More than 20 residents shared public testimony at Monday night’s Assembly meeting. While some championed the city’s plan, others expressed frustration with its rollout and cost.
Environment
Mendenhall Valley residents divided on flood barriers before vote
City leaders have maintained that the temporary measure is imperative. Some residents say they’d rather have a long-term solution than a short-term plan.
Arctic tundra now emitting more carbon gases than it absorbs, annual report says
The tundra regions have become a net carbon source rather than a carbon sink, the result of permafrost warming, increased wildfires and other effects of climate change.
Some popular Juneau trails could soon be open to guided tours — while others would off limits
The recommendations would revise tourism rules at 13 locations across town. Three of those would be locations where tourism companies haven’t been allowed before, including the Under Thunder Trail and Telephone Hill Park.
Renewed Southeast Alaska wastewater discharge permits require better bacteria controls
The communities – Haines, Skagway, Sitka, Wrangell, Ketchikan and Petersburg – must make improvements to reduce what are deemed to be overly high levels of fecal coliform and enterococcus bacteria that are being discharged into marine waters, under terms of the renewed permits
Juneau’s Eaglecrest Ski Area to partially open this weekend
This is the first time in a while that the ski area has opened on time. The last two seasons were delayed for weeks because of heavy rain and warm temperatures.
Landslides to late freezes: New report makes sense of changes to Alaska’s environment
IARC teamed up with the University of Alaska Fairbanks and the Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Policy.
New study of salmon abundance prompts a rethink of endangered killer whale decline
No one has ever gone out and counted the chinook in the Southern Resident killer whale’s habitat – until now.
What killed a harbor seal found headless at Letnikof Cove? It’s a mystery, federal scientists say
A recently dead harbor seal at Letnikof Cove is missing its head. Well, most of it. The skull bones are still there and intact.
Murkowski introduces bipartisan bill to update weather forecasting systems
If passed, the Improving Atmospheric River Forecasts Act would direct the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to create an accurate forecast system to better predict the timing and predictability of atmospheric river storms.