Nicole Boswell

This document presents the U.S. Geological Survey's budget justifications for Fiscal Year 2026, articulating the Administration's priorities. It focuses on advancing American energy independence and mineral dominance, strengthening national resilience against natural hazards, and enhancing water data and infrastructure. Key strategic pillars include critical mineral and energy research, comprehensive natural hazard monitoring, and investments in geospatial and Earth observation systems, aiming to support economic growth, ensure public safety, and promote responsible natural resource management.

The Work Session agenda included reviewing and adopting the agenda, an information exchange session, and making recommendations for the 2026 Fisheries Resource Monitoring Plan across multiple regions (Northern, Yukon, Kuskokwim, Southwest, Southcentral, and Southeast). Other topics involved an update from the Senior Advisor to the Secretary on Alaska Affairs, regulatory items such as a request for reconsideration of the Ketchikan Nonrural Determination and a Wildlife Meeting, and an update from the Regional Advisory Council regarding council charters, appointments, and correspondence. The session also addressed the Federal Subsistence Permit Database update and set future meeting dates for Tribal & ANCSA Corporation Consultations, the 2026-28 Wildlife Regulatory Meeting, and the Summer Work Session.

This Biennial Implementation Plan (2022-2024) from the Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee outlines specific objectives and deliverables for achieving the goals of the Arctic Research Plan 2022-2026. The plan focuses on four principal priorities: Community Resilience and Health, Arctic Systems Interactions, Sustainable Economies and Livelihoods, and Risk Management and Hazard Mitigation. It also integrates five foundational activities: Data Management, Education, Training, and Capacity Building, Monitoring, Observing, Modeling, and Prediction, Participatory Research and Indigenous Leadership in Research, and Technology Innovation and Application. The overarching goal is to enhance understanding of the Arctic's dynamic systems, address climate change impacts, foster sustainable practices, and improve the adaptive capacity of Arctic communities through collaborative research and engagement.

The meeting addressed several wildlife proposals. WP22-02 focused on designated hunter regulations and community harvest systems, aiming to remove restrictive language. WP22-03 discussed aligning Federal and State regulations for wolf management in Unit 2, including marking and reporting requirements. WP22-04 considered establishing a year-round Federal elk hunt in Units 1, 2, 3, and 4 to manage non-native elk populations.

The meeting included discussions on various topics, such as public comments on non-agenda items, reports from Regional Advisory Council Chairs, and fisheries proposals. Specific concerns were raised regarding late Council appointments, the impact of outside parties on local resources, and the representation of rural communities in decision-making processes. There was also discussion on a proposal to prohibit the use of certain types of mesh in dipnets in the Upper Copper River district to protect chinook salmon.