Treadwell discusses Alaska’s Arctic

Alaska’s Lt. Governor Mead Treadwell stated the case for Alaska’s key needs at the Ice-diminished Arctic Conference in Washington, D.C. earlier this month. Treadwell reminded the attendees that the Arctic has held strategic importance for explorers even before the 1851 creation of the Arctic Council, a British organization formed to plan arctic expeditions to search out sea routes to the Pacific through the high latitudes.

He quoted from Sir John Barrow, one of the Arctic Council leaders who emphasized the need for basic research across the region, and noted that today we have better access and equipment with which to carry out that work. More importantly, he noted that “people are paying attention” to Arctic exploration and development, so it must be done correctly.

From Alaska’s viewpoint, Treadwell emphasized the need for safety, security, and economic development in the region. In the Arctic Marine Shipping Assessment of 2009, signed by then-President Bush, Alaska was shown to be vulnerable to traffic and spills from oil tankers. The Lt. Governor stated that the marine environment is Alaska’s “breadbasket” with many valuable fisheries that need to be considered and protected.

Treadwell offered a safety checklist to guide policy development:

1. The Committee on Marine Transportation System report, presently in draft form, cites the need to develop “shipping guidelines for environmental response” with other Arctic nations. Treadwell noted that it didn’t address prevention or contingency planning, which are needed.
2. Alaska’s Legislature has urged itinerant vessels to adopt voluntary compliance with oil spill laws and to develop appropriate implementation plans. Both the state and the Coast Guard have offered to review itinerant shippers’ voluntary plans, if they submit them. “We have to make this work for the environment, for industry, for people,” he says.
3. A vessel routing system is needed for the Bering Strait to prevent collisions and groundings. The US and Russia are working on an agreement through the International Maritime Organization (IMO), according to Treadwell.
4.  The IMO Polar Code already includes some guidelines including: Guidelines for Ships Operating in Arctic Ice-Covered Waters (2002), IMO’s Enhanced Contingency Planning Guidance for Passenger Ships Operating in Areas Remote from SAR Facilities (2006), Guidelines on Voyage Planning for Passenger Ships Operating in Remote Areas (2007), and the Arctic Council Guidelines on Arctic offshore oil/gas activities (1997-2002). Treadwell noted thatthis code needs to be amended to include contingency plans for itinerant vessels.
5. Reciprocal port agreements between Arctic states are needed to facilitate trade and maritime safety.
6. More Arctic ports are needed. According to Treadwell, there are studies by both the US Army Corp of Engineers and the Alaska Department of Commerce (jointly with the University of Alaska Fairbanks), to support their development.
7. There are gaps in the transport infrastructure that need to be examined and closed, according to the Arctic Maritime and Aviation Infrastructure Initiative.
8. “The UN Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) offers some help through Section 8, Article 234. Ice-covered areas,” says Treadwell. Article 234 reads, “Coastal states have the right to adopt and enforce non-discriminatory laws and regulations for the prevention, reduction and control of marine pollution from vessels in ice-covered areas within the limits of the exclusive economic zone [EEZ], where particularly severe climatic conditions and the presence of ice covering such areas for most of the year create obstructions or exceptional hazards to navigation, and pollution of the marine environment could cause major harm to or irreversible disturbance of the ecological balance. Such laws and regulations shall have due regard to navigation and the protection and preservation of the marine environment based on the best available scientific evidence.” Treadwell comments, “The document has flaws. But let’s work on the issues, and get a seat at the table.”
9. Alaska, industry, and the US have made investments in Automatic Identification System (AIS)to be aware of vessels in innocent passage within their territorial waters.
10. Search and rescue agreements from the last ministerial meeting of the Arctic Council produced an agreement on marine oil spill pollution preparedness and response, incorporating best practices for spill prevention.
11. Enhanced cooperation is needed among all Arctic states. “Canada and the US have worked together for a century to provide safety of navigation and promote global trade in the St. Lawrence River and the Great Lakes. What can we learn from this kind of cooperation in the Arctic?” questions the Lt. Governor.

When the subject turned to security, Treadwell characterized the situation as “at a crossroads.” He noted that there is potential for misunderstanding over differing resource interests and there is a need to keep open access for oil and gas shipments through arctic waters.

He suggested two ways to deal with these concerns. First, build more icebreakers with supporting infrastructure, and forward basing of equipment for rapid response to emergencies. Second, improve international cooperation, so that issues can receive open dialogue before they expand into serious problems.

In conclusion, Treadwell spoke of economic impacts and the need for continued access to the Arctic. He said that economic development requires physical access, legal access, and intellectual access (cooperative research). The region will continue to need both labor and capital to develop the Arctic’s emerging market potential, he notes.

Interest in cross-border investment is growing, especially with Russia. Examples include deals that Rosneft has developed with a number of major players: Exxon, Repsol, Eni, Statoil, Royal Dutch Shell, and CH2MHill. In addition, cooperative groups are forming: Arctic Council and the Global Agenda Council on the Arctic, focusing on the need for expanded infrastructure and logistical centers.

He made this final point, “We need to prepare for a new ocean, but we also need to prepare to do business successfully. We need cooperation and competition.”