Alaska and Hawaii

"For many with a stake in Alaska native corporations, promise of a better life remains unfulfilled."

"Across the Far North, populations of caribou — an indispensable source of food and clothing for indigenous people — are in steep decline. Scientists point to rising temperatures and a resource-development boom as the prime culprits."

"A Valdez-based citizen watchdog group told legislators Tuesday that the state's arsenal of oil-response equipment lags behind modern technology and the state division that enforces the rules for preventing and cleaning up spills has an 'ever-worsening funding shortage.'"

"Dillingham, Alaska -- It is an unfortunate coincidence of geography that this lush region of wild rivers, grassy tundra and windy sea is home to two competing treasures of almost unimaginable value: the world's largest sockeye salmon run, supporting a fishery worth $440 million a year; and in the hills behind it, a massive deposit of copper, molybdemum and gold worth at least $300 billion."

"A federal judge on Wednesday stopped companies from developing oil and gas wells on billions of dollars in leases off Alaska's northwest coast, saying the federal government failed to follow environmental law before it sold the drilling rights."

"Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle today issued an executive order to establish surfing reserves at two of Hawaii's most important and well-known surfing areas. Both reserves are located in the state waters of the island of Oahu."

"The fight over oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge heated up Tuesday over the possibility that a new management plan could put the refuge and its billions of barrels of crude off-limits for good."

"The oil gushing from a Gulf of Mexico oil well has the potential to touch Alaska in many ways."

"Legislation would transfer prized sections to an Alaska Native company for logging. Native leaders say it's long overdue. Preservationists are outraged."

"The Minerals Management Service has withheld information from regional staff in Alaska and has not had sufficient guidelines in place to analyze offshore drilling risks in the region, a government audit shows."