Arctic Awareness Observations -- Deputy Secretary David Hayes, Dept. of the Interior

From l to r: Dep. Sec. David Hayes (DOI), RADM Colvin (USCG), Larry Hartig (Alaska DEC) and Nancy Sutley (CEQ) have a conversation during the Arctic Domain Awareness flight
Originally uploaded by uscgpress

Guest post by David Hayes, Deputy Secretary for the Department of the Interior (at left in picture).

As our "last frontier," Alaska continues to teach America about the wonders of untamed wilderness, the rhythms of native Alaskans and their long-standing customs and culture, and a growing economic engine fueled by its abundant natural resources. Now Alaska is teaching us new lessons. It may be our last frontier in some senses, but when it comes to climate change, Alaska is at the forefront. The earth's rising temperatures are most pronounced near the poles, and Alaska is seeing and feeling it: retreating ice sheets, melting permafrost and invasive species-ravaged forests. The formerly ice-bound "northwest passage" is opening up, bringing new threats to a fragile arctic ecosystem whose whales, walruses, polar bears, and native Alaskans already are straining under the impacts of a changing climate, even as the arctic faces new accommodations to oil rigs, cruise ships and, potentially, cargo traffic.

These new challenges were apparent as we toured Alaska in late August. Alaska presents a daunting challenges as its climate continues to transition. With the Interior Department having responsibility for more than 50% of the land mass of Alaska, jurisdiction over offshore waters oil and gas development as well as for protected national oceanic parks like Glacier Bay and Kenai Fjords, and our special responsibility to native Alaskans, we need to track climate change and respond and adapt to the new challenges that it presents to the people, land and fish and wildlife of Alaska. It is a daunting challenge, but the 67,000 employees of our Department will rise to it, working closely with Alaskans, and with all Americans who care deeply about our resources, and our heritage.