WASHINGTON, Feb. 5 -- The Governor's Council on Disabilities and Special Education, Anchorage, Alaska, has submitted a public comment letter to the U.S. Department of Education's Reimagining and Improving Student Education (RISE) Committee, expressing concerns over the proposed regulatory changes concerning the definition of "professional degree." The council notes that significant portions of Alaska's workforce, particularly in healthcare, are likely to be adversely affected if certain degree p more ST

WASHINGTON, Feb. 5 -- A coalition of organizations and individuals from Alaska expressed deep concern and strong opposition in a recent public comment letter directed at the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) regarding its proposal to open nearly one billion acres of federal waters off Alaska's coast to fossil fuel extraction. The controversial plan, part of the 11th national offshore drilling program, would permit leasing in nearly all Alaska planning areas, sparking fears of environmenta more ST

WASHINGTON, Feb. 5 -- A coalition of federally recognized Alaska Native Tribes, including the Sugpiaq, Ahtna, and Dena'ina Tribes, has submitted a public comment letter to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) opposing the inclusion of Cook Inlet in the 11th National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program. This initiative has raised considerable concerns among the Tribes that rely on Cook Inlet's marine ecosystems for their traditional subsistence lifestyles. The Tribes emph more ST

WASHINGTON, Feb. 5 -- The U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management issued the following news release: * * * BLM to hold landmark oil and gas lease sale in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska * WASHINGTON -The Bureau of Land Management will hold a major oil and gas lease sale on March 9, 2026, offering over 600 tracts across approximately 5.5 million acres in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska. This marks the first lease sale for this area under the One Big Beautif more PR

WASHINGTON, Feb. 5 -- The U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management issued the following news release: * * * BLM, USDA Forest Service announce 2026 grazing fees * WASHINGTON - The federal grazing fee for 2026, as calculated by the National Agricultural Statistics Service, is $1.69 per animal unit month for lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service. An animal unit month or head month -treated as equivalent measu more PR

WASHINGTON, Feb. 4 -- Rep. Nicholas J. Begich III, R-Alaska, issued the following news release: * * * Congressman Begich Applauds Passage of the Critical Mineral Dominance Act * WASHINGTON, D.C. - Feb. 4, 2026 - Today, Congressman Begich (R-AK) applauded the passage of H.R. 4090 (link is external), the Critical Mineral Dominance Act, landmark legislation he proudly co-sponsored to strengthen America's national and economic security by unleashing domestic critical mineral production. "There more PR

WASHINGTON, Feb. 5 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following Legal Sidebar white paper (No. LSB11392) on Feb. 4, 2026, by legislative attorneys Sean Stiff and Jared P. Cole: * * * Department of Education Interagency Agreements On November 18, 2025, the Secretary of Education (the Secretary) announced that the Department of Education (ED) had entered into six interagency agreements (IAAs) with other federal executive departments in which ED will split with those agen more PR

WASHINGTON, Feb. 5 -- Rep. Nicholas J. Begich III, R-Alaska, issued the following news release: * * * Reps. Begich, Gillen Lead Bipartisan Aviation Weather Safety Bill * WASHINGTON, D.C. - Feb. 5, 2026 - Congressman Begich (R-AK) and Congresswoman Laura Gillen (D-NY) introduced H.R.7275 (link is external), the Aviation Weather Safety Improvement Act. This bipartisan legislation would require the Director of the National Weather Service (NWS) to coordinate with the Federal Aviation Administra more PR

WOODS HOLE, Massachusetts, Feb. 5 [Category: Environment] -- Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution issued the following news release: * * * Scientists outline case for next-generation ocean iron fertilization field trials * Woods Hole, Mass. (Feb. 5, 2026) -A team of ocean and climate researchers is calling for a new generation of carefully designed ocean iron fertilization (OIF) field trials to determine whether this marine carbon dioxide removal (mCDR) method can safely and effectively leve more PR

BLACKSBURG, Virginia, Feb. 5 -- Virginia Tech issued the following news: * * * What research can do for a community': New center dives into Arctic research By Kelsey Bartlett Cana Uluak Itchuaqiyaq knows firsthand the toll climate change has on Arctic communities. "I've watched the impacts of it for a long time," said Itchuaqiyaq, an Inupiaq scholar and Tribal citizen of the Noorvik Native Community in northwest Alaska. "I've seen how it has affected cultural practice and subsistence." As more PR