Changing climate pushes polar bears toward more dangerous interactions with humans

Human-polar bear interactions are part of life in Arctic communities, but as melting sea ice forces polar bears onto dry land, they are becoming more common and potentially more dangerous. This is the message of a recent scientific paper. Listen now

Ask a Climatologist: August is Alaska’s rainiest month

August is the rainiest month in Alaska. But how rainy? That depends on where you live. Listen now

Less mercury found in Beaufort Sea polar bears; that’s not necessarily a good thing

Melissa McKinney expected to see some fluctuation in the polar bears' mercury levels. But the sudden drop off surprised her. Listen now

Murkowski’s healthcare vote causes a stir in Washington and Alaska

The Alaska Dispatch News is reporting that the Trump Administration threatened to target Alaska as retribution for Senator Lisa Murkowski’s stand against Republican efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act this week. Listen now

After a rocky start, Unalaska’s subsistence salmon run hits target escapement

While Unalaska’s biggest subsistence salmon run got off to a slow start this season, it’s now at a sustainable level. Listen now

When the lights went out – Alaska’s great recession

Less than ten years after oil started flowing, Alaska’s economy cratered. The recession was quick and deep. Ten banks failed, real estate values plummeted and tens of thousands of people fled the state. It was Alaska’s great recession, 20 years before the rest of the country went through almost the same thing.

Ask a Climatologist: For summer in Alaska, 70 is the magic number

Juneau has had very few days above 70 this summer. In contrast, Anchorage logged its warmest temperature of the year Sunday, 76 degrees. Listen now

State’s cruise ship monitoring program shielded from budget cuts by tourists

Over a million cruise ship visitors are projected to land in Juneau this year. And the summer cruising season is a big boost for coastal retailers. But, it also brings all of the noisy traffic, haze and water quality issues of big cities — to small towns in Alaska. Listen now

Marine debris won’t stop, but neither will those cleaning it up

On many Alaska beaches, plastic washes up faster than it can be picked up. The remote locations and mountains of plastic make Chris Pallister’s clean up work incredibly expensive. Listen now

Eruptions can’t stop sealife from calling Bogoslof home

Before Bogoslof volcano started erupting, it was a haven for endangered Steller sea lions, fur seals and sea birds. But scientists did not know when and if animals would return to the eastern Aleutian Island. Listen now

BP leak investigation led to shutdown of 5 more wells

BP was forced to plug five at-risk wells on the North Slope after investigating an oil leak that happened this April. Listen now

Fast times and fat wallets – how Alaska got its pipeline

The trans-Alaska pipeline was the largest privately-funded construction project in the world, built across the biggest U.S. state and faced with unprecedented natural obstacles. It came with an $8 billion price tag, but true costs and benefits of the pipeline are still being calculated.

Facing global gas glut, ConocoPhillips to mothball Kenai LNG plant

ConocoPhillips hasn't found a buyer for its liquefied natural gas plant on the Kenai Peninsula. Now, a company spokesperson said it’s going to save expenses by mothballing the facility this fall. Listen now

Working around the clock to make sure the trans-Alaska Pipeline holds water

"The first week I went to work was the only week in two and a half years that I worked less than eighty hours a week. Many times we would work twenty-four hours a day." Listen now

Ask a Climatologist: Remembering the record breaking July snow

Back in 1970 on July 19, it snowed 9.7 inches at the Summit weather station just south of Cantwell on the Parks Highway. Listen now
A man in an ENSTAR vest.

Enstar Natural Gas asks for permission to boost residential rates

Southcentral Alaska’s only gas supplier wants to boost residential bills by 4.6 percent to pay for mostly infrastructure investments. Listen now

After months of fighting, House offers Senate a compromise on oil, gas tax credits

After five months of back and forth, the legislature may be close to compromising on changes to the state’s oil and gas tax credit system. Listen now

The challenges of being the only woman on a pipeline crew

Diane Schenker had recently graduated from Reed College and was living in Fairbanks when she heard a rumor that Welding Union 798 had been forced to hire women to help build the trans-Alaska pipeline. A 21-year-old with no experience in construction, Schenker convinced the union office manager to let her work with an all-male crew of welders from the South. Listen now

What enviros won by losing the pipeline battle

With the pipeline turning 40, a look back at how Big Green fought Big Oil, how that fight transformed the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, and why Congress ever agreed to it.

“Doesn’t he know it’s frozen?” How Alaska almost overlooked Prudhoe Bay

You could argue — and a lot of people do — that Alaska would be a completely different place if it weren’t for a man named Tom Marshall.