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Alaska: Alaska Supreme Court strikes down parental notice on abortions - The Alaska Supreme Court struck down a voter-approved state law Friday that required at least one parent to be notified before a minor child can obtain an abortion.

Planned Parenthood of the Great Northwest filed suit against the law, which voters approved through Ballot Measure 2 in 2010. The law provided an option for a judge to bypass the notification requirement in special circumstances, but the high court invalidated the law nonetheless.

“Parents are the individuals who care most for the physical and emotional well-being of their children. The primary vested interest that an abortion clinic has is its bottom line. We had hoped the Alaska Supreme Court would keep its promise to the people of Alaska to permit a parental notice law designed to protect parental rights and the safety of children,” said Kevin Clarkson, who argued before the court in defense of the law last year. Clarkson is lead counsel for the group that sponsored the ballot initiative for the law and is one of more than 3,000 private attorneys allied with ADF.

The Alaska Supreme Court had ruled in a previous case that “the Alaska Constitution permits a statutory scheme which ensures that parents are notified so that they can be engaged in their daughters’ important decisions in these matters.”

The court Friday nonetheless accepted the erroneous argument Planned Parenthood attorneys made in Planned Parenthood of the Great Northwest v. State of Alaska that the notification law was unreasonable under the state constitution.

In October 2012, a trial court upheld most of the law and concluded that it is reasonable because “minors may be pleasantly surprised when underestimated parents support, comfort and affirm them. Or a teen might overlook available resources. Her parents might help raise the child, and so make college or military service feasible. Parental notification undoubtedly can open doors to unconsidered options for an otherwise isolated young woman… The court concludes that the PNL [parental notification law] sufficiently fosters a potential for worthwhile family involvement that it passes constitutional muster….” - More...
Tuesday AM - July 26, 2016

Ketchikan: Information sought on body found floating in Tongass Narrows - In an 8:00 AM press release, the Alaska State Troopers reported the State Medical Examiner's Office has positively identified the victim as Harris Hunter Wood II, 63 of Ketchikan. The autopsy results determined the cause of death to be drowning. The next of kin has been notified.

The Alaska State Troopers have reported that an adult male's body was found body floating in the Tongass Narrows on Saturday, July 23rd. The AST responded to the report at approximately 6:43 PM at the 4700 block of North Tongass Highway and brought the body to shore. The adult male's body has not yet been positively identified.

The State Medical Examiner’s Office was been notified and the body was being flown to Anchorage for an autopsy. - More...
Tuesday AM - July 26, 2016

Southeast Alaska: Corps Hosts Regulatory Open House in Craig, Klawock - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers invites the public to attend an information session about its regulatory program on July 27, 2016 from 1 to 4:30 p.m. in the Council Room at Craig City Hall.

During the open house, representatives will be available to answer questions about the permit process for proposed projects that involve the placement of fill material or structures in waters of the United States. A presentation about the Corps’ regulatory responsibilities and services is scheduled from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.

The Corps’ regulatory program evaluates permit applications for most construction activities occurring in wetlands, streams and related waters of the United States. It is committed to maintaining and restoring the nation's aquatic resources, while allowing reasonable development through fair, flexible and balanced permit decisions. - More...
Tuesday AM - July 26, 2016

Southeast Alaska: Zika patient treated and released from Mt. Edgecumbe Hospital - The Alaska Division of Public Health detected a case of Zika virus infection in an adult man who contracted the illness while visiting Central America. The man is not an Alaska resident, but was visiting Alaska for work when he was evaluated for the illness at SEARHC Mt. Edgecumbe Hospital in Sitka.

“This case is not a concern in terms of the virus spreading through Alaska mosquitoes, but it does reinforce the importance of knowing preventative measures,” said Dr. Jay Butler, Alaska’s Chief Medical Officer and Director of Public Health. “The two-fold foundation for preventing Zika infection is avoiding mosquitoes and using repellants when traveling to areas where Zika is transmitted, and protecting yourself during sex by either abstaining when a partner is possibly infected with Zika, or by consistently and correctly using condoms.”

The man recently visited SEARHC Mt. Edgecumbe Hospital experiencing symptoms associated with the Zika virus. His symptoms included a full-body rash, fever, and conjunctivitis (red eyes). The Alaska State Public Health Laboratory detected Zika virus RNA in a blood specimen collected on July 18 while the patient was ill. The patient was not hospitalized and is now back home in the Midwest. - More...
Tuesday AM - July 26, 2016

Alaska: BP Exploration Alaska and Hilcorp Alaska settle with EPA and State of Alaska for North Slope oil spills - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has settled with petroleum exploration and development companies, BP Exploration Alaska and Hilcorp Alaska, for Clean Water Act violations following oil spills on Alaska’s North Slope. BP Exploration Alaska agreed to settle related violations with the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation in a parallel agreement.

Under the settlement framework announced recently, Hilcorp Alaska will pay $100,000 in federal penalties to resolve their alleged violations, while BP will pay $100,000 in state penalties and $30,000 in federal penalties to the Oil Spill Prevention Liability Trust Fund.

According to Ed Kowalski, Director of EPA’s office of Compliance and Enforcement in Seattle, petroleum developers, producers and transporters have a special responsibility to protect Alaska’s North Slope tundra.

“Alaska’s North Slope tundra is one of the earth’s harshest, yet most delicate ecosystems,” said EPA’s Kowalski. “So petroleum developers must do everything in their power - year round - to prevent spills and avoid releasing toxic chemicals to fragile wetlands or other important wildlife habitat. Our enforcement efforts are aimed squarely at protecting Alaska and Alaskans from the effects of spills and accidental releases.” - More...
Tuesday AM - July 26, 2016