Five days after a court ruling gave ConocoPhillips the go ahead to plow forward with its massive Willow oil and gas project, we appealed the decision to the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Soon, we will file a motion requesting that the court stop construction on Willow while the Ninth Circuit Court hears our case.

There’s so much at stake for the Arctic and the planet. And so, we fight.… Read More

Siobhan joined Trustees in October 2023 after working many years in the public sector for the State of Alaska. Here, she talks about her path to law, Alaska, and Trustees:

I grew up in the greater Boston area. My journey to environmental law began against a suburban backdrop where vistas “as far as the eye could see” usually spanned about 10 to 100 feet, depending on the density of development and deciduous trees. The great outdoors featured mostly lawns, municipal sports fields, and other variations on the theme of mown and managed Bermuda grass.… Read More

Trustees for Alaska’s legal fellowships allow lawyers new to environmental law to expand their knowledge and skills by working alongside Trustees’ legal teams for two years. We’re accepting applications for a legal fellowship starting in September 2024 in our Anchorage office. Find out more about Trustees’ fellowships and other jobs and opportunities to learn more.

We asked our current fellows to tell their stories and share their experiences. Here’s what they said.… Read More

I’ve been thinking about metal and mineral mining a lot these days, and the relentless pressure to extract, extract, extract from Alaska. That the world is rife with news of war and violence only deepens the pressure.

Here’s the truth about metals mining. The industry is barely regulated and has prevented any meaningful reform at the federal level for nearly 150 years. It pays nothing to extract from public lands, with enormous impacts on Indigenous communities. It is the single largest source of toxic waste in the United States, with hardrock mines having contaminated an estimated 40 percent of Western U.S. watersheds. In fact, Red Dog tops the toxic release inventory and has for decades.… Read More

The proposed Ambler industrial transportation corridor, commonly called the Ambler road, threatens the clean water and health of dozens of communities in the southern Brooks Range, according to the U.S. Bureau of Land Management’s draft supplemental environmental impact statement released this month.  

You can speak up now and join the fight to stop it.… Read More

In grade school, Joanna Cahoon got a robust “atta girl” after arguing in a mock trial. “You’re really good at this,” said her teacher. She remembers being in front of people and liking it, even more when hearing that praise. For the first time, she thought of lawyering as a thing to do. She was 8 years old.

Now she feels like she made it to the big leagues.… Read More

We want to introduce you to a few Trustees supporters who donate every month. Here, a few of these folks share in their own words what matters to them. Foraging for food is one of them!… Read More

Here’s a quick guide to help you speak up for the Arctic Refuge and Reserve during two comment periods that close in November. Now’s the time to tell agencies why and how you want the Arctic protected for local communities, the planet, and future generations. … Read More

We’re closing out the 2023 fiscal year with high hopes for continued headway in protecting Alaska’s Arctic, clean water, salmon, bears, wolves, the integrity of public lands, and so much more.

As we segue into 2024, we reach a Trustees milestone that we will be celebrating—with all of you. We’ve been playing a key legal role in protecting Alaska land, water, animals, and people for nearly 50 years.

It’s time to throw a giant party—and we’re on it!… Read More