Trumpeter Swan & Beaver
For some unobserved reason this Ward Cove beaver wasn't happy with this trumpeter swan. Not only did the beaver chase the swan out of the lake, the much smaller critter continued the chase onshore -- with wings flapping, the swan managed to get away.
Front Page Photo By SUSAN HOYT

Alaska: Agreement Clears Way for Potential NPR-A Production; USFWS,  EPA Agree in Principle to Road Access into NPR-A with Colville River Bridge - Two federal resource agencies have reached an agreement in principle with ConocoPhillips regarding the company’s proposed Alpine Satellite Development Plan (CD-5) in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPRA). The agreement fulfills a request from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - the federal agency charged with permitting the project - that the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) evaluate the environmental impacts associated with ConocoPhillips’ revised project. The Corps is expected to carry out the remaining steps associated with the permit review in the coming weeks.

The National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska is a 22.6 million acre area managed by the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Land Management. The NPRA is an important resource for domestic oil development. Estimates indicate that the NPRA contains more than one billion barrels of technically recoverable oil.

If this project goes forward, it could add to what is poised to be the busiest exploration season in the past two decades, all occurring under the current ACES tax law, with exploration drilling announcements already made by Great Bear, Repsol, Ultra Star, Linc Energy, and Brooks Range Petroleum. 

The agreement in principle confirms that the construction of a pipeline and bridge over the Nigliq Channel of the Colville River is acceptable to the resource agencies so long as the permit application includes conditions that reflect agreements reached among the company, FWS, and the EPA. The conditions include engineering changes and substantial mitigation proposed by the company based on consultations with the resource agencies. The company has also agreed to allow other companies that develop leases in the NPRA to use the same crossing, rather than seek approval for additional channel crossings in the area. This approach will reduce the environmental impacts associated with development of existing and future leases in the NPRA west of the Colville River. - More...
Monday - December 05, 2011

Fish Factor: Less Pacific Halibut to Catch Next Year By LAINE WELCH - As expected, there will be less Pacific halibut to catch next year for fishermen from California to Alaska. Fishery scientists are recommending a 2012 coast wide halibut catch of 33 million pounds, a 19 percent decrease from the 41 million pound catch limit for this year.  

Several reasons were given for the cuts - Pacific halibut stocks continue a decade long decline, there appears to be little recruitment of younger fish entering the fishery, the halibut are smaller than they should be at age – and scientists believe they have overestimated the halibut biomass for years. 

Dr. Bruce Leaman, Director of the International Pacific Halibut Commission said it has been “one of the toughest years ever” for stock assessments. He also put industry on notice that more severe cuts are likely possibly as soon as 2013.

“It is worth pointing out to you the reality that using our assessment models the way we are, we are consistently overestimating biomass given the performance of the fishery,” Leaman said, speaking at a meeting last week in Seattle. - More...
Monday - December 05, 2011

Ketchikan: The 30th Annual Singing Christmas Tree Hits Creek Street - Twenty-nine Ketchikan Christmases have come and gone since the very first year Clover Pass Community Church hosted the “The Singing Christmas Tree”. Since that time, the community at Clover Pass has worked to make each year’s presentation something the community looks forward to with anticipation. From the giant choir-filled Christmas tree to the starry sky, from a wintery wonderland to a life-sized nativity, each year’s set is painstakingly designed to bring the audience to special place in Christmas-time.

A Singing Christmas Tree from the past...
Photograph courtesy Rob Holston

According to information provided by Adult Choir Director Rob Holston Rob Holston, over the past 30 years nearly 1,000 community members have been involved with the production of the singing tree.  Holston said the tree usually contains 40 to 50 adult singers and the children’s choir adds another 15 to 20 voices. He said there is also a great deal of volunteer power that goes into the creation of the set design, construction, erection of the tree, table decorations, lighting, and sound -- and the delicious food and drinks.

This year’s 30th Annual Singing Christmas Tree presentation features a Creek Street set intended to capture Ketchikan’s unique Christmas spirit.

Totally new this year is a program that features traditional Christmas carols sung mostly a’ccapella in original four-part harmony.  Director Rob Holston will be conducting time tested classics such as, O Little Town of Bethlehem, written in 1868; the 1871 version of a much older carol, The Fist Nowell and the 1840 Felix Mendelssohn version of a 1739 carol known as Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.  The Children’s Choir is under the direction of Jodi Albertson.  The narration is delivered by Tim Livingston and the set designer and technical director is Mike Cooke. - More...
Monday - December 05, 2011

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