DOCSLIB.ORG

Third Time and Counting : Remembering Past

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Third Time and Counting : Remembering Past third time and counting: remembering past relocations and discussing the future in kaktovik, alaska Elizabeth Mikow Department of Anthropology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, P.O. Box 757720, Fairbanks, AK 99775-7720; [email protected] abstract In the late 1940s and early 1950s, the United States began to put defensive measures into place in Alaska to guard against attack by the Soviet Union. These measures included constructing airfields and a system of radar stations known as the Distant Early Warning (DEW) Line. Barter Island, home to the Iñupiaq village of Kaktovik, was chosen for both an airfield and a DEW line installation, which resulted in three forced relocations between 1947 and 1964. Kaktovik is currently threatened by coastal erosion and may be forced to move again. Drawing from current perspectives and memories of the villagers, I explore how community members negotiated their relationships with the military and a changing physical environment and describe local perspectives on coastal erosion and relocation. keywords: DEW line, Iñupiat, Alaska Native communities, erosion, relocation Walking through the village of Kaktovik, Alaska, one con- conveyed by different institutions and actors. These actions stantly encounters reminders of a military past. Remnants were prompted by concerns of national security and, as of rusted oil drums litter the beach, Quonset huts stand such, were focused upon the stability of the greater popu- beside modern housing, and the DEW line facility, now a lation of the country as a whole. In any case, tensions at part of the Alaska Radar System, stands in the background. the international level brought state intervention—in the This military past shaped the course of the history of this form of the U.S. Air Force—upon this community. The community, one that includes three forced relocations in human element in state decision making is important to less than two decades. One danger of looking at the state remember. Norman Long (2001) explains that research on as a force of social change is the risk of viewing the actions development examines social change at the broader scope as stemming from a unified entity. Michel Foucault ([1991] of institutions, structures, and trends on the one hand, and 2006) illustrates the idea of state involvement through the changes at the level of the actors themselves on the other. concept of “governmentality,” a composite formed by in- While social changes can certainly be caused by external stitutions, their actions, and calculations that allow for the forces, these forces have to enter the lived worlds of indi- exercise of governmental techniques with which to inter- viduals and groups, who in turn negotiate and alter them. vene within a population. The stability of the population is Changes to social order come about through the commu- the end goal for this intervention, which in turn makes the nications and struggles between different kinds of social population more governable. This composite, in his view, actors, not only those who are directly interacting with contains a whole host of “governmental apparatuses,” cre- each other, but also those who are not physically present ating and using different kinds of knowledge that act upon and whose actions influence and alter the situation. The society (Foucault [1991] 2006:142). I consider the situa- agency and power of particular institutions, then, is formed tion that unfolded in Kaktovik in light of state authority, by networks of individuals (Long 2001). Alaska Journal of Anthropology vol. 8, no. 2 (2010) 33 This paper explores the Kaktovik relocations within background the social and historical context in which they occurred in order to understand how members of the community A large prehistoric village once existed on Barter Island, as negotiated their relationships with the military as an ex- noted by Canadian explorer and anthropologist Diamond tension of the state. I draw upon current perspectives and Jenness (1991), who counted thirty to forty old house sites memories of the villagers as they reflect upon their own there in 1914. According to oral history accounts, these ru- history and how they feel the relocations and the pres- ins were that of the Qagmaliks, or “people-from- farthest- ence of the military have shaped the community in which away” (Libbey 1983:2), most likely a whaling group from they live. Kaktovik also faces the threat of coastal erosion; Canada. The abandonment of this settlement may have therefore, this legacy of relocation may continue in the been due to warfare with Iñupiat from Alaska. One leg- future. I also explore local perspectives on how another end states that this conflict was caused by the Qagmalik relocation of the village should take place if it does be- murder of an Iñupiaq couple’s only son, whose body was come necessary. fished out of the water with a seining net. This legend is Going beyond a simplified view of forced relocation said to have given Kaktovik (Qaaktugvik) its name, which as an event in which the powerful state imposes its will translates as “seining place” (Jacobson and Wentworth upon a helpless population, I instead look at how villagers 1982:3). A similar situation occurred in the mid-to-late actively negotiated their changing physical environment 1930s, when a man named Pipsuk was reported to have and relationships with the state. Turton (2006) discusses drowned in the lagoon on the eastern side of the island. what constitutes forced migration within the context of A seining net was used to pull his body to shore, and the development-induced displacement. He advocates view- name of the modern community of Kaktovik was adopted ing a forced migrant as an ordinary person placed in a in memory of the event (Libbey 1983:3). particular social, political, and historical context. By view- Before the 1920s there was no year-round settle- ing migrants in this light, we avoid depersonalization and ment at Barter Island, and for centuries the region was include individual agency in the picture (Turton 2006). an important location of trade between Canadian Inuit Turton’s ideas are echoed by Long (2001:13), who feels that and Iñupiat from the Barrow region (Nielson 1977). The social actors need to be recognized not simply as “passive island was also used as a seasonal home for subsistence recipients of intervention,” but instead as individuals who hunting and fishing and at the turn of the twentieth actively process information and strategically engage with century, as a stop for commercial whalers in the region. others at different levels. Long discusses the importance The first year-round settlement came into being in the of exploring the ways in which people deal with difficult 1920s, when Andrew Akootchook and his family moved situations by their actions and choices, “turning the ‘bad’ to Barter Island. Andrew was the brother-in-law of trader into the ‘less bad’” (2001:14). As I demonstrate below, past Tom Gordon, who was convinced to move his fur trading relocations at Kaktovik were forced in the strictest sense of post to the island because of its good harbor and excellent the word, but individuals were active in dealing with the hunting opportunities (Jacobson and Wentworth 1982:3). changes imposed upon them. Because of the existence of a store on the island and easy Much of the information presented here was ob- access to hunting grounds in the mountains, people began tained through fieldwork conducted in the village in May to settle along the coast around Barter Island. Fur trap- 2009. During my three-week stay, I formally interviewed ping was a large portion of the local economy, with furs fourteen current residents of Kaktovik and had informal serving as a form of currency with which to obtain store conversations with a number of individuals. In order to goods and supplies (Libbey 1983:16). Although a year- inform the community of the goals of my research and round settlement existed during the 1920s and 1930s, the reason for my presence, I made a public presentation most of the inhabitants of the region continued to live a in the community center in conjunction with another re- seminomadic lifestyle spread out along the coast, mainly searcher, Stacey Fritz. While the majority of interviews gathering around the trading post during holidays and were taken in English, a few individuals spoke Iñupiaq, special events (Jacobson and Wentworth 1982). Contact and these interviews were facilitated by Kaktovik resident with non-native settlers during this period was minimal, Clarice Akootchook. consisting of dealings with the local trader and occasional 34 third time and counting: remembering past relocations in kaktovik, alaska visits from scientists, explorers, and missionaries (Nielson their supplies. She was stopped with her cousin by two 1977). The economy in the region changed drastically military men who wanted to ask them a question: when the price of fur declined in 1936, heralding the end We were just walking along, and all at once we of the trapping era. This, combined with the end of rein- stopped by these two guys, those guys in uni- deer herding in the late 1930s, led several families to move form, and we just stand there and . had no idea to Herschel Island, Canada (Jacobson and Wentworth what to say because we didn’t understand English 1982:5). Isaac Akootchook, a resident of Kaktovik, re- back then, this was before they started teaching us called that after 1936 “people began scattering—mov- English. We’re just standing there, and you know we’re very cultural, we have to stand, and with our ing out. A few stayed” (Libbey 1983:65). For those who heads down, if the elders are talking to us, we have did stay, the first military contact occurred in the 1940s, to stand and you don’t move if the elder is talk- when Marvin “Muktuk” Marston came to the commu- ing to you .
Load more

Recommended publications
  • This Manuscript Has Been Reproduced from the Microfilm Master. UMI Films the Text Directly from the Original Or Copy Submitted
    Returning: Twentieth century performances of the King Island Wolf Dance Item Type Thesis Authors Kingston, Deanna Marie Download date 09/10/2021 06:41:20 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/11122/9533 INFORMATION TO USERS This manuscript has been reproduced from the microfilm master. UMI films the text directly from the original or copy submitted. Thus, some thesis and dissertation copies are in typewriter face, while others may be from any type of computer printer. The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. Broken or indistinct print, colored or poor quality illustrations and photographs, print bleedthrough, substandard margins, and improper alignment can adversely affect reproduction. In the unlikely event that the author did not send UMI a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if unauthorized copyright material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. Oversize materials (e.g., maps, drawings, charts) are reproduced by sectioning the original, beginning at the upper left-hand comer and continuing from left to right in equal sections with small overlaps. Each original is also photographed in one exposure and is included in reduced form at the back of the book. Photographs included in the original manuscript have been reproduced xerographically in this copy. Higher quality 6” x 9” black and white photographic prints are available for any photographs or illustrations appearing in this copy for an additional charge. Contact UMI directly to order. Bell & Howell Information and Learning 300 North Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 USA 800-521-0600 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner.
    [Show full text]
  • The Sea Ice Topography of M'clure Strait in Winter and Summer Of
    ARCTK: VOL. 37. NO. 2 (JUNE 1984) P. 110-120 The Sea Ice Topography of M’Clure Strait in Winter and Summer of 1960 from Submarine Profiles ALFRED S. MCLARENI, PETER WADHAMS2, and RUTH WEINTRAUB2 ABSTRACT. Submarine profiles of the ice underside in M’Clure Strait were obtained by USS Sorgo in February 1960 and by USS Seadmgon in August 1960. They gavethe first quantitative measurementsof the icedraft distribution in the strait and in the nearby BeaufortSea shelf zone, as well as providing a seasonal comparison of iceconditions within a single year. Analysis of the profiles reveals a region of very high meanice draft (7.8 m) and heavy ridging off the southwest tip of Prince Patrick Island in winter. Within M’Clure Strait itself the mean ice draft lay in the4-5 m range and the draft distribution showed that the ice was mainly first-year, as opposed to the mixture of first- and multi-year ice that exists out in the Beaufort Sea. This suggests a local origin for the ice in the strait. Pressure ridges were much more frequent in summer than in winter, as were polynyas. Both the pressure ridge draft distribution (in summer) and the ice draft distribution at great depths (in summer and winter) fitted a negative exponential distribution, in common with other ice profiles which have been analysed. Key words: sea ice, pressure ridges, sonar, M’Clure Strait, Viscount Melville Sound RfiSUMk. Des profils sous-marins de la surface infkrieure de la glace dans le dktroit M’Clure furent obtenus par 1’U.S.S.
    [Show full text]
  • Euro-American Whaler Interaction on Herschel Island, Northern Yukon T
    event or conjuncture? searching for the material record of inuvialuit–euro-american whaler interaction on herschel island, northern yukon T. Max Friesen Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto, 19 Russell St., Toronto, ON M5S 2S2; [email protected] abstract During the 1890s, northern Yukon saw sustained and intensive interaction between local Mackenzie Inuit, foreign commercial whaling crews, and between whaling crews and Alaska Iñupiat at Pauline Cove on Herschel Island. The historical record for this period is rich, leading to an expectation that Inuit activities dating to this period should be well represented in the archaeological record. However, three field seasons of archaeological survey and excavation did not reveal the expected density of Inuit occupations dating to the 1890s. Instead, only two atypical and in some ways ambiguous components were encountered that could be confidently dated to this period and related to Inuit activities. In this paper, these two components are described and reasons for their rarity are discussed. keywords: Herschel Island, Inuvialuit, interaction, whalers, ethnicity introduction This paper is about looking for hard archaeological evi- the whaler era in inuvialuit history dence for a key “event” in Inuvialuit history: the brief but critical period during which Inuit, Euro-American whal- The Mackenzie Delta region generally, and Herschel ers, Athapaskans, and people of many other backgrounds Island specifically, have been occupied by Inuit since interacted in the Mackenzie Delta region during the 1890s. the Thule migration, currently dated in this region to Based on the prominence of this period in Inuvialuit his- around ad 1200 (Friesen and Arnold 2008).
    [Show full text]
  • OCS Study MMS 2006-14 Demographics and Behavior Of
    OCS Study MMS 2006-14 Demographics and Behavior of Polar Bears Feeding on Bowhead Whale Carcasses at Barter and Cross Islands, Alaska, 2002-2004 Prepared for: U.S. Department of the Interior Minerals Management Service Alaska Outer Continental Shelf Region Final Report Demographics and Behavior of Polar Bears Feeding on Bowhead Whale Carcasses at Barter and Cross Islands, Alaska, 2002-2004 by Susanne Miller, Scott Schliebe, and Kelly Proffitt U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Marine Mammals Management 1011 E. Tudor Road Anchorage, Alaska 99503 April 2006 This study was funded by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Minerals Management Service, Alaska Outer Continental Shelf Region, Anchorage, Alaska, under Intra-agency Agreement No. 0102RU85166, NSL # AK-02-10, as part of the MMS Alaska Environmental Studies Program. The opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this report or product are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Department of the Interior, nor does mention of trade names or commercial products constitute endorsement or recommendation for use by the Federal Government. Acknowledgements The authors wish to thank the Minerals Management Service for funding this study. Special appreciation is extended to the Nuiqsut Whaling Captains Association and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for providing accommodations and logistical support at Cross and Barter islands, respectively. We thank the following people who participated in data collection: Sherman Anderson (Alaska Nanuuq Commission); Anthony Fischbach and Steven Partridge (U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center); Jason Ransom (National Park Service, Denali National Park), Alan Brackney, Sara Gillespie, Steven Kendall, Jennifer Reed, Cashell Villa, Tara Wertz, and Gary Wheeler (U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • For BP Exploration
    Aerial Surveys of Polar Bears Along the Coast and Barrier Islands of the Beaufort Sea, Alaska, September·October 2000 by Scott Schliebe, Susanne Kalxdorff, and Thomas Evans U.S. Fish and \Vildlife Service Marine Mammals Management Anchorage, Alaska for BP Exploration Anchorage, Alaska in cooperation with LGL Research Anchorage, Alaska August 2001 Aluka Res.uch Associates, Inc. TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ......•..............•......•......•.....•......•........... I OBJECTIVES ........••......•......••.....••..................•.•.......... 2 METHODS 2 RESULTS 3 DISCUSSION. " ..............••......•••....•.•....•.•....•••...•••.......... 4 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ....•.•••.•....•......•............................... 5 LITERATURE CITED .....................................•......•........... 5 APPENDIX I. DATA SHEETS AND SURVEY CODES 19 LIST OF TABLES Table I. Distribution of polar bears observed during 9-21-00 survey. 13 Table 2. Distribution oC polar bears observed during 9-28-00 survey. 14 Table 3. Distribution of polar bears observed during 10-05-00 survey. ...•.......... 15 Table 4. Distribution of polar bears observed during 16-12-00 survey. 16 Table S. Age and sex composition ofpolar bears sighted during aerial surveys along the coast and barrier islands oftbe Beaufort Sea, Alaska, September-October, 2000 17 Table 6. Frequency rate oC polar bears observed during aerial surveys along the coast and barrier islands of the Beaufort Sea, Alaska, September-October, 2000. 17 Table 7. Habitat types used by numbers of polar bears observed during
    [Show full text]
  • Polar Bear Source Book for the Kaktovik Area Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
    U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Polar Bear Source Book for the Kaktovik Area Arctic National Wildlife Refuge June 2016 USFWS Polar Bear Source Book for Kaktovik Area Part I: Orientation . 2 Part II: Safety . 10 Part III: Viewing . 18 Part IV: Management . 28 Part V: Contacts . 47 Appendix . 48 Revised 6/2016 Page 1 Polar Bear Source Book for Kaktovik Area Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (Arctic Refuge, Refuge) surrounds Kaktovik, Alaska. The Refuge’s lands and waters provide habitat important to polar bears for denning, feeding, resting, and seasonal movements. Arctic Refuge has regulatory responsibilities for commercial activities on waters surrounding Kaktovik. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) oversees the National Wildlife Refuge System, and has regulatory responsibilities for protecting polar bears wherever they exist in the United States, including within Arctic Refuge. With increasing numbers of people interested in viewing polar bears in Alaska, USFWS has developed this Polar Bear Source Book for the Kaktovik area. This source book is intended to insure that polar bears are not disturbed, so that opportunities for the public to enjoy, observe, and photograph these bears in the wild can continue. Whether you are a resident, researcher, commercial filmer, visitor, or employee, it is each individual’s responsibility to insure that their activities around polar bears are safe and remain lawful. This source book compiles in one location useful information that will help you understand your legal requirements and your stewardship obligations while in polar bear habitat. This source book is divided into six sections: Orientation (page 2), Safety (page 10), Viewing (page 18), Management (page 28), Contacts (page 47), and Appendix (page 48).
    [Show full text]
  • Changing Storm Conditions in Response to Projected 21St
    Prepared in cooperation with and funded in part by the Arctic Landscape Conservation Cooperation (ALCC) Changing Storm Conditions in Response to Projected 21st Century Climate Change and the Potential Impact on an Arctic Barrier Island–Lagoon System—A Pilot Study for Arey Island and Lagoon, Eastern Arctic Alaska Open-File Report 2020–1142 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey Cover: View from the western end of Barter Island looking southeast toward Arey Lagoon. Image and other oblique images of the North Slope of Alaska are available for download at http://pubs.usgs. gov/ds/436/ (Gibbs and Richmond, 2009). Changing Storm Conditions in Response to Projected 21st Century Climate Change and the Potential Impact on an Arctic Barrier Island–Lagoon System—A Pilot Study for Arey Island and Lagoon, Eastern Arctic Alaska By Li H. Erikson, Ann E. Gibbs, Bruce M. Richmond, Curt D. Storlazzi, Ben M. Jones, and Karin A. Ohman Prepared in cooperation with and funded in part by the Arctic Landscape Conservation Cooperation (ALCC) Open-File Report 2020–1142 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Department of the Interior DAVID BERNHARDT, Secretary U.S. Geological Survey James F. Reilly II, Director U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2020 For more information on the USGS—the Federal source for science about the Earth, its natural and living resources, natural hazards, and the environment—visit https://www.usgs.gov or call 1–888–ASK–USGS. For an overview of USGS information products, including maps, imagery, and publications, visit https://store.usgs.gov.
    [Show full text]
  • Subsistence Land Use and Place Names Maps for Kaktovik, Alaska
    SUBSISTENCE LAND USE AND PLACE NAMES MAPS FOR KAKTOVIK, ALASKA Sverre Pedersen Michael Coffing Jane Thompson Technical Paper No. 109 Alaska Department of Fish and Game Division of Subsistence Fairbanks, Alaska December, 1985 ABSTRACT This study focuses on the spatial dimensions of land use associated with the procurement of wild resources by residents of Kaktovik, Alaska. Land use mapping with members of 21 households produced 33 map biographies, 15 community map biographies, and 3 summary maps covering the time span from about 1923 to 1983. Additionally, 188 place names of significance to Kaktovik residents were recorded and geographically located. Kaktovik subsistence land uses in Alaska cover a minimum area of 11,406 square miles, stretching from the United States and Canadian border in the east to within 20 miles of the Colville River in the west, a linear distance of 200 miles. The resource use area spans about 25 miles northward into the Beaufort Sea from Kaktovik and extends about 85 miles inland to the continental divide of the Brooks Range in the eastern Arctic. Virtually all community-based subsistence activity takes place within the confines of this area. In certain areas more than one resource use activity occurs. Land use activities by Kaktovik residents are associated with efforts to harvest a wide variety of locally available resources which are shared throughout the community. Use areas may differ between households but all households share common use areas. One hundred sixty-seven Inupiat place names were recorded for the Kaktovik area. Distribution of the place names firmly supports the initial finding that the community's overall subsistence land use area is extensive.
    [Show full text]
  • "Blood Groups of the Anaktuvuk Eskimo, Alaska
    BLOODGROUPSOFTHEANAKTUVUK ESKIMOS, ALASKA W. S. LAUGHLIN At the invitation of Dr. Kaare Rodahl, Director of Research, Arctic Aeromedical Laboratory, Ladd Air Force Base, Fairbanks, Alaska, a blood group study of the Eskimos living at Anaktuvuk Pass was undertaken. Between December 17 and 24, 1955 a total of 43 members of this small village were typed for presence of the antigens of the A, A,, B, 0 system, the MN system and for three antigens of the Rhesus system: Rh0 (D), Rh' (C) , and Rh" (E). A description of the sample, in terms of genealogical relationships and birth places, was collected. Subsequent to the typing of the bloods in the village the gene frequency ratios were computed, analyses of the inheritance inside families was made and, lastly, the frequencies were compared with those of other Eskimo groups. Mr. W. 0. Tilman and Airman R. Spencer provided indispensable assistance. OBJECTIVES OF THIS STUDY The primary objectives of this study were: !-Performance of agglutination tests on all available Anaktuvuk Eskimos and computation of the gene frequency ratios from the numbers of persons reacting with the various sera. 2-Description of the sample by meansResale of genealogies and birth­ place. 3-Examination of those questions for which this blood group information is pertinent. Such questions are: (a) Are these peoplefor Eskimo or Indian? (b) Is there evidence of Indian or European admixture? (c) Have these people drawn their genes from coastal Eskimos or preceding groups of inland Eskimos? (d) In what ways do their genetic composition affect the validityNot of biological comparisons with other groups? Since the inheritance of the blood group genes is precisely known, the estimates of intra-group and inter-group variability based upon their distribution with in-groups and between-groups provide the most accurate base for the kinds of questions listed above.
    [Show full text]
  • Subsistence Mapping: an Evaluation and Methodological Guidelines
    SUBSISTENCE MAPPING: AN EVALUATION AND METHODOLOGICAL GUIDELINES Technical Paper Number 125 LINDA J. ELLANNA, GEORGE K. SHERROD, AND STEVEN J. LANGDON 1985 Division of Subsistence Alaska Department OP Fish and, Game Box 3-2000 Juneau, Alaska 99802 Page List of Figures . ..*....................................... 1v CHAPERl SUESISTEKE-EMEDLANDAND~CURCEUSEMAPP~G: ImRmmrImANDm .......................... 1 Intrcdutiion ................................... 1 Pmpcseofthemdy ........................... f Methodology .................................... 8 Basic Concepts .......... ....................... 12 Relevance of Subsistence Mapping ............... 19 CHAPTER2 MAPPINGASAmTmXKZy INTHESOCIALSC~: SOME~~=SND~RFTIcAL PERspmIvEs .... ........ ............. .... ......... 23 Relationships Betwan Anthropology and Geography in the Study of Human-Environments ... ........ 23 The RoleofMapping inGeography: Same Human- Environment Examples .... ..................... 30 The Use 0fMappingMethods inAnthropclcgica1 Research . ............... ... .................... 42 Theoretical Perspectives of Study .............. 56 CHAPTER3 SUESISTENCEMAPP~GMETHODOLCGIESINNORTHER~~ NORTHAMERICA: A DESCRIPTION. ...*.... 61 Introduction . ..*...*.................... 61 AnOvemiewof SubsistenceMapping in Northern North America . ...*.... 62 Canadian Land-Use and Occupancy Studies . Alaskan Land.aud Resou.rce.Use Studies . ...*.... 1:: CHAPlER4 SUEkSISTEXEYAPP~G~LM;IEsINNORTHERN NoRTHAMEnIcA: ANE&ATI~ ..................... 156 Introduction ..................................
    [Show full text]
  • 7 January 2021 Mr. Patrick Lemons, Chief Marine Mammals
    7 January 2021 Mr. Patrick Lemons, Chief Marine Mammals Management U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1011 East Tudor Road, MS-341 Anchorage, Alaska 99503 Dear Mr. Lemons: The Marine Mammal Commission (the Commission), in consultation with its Committee of Scientific Advisors on Marine Mammals, has reviewed the application submitted by the Kaktovik Iñupiat Corporation (KIC) under section 101(a)(5)(D) of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). KIC is seeking authorization to take small numbers of polar bears by harassment incidental to seismic surveys in the Marsh Creek East Program Area (Program Area) of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Coastal Plain (1002 region). The Commission also reviewed the Fish and Wildlife Service’s (FWS) 8 December 2020 notice (85 Fed. Reg. 79082) requesting comments on its proposal to issue the authorization, subject to certain conditions. KIC plans to conduct aerial infrared (AIR) surveys, handheld/vehicle forward-looking infrared (FLIR) surveys, and environmental and 3D seismic surveys. KIC also plans to establish temporary camps and infrastructure (e.g., airstrips) in association with the seismic surveys. The Program Area for the seismic survey and other activities encompasses 1,441.82 km2, extending from Kajutakrok Creek in the west to Pokok Bay in the east, and from the coast to 40 km inland (see Figure 1 in the Federal Register notice). Portions of the Program Area are within designated polar bear critical habitat1. Project source lines will be spaced at 402-m intervals with up to five receiver lines placed on the ground at one time. KIC proposes to commence activities in January 2021, starting with AIR surveys to detect polar bear dens, after which the seismic survey crew will mobilize and operate in successive sub-blocks within the Program Area for a specified number of days (2-3 days in each sub-block; see Table 9 in the Federal Register notice).
    [Show full text]
  • Headland Modeling Applied to the Eastern Beaufort Sea Coast
    HEADLAND MODELING APPLIED TO THE EASTERN BEAUFORT SEA COAST by Thomas L. Kozo, Ph.D. VANTUNA Research Group Occidental College Final Report Outer Continental Shelf Environmental Assessment Program Research Unit 519 1984 259 TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES . LIST OF TABLES . ABSTRACT . INTRODUCTION. STUDY AREA . DATA . PRESSURE DATA . GEOSTROPHIC WIND DATA.. BUOY POSITION DATA . RESULTS WITH DISCUSSION . MODEL DESCRIPTION-WINDS . MODEL DESCRIPTION-BUOY TRAJECTORIES . SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS . FUTURE WORK . ACKNOWLEDGMENTS . REFERENCES . FIGURES (l-13) . TABLES (l-3) . LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. Topographic chart of northern Alaska (after Dickey, 1961) showing the 600 m contour of the Brooks Range approximated as a circular arc. Its radius (a) is computed to be 274 km and its hypothetical center is Z. The distance from Z to Barter Island is 322 km . Figure 2. Pressure triangles used to compute geostrophic winds for August (ABC), September (CDE), and October (CFD) 1983. Data stations are Barrow (A), Franklin Bluffs (B), Barter Island (C), Inuvik (D), Tuktoyaktuk (E) and Sachs Harbor (F). O s Buoy 4519, D s 4518 (died 24 September 1983, position #}3). Buoy position numbers 1-2 (August), 2-4 (September), 4-5 (October) indicate positions relative to’ pressure triangles. The dashed arc is the probable distance seaward of major orographic influence from the 600 m contour (cross hatched). Z s hypothetical center of the circle matching the arc . Figure 3. Surface pressure weather map (from Henry, 1975) showing resulting surface -yinds at shore stations. (Short flags-~ 1.5-3.5 ms ; long flags ~4.O-6.Oms . ). Figure 4. Streamlines and velocity field around a fixed cylindrical barrier (Dickey, 1961) for irrotational, non-divergent flow of V .
    [Show full text]