What's New

Date:
Wednesday, September 2nd
Time:
8am-9am
Location:
Online

Arctic Policy Study Group

State and Federal Lands
in Alaska’s Arctic

Wednesday, September 2, 2020

8:00 am – 9:00 am

Online

Collectively, the Alaska Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management manage more than 55 million acres of public lands in Alaska’s arctic region. These lands hold vast oil and gas, mineral, wildlife, and scenic resources. 

Join Commonwealth North to hear from the senior managers of public lands in Alaska’s Arctic. They’ll provide a survey of lands under their purview in the Arctic region, a review of any plans or initiatives for those lands, a review of oil and gas activities, and provide project status updates.

SPEAKERS

Deputy Commissioner Sara Longan (confirmed) Alaska Department of Natural Resources

Chad Padgett (confired)
State Director
Bureau of Land Management
U.S. Department of the Interior

REGISTRATION: The program is free of charge but please register to receive login details.

                                                                       
Arctic Policy Study Group
The Arctic Policy Study Group typically meets weekly on Wednesdays (usually at 8 a.m.) throughout the summer and early fall. Please join us to explore the issues critical to the region and our state.

Submit Questions in Advance If you have questions pertinent to the session topic, you can submit those in advance to exec@commonwealthnorth.org. Include “APSG 09/02/2020” in the subject line.

How to Zoom You can join us from any computer, smart phone, or tablet by clicking the link emailed to you after registration. If you plan to connect by tablet or smartphone, I recommend visiting Zoom.com prior to the program to download the app. You can watch this tutorial for more information.

Date:
Wednesday, September 11th
Time:
Noon-1pm
Location:
Online

Energy Policy Study Group

Potential of River and Tidal Hydropower for Rural Alaska

Wednesday, September 11th

Noon-1pm

The PowerPoint presentation can be downloaded here

We will have a briefing from Ocean Renewable Power Company on their efforts to commercialize run of river and tidal hydropower in Alaska and internationally.

Speaker: Stuart Davies, CEO, ORPC

The program is free of charge, but please register to receive your login details.How to Zoom You can join us from any computer, smart phone, or tablet by clicking the link emailed to you after registration. If you plan to connect by tablet or smartphone, I recommend visiting Zoom.com prior to the program to download the app. You can watch this tutorial for more information.

Date:
Wednesday, September 2nd
Time:
Noon-1pm
Location:
Online

Commonwealth North Forum

Alaska’s Competitiveness in Global Oil and Gas Markets

Wednesday, September 2nd

Noon-1pm

Online

The video is now available online.

The PowerPoint presentation can be downloaded here.

Join us for a presentation by IHS Markit about their recent analysis of Alaska’s competitiveness in oil and gas markets both domestically and internationally. It also addresses Alaska’s future competition for investment. The study was commissioned by the American Petroleum Institute.

Speaker: Irena Agalliu, Vice President, IHS Markit

The program is free to members, $10 for non-members, and $5 for students.

How to Zoom
You can join us from any computer, smart phone, or tablet by clicking the link emailed to you after registration. If you plan to connect by tablet or smartphone, I recommend visiting Zoom.com prior to the program to download the app. You can watch this tutorial for more information.

Date:
Wednesday, August 26th
Time:
8am-9am
Location:
Online
Arctic Policy Study Group

The Ocean Between Us:
Governance and Cooperation in Arctic Waters

Wednesday, August 26, 2020
8:00 am - 9:00 am

Online

This program has sold out.
Video will be made available after the program.
With ever increasing human activity and rising geopolitical tensions, the interests of arctic nations and states converge in the Arctic Ocean.  What governance structures are in place to regulate activities in arctic waters? How can stakeholders establish efforts to dissipate tensions and ensure cooperation in the arctic?

Join Commonwealth North and the Polar Institute at The Wilson Center for a discussion about the future of Arctic Ocean governance, the Central Arctic Oceans Agreement, perspectives on international cooperation, Alaska's role in cooperative efforts, and international fisheries issues that impact Alaska.
MODERATOR
 
Michael Sfraga (confirmed)
Director, Polar Institute
The Wilson Center 
 
SPEAKER
Ambassador David Balton (confirmed)
Senior Fellow, Polar Institute;
Former Ambassador for Oceans and Fisheries, U.S. Department of State
THANKS to our Arctic Collaborator and Session Host:
Arctic Policy Study Group
The Arctic Policy Study Group typically meets weekly on Wednesdays (usually at 8 a.m.) throughout the summer and early fall. Please join us to explore the issues critical to the region and our state.
 
How to Zoom
You can join us from any computer, smart phone, or tablet by clicking the link emailed to you after registration. If you plan to connect by tablet or smartphone, I recommend visiting Zoom.com prior to the program to download the app. You can watch this tutorial for more information.
Date:
Thursday, August 13th
Time:
8am-9am
Location:
Online

Food Security Study Group

Large Retailer and Shipper Perspecitves

on Food Security and the Pandemic

Thursday, August 13th

8am-9am

Online

With five to seven days of food supply on store shelves, finely-tuned just in time inventory systems, shifting consumer demands, and long, vulnerable supply chains, maintaining food supplies in Alaska is a constantly evolving strategic and tactical dilemma. This session will focus on how large retailers and shippers maintain food supplies and react to disruptions in the system. 

Speakers:

  • Bob Ripley, General Manager, Dimond Costco – confirmed
  • Eddie Walton, Director of Railbelt Logistics, Matson – invited

 The program is free of charge but please register to receive login details.

Date:
Wednesday, August 12th
Time:
8am-9am
Location:
Online

Arctic Policy Study Group

Alaska’s Arctic and the New Great Power Competition

Wednesday, August 12, 2020

8:00 am – 9 am

Online

Through increased economic and military activity, Russia and China continue to assert interest and presence in the Arctic. How then does the U.S. respond and what implications does that response have for Alaska’s Arctic region?

Please join Commonwealth North and our collaborators the Arctic Domain Awareness Center and The Polar Institute at The Wilson Center for a discussion about the implications of the New Great Power Competition for Alaska’s Arctic.

Moderators

  • Randy “Church” Kee, Maj Gen, USAF (Ret) (confirmed)Executive Director, Arctic Domain Awareness CenterUniversity of Alaska 
  • Michael Sfraga (confirmed)Director, Polar InstituteThe Wilson Center

SPEAKERS

  • Shannon R. Jenkins (confirmed) Senior Arctic Advisor, Office of Arctic PolicyUnited States Coast Guard
  • Michael J. Smith (confirmed) U.S. Customs and Border ProtectionDepartment of Homeland Security
  • David W. Martin, Jr.  (invited) Alaska CommandU.S. Air Force  

REGISTRATION:The program is free of charge but please register to receive login details.

Date:
Thursday, August 6th
Time:
8am-9am
Location:
Online

Food Security Study Group

Child Nutrtion Programs

Thursday, August 6

8am-9am

Online

The Alaska Department of Education and Early Development administers a portfolio of Child Nutrition Programs. This session will provide an overview of those programs, including the under the authorization of the US. Department of Agricuture’s Food and Nutrition Service. The program is free of charge but please register to receive login details.

How to Zoom You can join us from any computer, smart phone, or tablet by clicking the link emailed to you after registration. If you plan to connect by tablet or smartphone, I recommend visiting Zoom.com prior to the program to download the app. You can watch this tutorial for more information.

Date:
Wednesday, August 26th
Time:
Noon-1pm
Location:
Online

Elections Matter: Does Alaska Need Election Reform?   Wednesday, August 26th

Noon-1pm

Video of this program is available here.

On November 3, 2020, Alaskans will consider an initiative that would make sweeping changes as to how elections are conducted in our state:

“An Act Replacing the Political Party Primary with an Open Primary System and Ranked-Choice General Election, and Requiring Additional Campaign Finance Disclosures”.

This program will feature Katherine Gehl, co-author of the recently published, “The Politics Industry: How Political Innovation Can Break Partisan Gridlock and Save Our Democracy”.

Following Ms. Gehl’s remarks, we will hear analysis of the election reform initiative from Alaska attorneys Scott Kendall and Chad Hutchison.

The program is free to members, $10 for non-members, and $5 for students.

How to Zoom You can join us from any computer, smart phone, or tablet by clicking the link emailed to you after registration. If you plan to connect by tablet or smartphone, I recommend visiting Zoom.com prior to the program to download the app. You can watch this tutorial for more information.

Date:
Wednesday, July 29th
Time:
8am-9am
Location:
Online via Zoom
Arctic Policy Study Group
Surface Transportation in Alaska's Arctic Region
Wednesday, July 29th
8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.
Online

Alaska’s Arctic “is a vast territory with a relatively small population, characterized by long distances and almost no road system, where transportation occurs mainly by airplane and boat.” This session will explore several proposed surface transportation projects in the Arctic.  

Speakers:

  • Arctic Strategic Transportation and Resources (ASTAR): Jeff Bruno, DNR
  • Ambler Access: Jeff San Juan, AIDEA
  • Alaska Department of Transportation Northern Region: Ryan Anderson

The event is free of charge, but please register to receive your login details.

The Arctic Policy Study Group meets weekly on Wednesdays at 8 a.m. throughout the summer and early fall. Please join us to explore the issues critical to the region and our state.   The program is free of charge but please register to receive login details.

How to Zoom You can join us from any computer, smart phone, or tablet by clicking the link emailed to you after registration. If you plan to connect by tablet or smartphone, I recommend visiting Zoom.com prior to the program to download the app. You can watch this tutorial for more information.

Date:
July 10th
Time:
Noon-1pm
Location:
Online
Energy Action Coalition
Emerging Renewable Energy Initiatives in Alaska
Isaac Vanderburg
CEO
Launch Alaska
 
Friday, July 10th
Noon-1pm
Online

Isaac will discuss Alaskan renewable energy project initiatives and a future outlook for the potential of renewable energy technology in the state.

Launch Alaska’s mission is to accelerate the resource revolution. This means supporting companies who are decarbonizing and electrifying food, water, transportation and energy systems. Through an intensive 8 month program, Launch Alaska pairs startups with decision makers in Alaska to validate technologies and scope projects for deployment. Startups work with investors, policy wonks and customers in a collaborative and structured program—all focused on getting solutions to the companies and communities who need them most.

Isaac was previously the State Director for the Alaska Small Business Development Center and is a member of the Commonwealth North board of directors.How to Zoom You can join us from any computer, smart phone, or tablet by clicking the link emailed to you after registration. If you plan to connect by tablet or smartphone, I recommend visiting Zoom.com prior to the program to download the app. You can watch this tutorial for more information.