Search Results for keywords:"Alaska"

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has issued a notice regarding an administrative disaster declaration for a rural area in the State of Alaska. This declaration was made due to severe storms and flooding that occurred from October 20 to October 23, 2024. The SBA is offering disaster loans to affected areas, specifically targeting the Northwest Arctic Borough, and applications can be submitted online through their portal. The deadline for physical loan applications is May 12, 2025, and for economic injury loans, it is December 15, 2025.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing changes to rules about hunting migratory birds in Alaska, focusing on subsistence harvest regulations. This includes introducing permits for hunters from excluded areas, closing the harvesting of emperor goose eggs statewide due to population concerns, and providing clarity on certain boundaries and regulations to ensure compliance and proper management. The proposals aim to involve Native representatives in managing these rules and ensure the sustainability of bird populations while balancing subsistence needs.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has released a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed Oil and Gas Lease Sale 258 in Alaska's Cook Inlet. This document is now open for public review and comment until March 1, 2021, with virtual public hearings scheduled for February 2021. The Draft EIS explores potential environmental impacts of the lease sale and considers alternatives to the proposal, focusing on protecting local wildlife and important ecological areas. Public feedback can be submitted through the Federal eRulemaking Portal.

The Rural Business-Cooperative Service, Rural Housing Service, and Rural Utilities Service in the Department of Agriculture announced a correction to a previous document about loan guarantee rates and fees for fiscal year 2021. The correction added missing details specific to Alaska and clarified when certain fee payments begin. The original notice was issued on September 1, 2020, and the correction updates it to include all necessary information.

The National Park Service (NPS) is announcing public meetings for several Subsistence Resource Commissions (SRCs) in Alaska, including those for the Aniakchak National Monument, Denali National Park, Cape Krusenstern National Monument, Lake Clark National Park, Kobuk Valley National Park, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, and Gates of the Arctic National Park. These gatherings will be either in-person or via teleconference, with opportunities for public participation and comment. The meetings' purpose is to discuss topics like SRC membership, updates from the Federal Subsistence Board and the Alaska Boards of Fish and Game, and other relevant business. The meetings are open to the public, and accommodations for attendees with disabilities are available upon request.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has announced the availability of the Record of Decision (ROD) for the Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for the Coastal Plain Oil and Gas Leasing Program. This decision, signed by the Acting Deputy Secretary of the Department of the Interior, finalizes the plan to implement an oil and gas leasing program in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The decision follows the requirements set by a U.S. law to manage these leasing activities. Additional details, including the specific lands available for leasing and the rules for leasing operations, have been determined in the ROD.

The National Park Service (NPS) has announced upcoming meetings for eight Subsistence Resource Commissions (SRCs) in Alaska, each dedicated to different national parks or monuments, including the Aniakchak National Monument and the Gates of the Arctic National Park. These meetings, which are open to the public for testimony, will be held via teleconference or in person, with agendas covering various reports and discussions such as SRC business, updates from the Federal Subsistence Board, and reports from NPS staff. Participation details, including teleconference access, are available through specific NPS contacts, and all meetings will adhere to the Federal Advisory Committee Act guidelines. Comments provided at meetings might be made public, but the NPS cannot guarantee the confidentiality of personal information in those comments.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve revisions submitted by the State of Alaska aimed at meeting Clean Air Act requirements. These revisions address air quality standards for the Fairbanks North Star Borough, targeting fine particulate matter pollution. The plan includes inventories of emissions, control measures for pollutants, and an attainment timeline set for the year 2027. Public comments on the proposal are being accepted until February 7, 2025.

The Department of the Interior has issued an order that partially revokes 11 Public Land Orders affecting approximately 9.7 million acres of public lands in Alaska. The affected lands were previously reserved for study and classification but are no longer needed for those purposes. These lands will be open for public land use and mining claims starting February 18, 2021, following existing laws and regulations. The decision aligns with recommendations from the Kobuk-Seward Peninsula Resource Management Plan, and previous Public Land Orders No. 6477 and 6559 will be superseded by this new order.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing a new rule to update the migratory bird subsistence harvest regulations in Alaska. This rule will clarify language on regional species closures, remove emperor geese from the harvest list due to population concerns, and update the names of specific bird species. It also eliminates the permit requirement for hunting in the Kodiak Island Roaded Area while keeping certain bird species protected. Public comments are being accepted until February 20, 2025.