Alaska
Opinion: Alaska’s children deserve better and the data proves it
As a parent and researcher, I am seeing an alarming trend. Children born just five years ago are expected to face between two- and seven-fold more extreme climate events, such as heatwaves, than their parents or grandparents. Unlike past generations, today’s young people are inheriting not only the planet as we left it but also a mounting burden of climate stressors that can shape their lifelong health and future.
It’s not rocket science that children deserve clean air to breathe, safe water to drink, nourishing food to eat, and communities that protect — not threaten — their developing bodies and brains. Yet new findings from the Children’s Environmental Health Network’s Alaska Profile for Children’s Environmental Health make one thing painfully clear: In Alaska, children face environmental risks significantly above the national average, and the consequences are profound.
A snapshot of risk: The story the indicators tell
Children’s Environmental Health Indicators, or CEHIs, help us understand three things: environmental hazards, children’s exposure to those hazards and the health outcomes that follow. For Alaska, the data should spark urgent action.
• Alaskan children are more likely to face unsafe drinking water.
In 2023, 43.6% of Alaska’s public water utilities had drinking water violations far higher than the U.S. national rate of 27.6%. Clean water should never depend on geography.
• Toxic releases are massive.
In 2023, Alaska industries disposed of or released 899 million pounds of toxic chemicals a staggering number, even when compared with the U.S. total of 3.3 billion pounds. Many of these chemicals, such as mercury, arsenic and lead, are known developmental and neurological toxicants.
• Children’s bodies are showing the consequences.
Between 2017 and 2021, 2% to 4.7% of Alaska children under age 6 who were tested had blood lead levels at or above the level the CDC considers elevated, compared with 1.3% nationwide. Because many at-risk children are never tested, this is almost certainly an undercount.
There is no safe level of lead for children. Even low exposures can weaken and alter health in ways that shape a child’s entire future. What’s more, neurodevelopmental disorders are more common than the national norm. Alaska reports that 12.6% of children ages 3–17 have ADHD, compared with 10.5% nationally.
Why this matters: The cost of inaction
Infants and children are not “small adults.” Pound for pound, they breathe more air, drink more water and eat more food. Their bodies and brains are still rapidly developing, making them especially vulnerable to harmful exposures. A toxic insult in early life, not just a major one, but an everyday one, can lead to both immediate symptoms and lifelong consequences.
Add to this the accelerating realities of climate change. Alaska is warming faster than any other U.S. state, and children are more vulnerable to the cascading health effects of heatwaves, wildfire smoke, flooding and extreme weather. Environmental threats are compounding, not isolated.
There is good news, and it shows what’s possible
In the past five years, Alaska has taken meaningful steps to strengthen children’s environmental health protections. The state secured CDC funding for lead-poisoning prevention and an Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry cooperative agreement to improve surveillance and response. And in 2024, Alaska passed S.B. 67, banning firefighting foams containing PFAS “forever chemicals” linked to cancer, immune dysfunction and developmental harm.
These actions deserve recognition. They also prove that Alaska can act decisively when children’s health is at stake. When we protect children’s environments, we improve every aspect of their futures and you don’t have to be a policymaker or scientist to help protect Alaska’s kids.
What you can do
• Stay informed and speak up.
Public comment periods on environmental regulations, water quality standards and industrial permits matter. Showing up matters more.
• Support statewide investment in children’s environmental health.
Advocate for expanding lead testing, improving drinking water infrastructure and strengthening monitoring of toxic releases.
• Back policies that reduce exposures before they occur and vote with children’s health in mind.
Prevention is cheaper — and far more effective — than responding to harm after the fact.
The data in this new Children’s Environmental Health Profile is not a forecast; it’s a diagnosis. The question now is whether we act on it. Alaska’s children need clean water, clean air and a future free from preventable toxic exposures. We have the knowledge, we have examples of progress and we have a responsibility to ensure that every child grows up in an environment that helps them reach their full potential.
The health of Alaska’s children is not just a policy issue, it is a moral one. And it demands our action now.
Dr. Mariah Seater is a resident of Anchorage, a parent and an engaged public health practitioner focused on environmental justice and human health.
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Two US soldiers were wounded by a brown bear during a training exercise in Alaska on Thursday, the US Army stated.
Anchorage Daily News reported that the soldiers were from the 11th Airborne Division, and that the exercise had been a “land navigation training event” near Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson.
State wildlife officials said that the bear attack seemed to be a defensive one, from a bear which had recently emerged from its den. Staff members from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game collected evidence at the scene in an attempt to learn more about the bear, such as its species and gender.
“The incident is currently under investigation, and we are working closely with installation authorities and local wildlife officials to gather all relevant information and ensure the safety of all personnel in the area,” the 11th Airborne Division said in a statement, reported ABC News.
ABC News also cited an 11th Airborne Division spokesperson, Lt.-Col. Jo Nederhoed, who said that the two soldiers had been seriously wounded, but were receiving care at a hospital in Anchorage, and had shown improvement by Saturday morning.
“We hope both individuals have a full and quick recovery, and our thoughts are with them during this time,” Fish and Game Regional Supervisor Cyndi Wardlow said in a statement reported by Anchorage Daily News. “In this case, having bear spray with them in the field may have saved their lives.”
Both of the soldiers reportedly had and used bear spray during the attack.
The bear’s condition and whereabouts are currently unknown.
Up, up and away … that’s where most travel prices are going.
It’s true. Not only are our nation’s geopolitical thrusts in the Mideast affecting the cost of your fill-ups, every component of your trip from airfares to car rentals and hotel stays are subject to price hikes.
Imagine filling up a jetliner with jet fuel that’s doubled in price. It’s enough to melt your credit card, regardless of the number of points you get for every dollar spent!
Because the price of oil affects everything, higher prices are eating away at your travel budget in many ways.
Bag fees
There’s lots of press on this. All airlines are increasing their checked-bag fees because of the jump in fuel prices.
Back in 2009, Alaska Airlines instituted a $15 fee for the first checked bag and $25 for the second bag. At the time, there was no charge for the first bag and a second bag was $25.
Last week, Alaska Airlines, along with other major airlines, increased its fees to $45 for the first checked bag and $55 for the second bag. Delta Air Lines charges the same.
Even if the cost of oil comes down, I don’t expect bag fees will ever be reduced.
Travelers who live in Alaska are somewhat insulated from the new hikes because both Delta and Alaska Airlines offer two free checked bags, with conditions:
1. Alaska offers two free checked bags for travelers flying to or from Alaska who are enrolled in Club 49. This does not affect other flights on Alaska. Separately, ATMOS credit card holders can get a free checked bag. Also, elite members of the ATMOS scheme get one or two free checked bags systemwide.
2. Delta offers two free checked bags for travelers flying to or from Alaska who are SkyMiles members who live in Alaska. Again, this does not apply to other Delta flights. Separately, Delta American Express cardholders can get a free checked bag.
3. Elite-level travelers with the oneworld airline cartel, including Alaska Airlines, can get one or two checked bags on American, British Airways, Japan Airlines, Qantas or other oneworld carriers.
[Anchorage’s international airport rolls out self-driving wheelchairs]
Main Cabin vs. Basic Economy
The spread between the lowest available price, Basic Economy, and a more flexible ticket, Main Cabin, has increased. While the difference used to be $20-$30 each way when the Basic Economy scheme was introduced in 2018, the round-trip upcharge now can exceed $100.
For example, the lowest Basic fare to Portland is $337 round-trip on Alaska Airlines. The upcharge to Main Cabin, with full loyalty points, pre-assigned seats and more flexibility on changes and cancellations, is $447, a 33% upcharge.
This trend is not specifically attributable to the new Iran War. It’s just a cost that continues to rise.
New fees
I’m impressed at the creativity of airline people who dream up new fees. Here are some of my favorites from Alaska Airlines:
1. Phone reservations: $15
2. Partner award booking fee: $12.50
3. Pet travel fee: $100 in the cabin, $200 in the baggage compartment with a kennel
4. Left on board item return fee: $20
On Condor Airlines, operating the only nonstop service from Anchorage to Europe, travelers can choose from four different bundles in economy class. The least-expensive, Economy Zero, from $840 round-trip, features fees for travelers:
1. Carry-on bag fee, up to 8kg: $35; a small bag like a purse always is included for free
2. Checked bag: $75
3. Airport check-in: $30
All three of these fees are included in the next-highest fare bucket, Economy Classic, from $900 round-trip. It’s cheaper to buy the bundle than it is to buy the components a la carte. Seat assignments are additional, from $25 for economy.
Airfares on the rise
There are a few good deals available for travel to select West Coast/Intermountain destinations in May, including:
1. Anchorage-San Francisco on Alaska Airlines, from $307 round-trip. Fly May 15-28 only. Add $90 round-trip for Main cabin.
2. Anchorage-Los Angeles on Alaska Airlines, from $317 round-trip. May 15-25 only. Add $90 round-trip for Main.
3. Anchorage-Phoenix on United, Delta or Alaska, from $267-$287 round-trip. Fly May 8-June 9 only. Add $90-$100 for Main.
4. Anchorage-Denver $357 round-trip on Delta. Fly May 8-June 9 only. Add $90 round-trip for Main.
For travel to other destinations, or later in the summer, be prepared to pay more.
Flying to Hawaii? Alaska Air’s nonstop prices out at $706 round-trip between May 30 and June 6. Add $110 round-trip for Main.
Nonstop flights from Anchorage to Salt Lake City start at $669 round-trip with Delta on May 17. That’s $100 more than the cost for the same flights last month. Add $90 more for Main.
Hotel costs continue to rise, accompanied by pesky resort fees.
The Outrigger on the Beach in Waikiki is a very nice beachfront hotel. It’s not plush, or the nicest property. But it’s solid. The cost is $334 per night.
But there’s more: a $50 per night resort fee, plus a variety of taxes and charges, totaling $112.55 per night.
Down in Seattle, the Sound Hotel in the Belltown neighborhood is marketed by Hilton. The discounted rate for “Honors” members — it’s free to join — is $313.34 per night for a king room in late May. Taxes and fees add an extra $56.40 per night.
There’s no appreciable bump yet for hotel rates as a result of the oil price surge. Yet. But if these hotel rates seem high, they’re in line with hotel rates in Anchorage this summer. At the Sheraton in Anchorage in June, it’s $450 per night, plus $54 in taxes and fees, when booked at Expedia.
Car rentals are not cheap
My go-to site for car rentals is the Costco site, which compares major brands and automatically includes Costco discounts.
In Las Vegas, for a one-day rental in May, Budget charges $67 per day, which includes taxes and fees of $22.77. In Anchorage, the same kind of car, medium SUV, costs $92.97 with Alamo.
The biggest differences so far in car rental rates seems to be the bill you’ll pay when you fill up the tank before returning. There’s no appreciable jump in prices because of the new war.
When it comes to making travel arrangements for the spring and summer, it’s more risky making completely non-refundable arrangements.
I made the decision to purchase most of my summer travel plans in advance, but only after determining I would not need to change the dates. Particularly with airline tickets, it’s expensive to change your dates.
There’s lots of uncertainty regarding travel arrangements, particularly international travel. As fuel prices go up due to oil shortages, travel companies will look for ways to recoup the increased costs. In most cases, those higher costs will be borne by travelers.
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – The reopening of the Strait of Hormuz has led to a decrease in oil prices nationally, but Alaska’s senior senator said the state faces a different situation that could threaten rural communities.
“If you can’t produce power because you don’t have the diesel or you just can’t pay the prices, your little communities can collapse,” Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said at a Friday press conference at the Arctic Encounter Summit in Anchorage.
The price of oil has been a double-edged sword for Alaska. On one hand, the increased price of North Slope oil brings more revenue to the state, but consumer prices can also rise.
North Slope oil prices were $106.36 a barrel on Thursday.
“This is a very precarious time,” Murkowski said. “Our state has enjoyed a bounty because we have benefited from the higher prices of oil that goes into our treasury, but it’s the Alaskans in … the off-road communities that are threatened to be hit most hard.”
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