Author: kfskadmin

Organizers are planning rallies in Petersburg and throughout the state on March 31st as part of Governor Sean Parnell’s “Choose Respect” campaign against domestic violence and sexual assault in Alaska. Petersburg’s advocacy group “Working Against Violence for Everyone” or “WAVE” has been taking the lead in planning for the upcoming “Choose Respect” rally. Matt Lichtenstein recently spoke with WAVE volunteer Julianne Curry and president Sunny Rice about the choose respect campaign.

Petersburg's city council postponed action on a resolution opposing the federal roadless rule Monday night. The measure raises concerns that the nationwide conservation law is an obstacle to hydro-electric development in Southeast Alaska. However, roadless supporters pointed out that the rule allows exceptions for energy projects. Earlier this month, a federal Judge cited that flexibility when he reinstated the rule for the Tongass National Forest. Petersburg’s councilors decided to do more research and consider a revised measure at their next meeting.

Fish and Game Commissioner Cora Campbell had her confirmation hearing before the legislature’s House Resources Committee Friday afternoon.

The city of Petersburg’s population in 2010 2,948 according to new data released by the U.S. Census Bureau this week.

Environmental officials with state and federal agencies say there’s no risk of radiation exposure from Alaskan seafood, and do not expect Alaska’s seafood catch to be impacted by radiation releases from damaged nuclear reactors in northern Japan, following this month’s devastating earthquakes off the Japanese coastline.
A spokesperson for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says at this time theoretical models do not indicate that significant amounts of radiation will reach the U.S. coast or affect U.S. fishing waters. The FDA says the great quantity of water in the Pacific Ocean rapidly and effectively dilutes radioactive material, so fish and seafood are likely to be unaffected.
The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation randomly screens samples of Alaska’s seafood catch for contaminants like heavy metals, PCBs and pesticides, but is not testing for radiation. Joe Viechnicki spoke with Kristin Ryan, director of the DEC’s division of environmental health about testing of Alaska’s seafood catch.