In a move to protect the fragile Alaskan wilderness, the Biden administration has blocked off land from oil and gas drilling and denied permission for a 211-mile industrial access road to a large copper deposit, citing pollution risks and ice destabilization among its top considerations.

The decisions hand major victories to environmental advocates and local communities, according to The New York Times.

The proposed Ambler Access Project aimed to construct a $350 million gravel road through the pristine Brooks Range foothills and Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve.

However, the Interior Department found that the road would disrupt wildlife habitat, pollute salmon spawning grounds, and threaten the traditional hunting and fishing practices of over 30 Alaska Native communities. The Biden administration also banned drilling across over half of the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, “an ecologically sensitive expanse north of the Arctic Circle” that makes up 23 million acres, per the Times.

Kaleb Froehlich, the managing director of Ambler Metals, the company behind the copper project, called the decision “an unlawful and politically motivated decision” and urged the government to reconsider. However, by blocking this industrial road, the Biden administration is taking a stand for both people and the planet.

The decision safeguards the ecologically rich landscape that caribou and fish populations depend on while also respecting the rights and traditions of indigenous tribes who have sustainably lived off this land for generations.

What’s more, the move aligns with the urgent need to protect permafrost in the face of a changing climate. The Interior Department’s analysis found that constructing the road could accelerate the thawing of ice-rich soils, potentially destabilizing the ground, increasing flood risks, and releasing additional carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

David Krause, the interim executive director of the National Audubon Society’s Alaska office, called the decision to protect this wilderness a “huge deal,” emphasizing that the Ambler area is “one of the most ecologically intact and functional landscapes on the planet.”

Tribal leaders such as Julie Roberts-Hyslop, the first chief of the Tanana Tribe, have also voiced their support, noting that both caribou and fish populations are already struggling in the region and a new road would exacerbate these challenges.

While the mining company asserts that the road is necessary to access copper for clean energy infrastructure, there are less ecologically sensitive areas with larger reserves that can be tapped, according to the Times. By safeguarding this extraordinary wilderness, we’re ensuring a healthier, more resilient future for both Alaska’s communities and its irreplaceable ecosystems.

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Alaska Airlines has received a promised additional $61 million in credits from Boeing, part of the compensation of the grounding of the Boeing 737 MAX-9s after one of the new aircraft lost a door plug on Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 in January, while in flight from Portland, Oregon to Ontario, California.

The credits are in addition to a cash payment of $162 million that Boeing made to Alaska Airlines in the first quarter of 2024.

The “supplier credit memos” were tucked into a regulatory filing last week. It gives Alaska Airlines $61 million in credits toward future purchases of Boeing aircraft. The $61 million in credit will not quite pay for half of the $128.9 million that a single 737 MAX 9 typically sells for.

Alaska voluntarily grounded all 65 of its MAX-9s after the incident, and the Federal Aviation Administration subsequently grounded the rest in service with other air carriers. The jets were out of service while safety checks were performed and missing bolts were put onto the door plugs, which are covers for doors that are not in use.

Alaska Airlines and Boeing are named in at least four lawsuits by passengers aboard Jan. 5’s Flight 1282. Both have told the court they are not responsible for the door plug blowout, which they say is the fault of Spirit AeroSystems, based in Wichita, Kansas, which builds the fuselages of the 737 MAX planes, andships them to Boeing’s factory in Renton, Washington.

Both Boeing and Alaska Airlines have had a rough first quarter of 2024 because of the incident, which brought into question the safety culture of Boeing. Alaska Airlines has a fleet made up of 230 Boeing 737 aircraft, with an average age of 10 years; and 85 Embraer 175 aircraft with an average age of 5.1 years.

Dear Wayne and Wanda,

I’m kinda stuck in a tight spot with my girl. She’s got this summer all mapped out with like five trips out of Alaska, and she’s dead set on dragging me along for the ride. We’re talking three weddings, a big family gathering with all her siblings and their significant others — which apparently is a once-in-a-blue-moon deal — and the annual music fest with her college crew and high school buddies. I get why she’s feeling the pressure to show her face everywhere, and sure, why she wants me there. But man, it’s a logistical nightmare and a wallet-drainer, not to mention all the vacation days I’d have to burn. Plus, I’m not exactly thrilled about ditching our Alaska summer vibe while she jets off.

We’re both pushing 30 and have been going strong for almost two years now. Come fall, we’re planning to shack up together. We’re pretty much on the same page about everything: future, family, the whole shebang. Alaska’s been home for us since we each moved up after college and eventually met, and we’re both very happy here.

This whole summer ordeal is our first real “drama,” and it’s not just me feeling the heat. I know she’s stressed and feels pressure, but she also keeps talking about needing to RSVP, buy tickets and make reservations. I get it, but I feel cornered. I’ve suggested we prioritize these trips, pick a few for her and both of us to attend, and figure it out together, but she’s adamant that they’re all crucial, while at the same time putting pressure on me to make the choices. It feels like a trap.

I want to be supportive, and present, but I’m frustrated. How can I support her while keeping some boundaries and making her see my reality?

Wanda says:

It’s admirable that you’re trying to be a responsive partner, so let me state the obvious: Missing one or more of these trips does not make you a bad boyfriend. On the low-end estimation, five trips would have you out of Alaska for at least 15 days, and that’s if you were leaving on Fridays and returning on Sundays, or something similar. More realistically you’re looking at being away for several weeks cumulatively. That’s practically one-third of the summer. And if it’s anything like the past couple of summers and all the miserable rain we’ve had, you could end up missing all the best days.

I’m not telling you anything you and your girlfriend don’t know: Alaska summers are awesome. It’s the absolute worst time to leave. It’s why we suffer the winters — to play in the late-night sunshine. Five trips is just too big of an ask. I’m sure even she knows this and is hoping your devotion to her will win out. But this is a perfect example of where a compromise is in order, and where both partners of the relationship should agree on and respect that compromise.

In your case, let’s consider the list. Three weddings? That’s two too many. Pick the one where you have the closest connection to the bride and groom. Not close to any of them? Then default to whoever is nearest and dearest to your girlfriend. The family reunion? Skip it. If it’s truly a rarity, everyone will have their hands full trying to create meaningful reconnection amid the crowded chaos; your presence, quite simply, isn’t a value add. Make sure your gal has a recent couple selfie snapped on her phone that she can show off to all her aunties. Finally, the music festival? Go! This is the only thing on the list that sounds like a real vacation. Propose this plan to your partner, explain the thought process, and promise when the tables are turned in the future, you’ll remember to be lenient in requesting her participation.

Wayne says:

Following last week’s dramatic NFL Draft, I feel compelled to grade your selections, Wanda. While you made some solid picks, and wisely advised him that backing away from a few opportunities would fortify his front office synergy (mental health and relationship stability) and salary cap (financial health), I must grade your collective selections a C because you totally botched the most important pick: the family gathering.

If our letter-writer sees a future with this woman, it also means a future with her family. And if he’s the only partner not attending this rare get-together, it sends a pretty loud and not-so-cool message (or messages). The family will talk, to her and behind her back. And she’ll have to answer for him, which is exhausting and embarrassing. “He’s hiking” or “He’s hanging out in the backyard drinking beers with his buddies under the Midnight Sun” won’t exactly score a free pass or points with the family.

But yes, you must compromise and sacrifice. And yes, you must be the good boyfriend. So, I suggest you attend three events, in this order: 1. The Family Gathering (reasons listed above); 2. The Most Important Wedding to your Girlfriend (obvious reasons); and 3. The Friends Festival — the biggest bang for your buck in solidifying yourself with the people she cares about (and if you’re going to miss summer sun in Alaska, summer sun and fun at a humid outdoor festival is a great trade).

And yes, remember that she’s stressed and feeling pressure, too. When you tell your girlfriend about your Top 3 choices, also work to remind her that life is long and you two have big plans, too. And that it isn’t the end of the world if she attends one wedding with friends and skips one wedding to give herself a reset of basking in Alaska’s summer, and get some quality time with you while plotting your big move. If she has a sense of humor, tell her that statistically one of the marriages will likely end in divorce anyway. Send the losing pick a nice gift and invite them up to Alaska to stay with you on either end of their honeymoon. Now you’re going from a no-win to a win-win. Have fun!

[Ask Amy: My girlfriend got drunk at a party and revealed deeply personal info about me. What should I do?]

[Ask Amy: My boyfriend’s a great guy and we were talking about marriage. Then I discovered he’s nearly $20,000 in debt.]

[Wayne and Wanda: Why do I feel jealous of my boyfriend’s close friendship with another woman?]