC

The raids have been highly anticipated after a B.C. judge granted an interim injunction in December against two check points leading to the construction site for the LNG Coastal GasLink pipeline.

We’re having a very similar situation in Canada right now.

Now would be a good time to reciprocate.

This is happening RIGHT NOW.

Nobody on this site besides me and a few other bloggers are talking about this. 

#Unistoten

#wetsuwetenstrong

#undrip

#thetimeisnow

Some people to follow who are sharing news about this live:

https://twitter.com/UnistotenCamp

https://twitter.com/gidimt

https://twitter.com/Terrilltf

https://twitter.com/APTNNews

https://twitter.com/pieglue

https://twitter.com/RachelAnnSnow

I am also retweeting everything I see about this on my twitter:

https://twitter.com/M_Tol/status/1082445409677541376

This is how to help:

Full thread here with all the facebook solidarity events:

https://twitter.com/HarshaWalia/status/1082385499925372928

Also donate to the Gidumt’en checkpoint go fund me:

On December 16, 2018, Wet’suwet’en Hereditary House Chiefs reaffirmed, once again, their stance on  oil and gas export pipelines in Wet’suwet’en Yintah (traditional lands). This decision was validated in the feast hall where Wet’suwet’en decisions are enacted into law. While some Wet’suwet’en Indian Act Bands and corporations have signed on to the Coastal Gas Link Agreement, the Wet’suwet’en hereditary leadership–who have jurisdiction over 22,000 square kilometers of traditional territories–have not given their free, prior, and informed consent to any oil or gas company to build pipelines in their lands and waters.   The Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs have not made any agreement with the Canadian or British Columbian governments to surrender or permit access to Wet’suwet’en lands for any pipeline corridors or construction activities. To enforce this decision, the house chiefs of all five Wet’suwet’en clans agreed by consensus to assert control of the Gitdumden Clan territory that borders to the west of Unistot’en lands.  As such, a checkpoint is erected at the 44 km mark on the Morice Lake Forest Service Road and will follow a free, prior, and informed consent protocol whereby anyone seeking access to Gitdumden territory will be required to present themselves, respectfully, to spokespeople at the site. The checkpoint will remain in effect until further notice. We are seeking financial support to get supplies for the checkpoint and it’s supporters as well as any likely legal fees that will be incurred by the members. ** In order to ensure a smooth transition I have added Cody Merriman as a recipient to the funds. He is the partner of the Cas Yex spokesperson Molly Wickham and will be collecting funds for supplies as needed. ** GoFundMe has requested I publicly post this information for transparency to all of our supporters in order to release funds. Misiyh.

Please don’t ignore that things like this are going on. By virtue of comparison to the US or the rise of right-wing powers in Europe, Canada gets cut a lot of slack because we have a Prime Minister who goes out on a limb and declares that women are people, too, and is applauded; but his government continues to ignore and ride roughshod over indigenous rights to self-determination and the MMIWG inquiry has been a shambolic disappointment to many almost from the beginning, to say the least.