ALASKA
Photo by: Mark Urban
Alaska’s 663,268 square miles of land area is larger than Texas, California, and Montana combined. The state’s size, numerous landscapes, extreme climatic conditions, scattered population, and limited infrastructure all pose challenges to supporting research in Alaska. Compounding these are the complex politics of land ownership, sensitivities to operating in areas where people live, and use of resources by Indigenous communities for subsistence.
The Battelle ARO team provides support to researchers by hiring experienced local and Indigenous support staff, using established and proven logistics support hubs in Fairbanks and Utqiaġvik, providing tailored support for remote project locations, and providing guidance on engagement and outreach programs for involving local and Indigenous communities.
Photo by: Faustine Bernadac
BATTELLE ARO HUBS IN ALASKA
FAIRBANKS
Support operations for much of the state begins at the Battelle ARO office in Fairbanks.
Fairbanks Details
The Fairbanks office houses science project managers for local planning and coordination, plus a warehouse and shop for access to clean, heated areas to stage, train, and store overwinter gear.
The Battelle ARO team can provide the below level of support for NSF-funded researchers:
- Orientations and training
- Coordination of local travel
- In-state travel arrangements for special fixed-wing or helicopter charters, and lodging
- Community liaison activitie
- Coordination of science cargo and sample storage and movements
- Fabrication and repairs
Contact Arctic.Outreach.Alaska@Battelle.org for more information.
Battelle ARO Fairbanks Office
2325 King Road
Fairbanks AK 99709
907.455.4214
PRUDHOE BAY
Supporting researchers working in the Prudhoe Bay vicinity, in the community of Deadhorse.
Prudhoe Bay Details
Battelle ARO helps researchers working in the Prudhoe Bay vicinity, in the community of Deadhorse, navigate the unique requirements of working in an area solely focused on the oil industry. Due to significant oilfield activity, any work in this area must be arranged and scheduled months in advance.
Researchers intending to work on the oilfields must contact the appropriate oilfield representatives for authorization and badging. Battelle ARO can assist with the costs of training, including the North Slope Training Co-operative Unescorted class (9–10-hour class).
TOOLIK FIELD STATION
This research station is funded by the National Science Foundation and operated by The Institute of Arctic Biology (IAB), a division of the University of Alaska at Fairbanks.
Toolik Field Station Details
Toolik Field Station (Toolik) is operated and managed by the Institute of Arctic Biology at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, with support from the NSF. On-site labs are available year-round, as are science and communication equipment and vehicles for accessing the coastal plains and foothills of the Brooks Range. In summer, helicopters get scientists, and gear to remote sites.
Projects may be subject to multiple permitting requirements. Researchers should plan for 12 months of lead time for any activities, including construction support, remote power systems, support buildings, etc.
Researchers should budget for Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land use permit fees in their proposal budgets, and submit a permit application. Fees for the BLM average $1,000 per year. If a project may disturb the tundra from construction, or fieldwork, the permit could be up to $5,000.
For additional information on permitting, see Permits and Policies | Toolik Field Station (uaf.edu)
UTQIAGVIK
Utqiaġvik (formerly Barrow) is a small North Slope community accessed via daily flights from Anchorage and Fairbanks.
Utqiaġvik Details
NSF funded field support for the North Slope, the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas, and sea ice often begins in Utqiaġvik. This year-round Battelle ARO hub provides access to the Barrow Arctic Research Center (BARC), a state-of-the-art laboratory space, and the Charles Itok Edwardsen Barrow Environmental Observatory.
Planning for Battelle ARO supported field work by NSF-funded projects in Utqiaġvik is done by Battelle ARO partner, Ukpeaġvik Iñupiat Corporation (UIC) Science. UIC Science staff provide project permitting and on-the-ground logistics support. Researchers new to Utqiaġvik are encouraged to visit UIC Science Support.
- All projects are subject to permitting. Battelle ARO assists with applications and fees for UICS staff who will plan and prepare applications for North Slope Borough (NSB) and UIC Land Use permits.
- Battelle ARO also conducts environmental impact consultations with the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).
- Additional permitting may be required for researchers accessing sites on BLM-administered lands or waters in the National Petroleum Reserve Alaska, including Elson Lagoon. Please contact Donna Wixon for further information. Researchers should include costs for all BLM permitting direct-to-grant, currently $1000 per year.
REMOTE ALASKA
Supporting remote field camps, traverses, and fieldwork in small villages throughout Alaska.
Remote Alaska Details
Battelle ARO excels in planning support for scientists visiting sites with little or no infrastructure in place. Examples include the Yukon River, Atigun Pass in the Brooks Range, Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and the Seward Peninsula.
Additionally, Battelle ARO supports several semi-permanent field sites in Alaska each with unique requirements around land ownership, power, access and medical services:
- Imnavait Creek – on the north side of the Brooks Range, in the Kuparuk River basin, at Milepost 290 on the Dalton Highway
- Ivotuk – north of the Brooks Range
- Atqasuk – inland community of 250 people, southwest of Utqiaġvik
Photo from ARMAP
Environmental Compliance
Securing permits for fieldwork can be challenging with long lead times. Although researchers are responsible for all permitting related to their fieldwork, the Battelle ARO team is available to assist and provide guidance throughout the permitting process. Battelle ARO can help identify required permits and provide expertise in specific areas that require local knowledge or other key agency contacts.
- Land Ownership
- Land Disturbance and Vegetation Clearing
- Endangered Species Act – Section 7
- National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) Section 106
- Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
Land Ownership
The Alaska Lands Viewer can be used to obtain contacts for relevant agencies and tribal entities. Each landowner has their own permitting requirements, and therefore it is recommended that research locations be limited to as few land owners as possible to reduce permitting needs.
Search for a place you wish to work, explore the map or view the Help menu to view or print a contact list.
Click on the map below to open it in a new window.
Land Disturbance and Vegetation Clearing
Projects that include Land Disturbance and Vegetation Clearing should be aware of nesting birds in the area.
| Times To Avoid Land Disturbance & Vegetation Clearing | Forest / Woodland | Shrub / Open | Seabird Colonies Incl. Cliff & Burrow Colonies | Eagles *e |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southeast | 15 April – 15 July *a | 1 May – 15 July *a,b | 1 May – 5 Sept | 1 Mar – 31 Aug |
| Kodiak Archipelago | 15 April – 7 Sept | |||
| Southcentral Lake Illiamna to Copper River Delta; north to Talkeetna | 1 May – 15 July *a,b | |||
| Bristol Bay/AK Peninsula north to Lake Illiamna | 1 May – 15 July *a,b,c | 10 May – 15 Sept | ||
| Interior north of Talkeetna to south slope Brooks Range; west to treeline | 1 May – 15 July *a,b | 1 May – 20 July *d | ||
| Aleutian Islands | N/A | 25 April – 15 July *a | 1 May – 15 Sept | |
| Yukon – Kuskokwim Delta | 1 May – 15 July | 5 May – 25 July *a,b,c | 20 May – 15 Sept | |
| Seward Peninsula | 10 May – 20 July *a,c | |||
| Northern including northern foothills of Brooks Range | N/A | 1 June – 31 July *a,c | ||
| Pribilof/Bering Sea Islands | 15 May – 15 July *a | 15 May – 15 Sept |
*a Raptors may nest 2+ months earlier than other birds
*b Canada geese and swans begin nesting April 20
*c Black scoter are known to nest through August 10
*d Seabird colonies in Interior refer to terns and gulls
*e Eagles and eagle nests have additional protections under the Eagle Act, and a permit may be required to conduct activities near an eagle nest Source: https://www.fws.gov/alaska-bird-nesting-season
Endangered Species Act – Section 7
Endangered species are protected under Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act.
- Based on the location and type of work of the proposed project, review by USFWS may be required to determine if the proposed project could impact endangered species
- Battelle ARO will complete USFWS Section 7 consultation on behalf of the NSF and the researcher.
- Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act states that each Federal agency shall, in consultation with the Secretary, insure that any action they authorize, fund, or carry out is not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of a listed species or result in the destruction or adverse modification of designated critical habitat.
- Threatened and Endangered Species in Alaska are listed in the following table. All species subject to impact by a research project will need Section 7 consultation from the respective managing agency.
- To determine if your work will impact any endangered species or their critical habitat, use the USFWS’s Information for Planning and Consultation website, or NOAA’s species distribution mapper
Marine Mammal Protection Act
- The Marine Mammal Protection Act prohibits any person who is subject to the jurisdiction of the United States or any vessel or other conveyance subject to the jurisdiction of the United States to take any marine mammal on the high seas.
- MMPA consultation will end with a no effects determination, a Letter of Authorization, or an Incidental Harassment Authorization.
- USFWS is responsible for the conservation of polar bears and northern sea otters that inhabit Alaskan waters. Any action that could impact these species will be subject to review by USFWS.
- NMFS is responsible for all other marine mammals.
| Species | Status | Managing Agency |
|---|---|---|
| Short-tailed Albatross | Endangered | USFWS (Anchorage) |
| Eskimo Curlew | Endangered | USFWS (Fairbanks) |
| Spectacled Eider | Threatened | USFWS (Fairbanks) |
| Steller’s Eider | Threatened | USFWS (Fairbanks) |
| Northern Sea Otter | Threatened | USFWS (Anchorage) |
| Polar Bear | Threatened | USFWS (Fairbanks) |
| Aleutian shield Fern | Endangered | USFWS (Anchorage) |
| Leatherback Sea Turtle | Endangered | NOAA |
| Steller Sea-lion, eastern population | Threatened | NOAA |
| Bowhead Whale | Endangered | NOAA |
| Finback Whale (Fin Whale) | Endangered | NOAA |
| Humpback Whale | Endangered | NOAA |
| Blue Whale | Endangered | NOAA |
| Cook Inlet Beluga Whale | Endangered | NOAA |
| North Pacific Right Whale | Endangered | NOAA |
| Sei Whale | Endangered | NOAA |
| Sperm Whale | Endangered | NOAA |
| Green Sea Turtle | Threatened | NOAA |
| Loggerhead Sea Turtle | Threatened | NOAA |
| Olive Ridley Sea Turtle | Threatened | NOAA |
| Wood Bison | Threatened | USFWS |
National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) Section 106, State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) Consultation for Projects with Ground Disturbance/Archaeology Work
Any proposed work with ground disturbance or archeology work is subject to consultation with the SHPO and other interested parties under Section 106 of the NHPA.
- Battelle ARO will assist the NSF with Section 106 consultation, and the PI will be required to provide the NSF all applicable information, including but not limited to:
- A map of locations where you plan to do fieldwork (coordinates in excel, kmz, or shapefile are acceptable)
- How will the ground be disturbed
- What size area and to what depth
- How will sites be accessed? By vehicle on existing roads, pullouts, by foot on existing trails and boardwalks?
- When will your work be taking place
- How many people will be in the field
- Any Archaeological investigation taking place on federal lands requires an Archaeological Resources Protection Act (ARPA) Permit.
- In the event that an archaeology project leads to the discovery of Native American human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects and objects of cultural property intentionally excavated or inadvertently discovered on Federal or Tribal lands, researchers need to comply with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990. Those processes are detailed in regulations available here.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
In general, UAV use is restricted in national parks except as approved in writing by the superintendent but could vary from park to park. Special use permits can be obtained by checking in with the park superintendent.
The use of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS/drones) is no longer allowed for any US Fish and Wildlife Service supported or permitted use. This prohibition applies to the use of drones for commercial filming and scientific research, even if the use of drones was previously authorized via special use permit.
For more information on UAS permitting, check out these links:
- Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) (faa.gov)
- Unmanned Aircraft in the National Parks (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)
- Unmanned Aircraft Systems (alaska.gov)
If you plan to use UAS for your research, visit ArcGIS – Alaska DOT&PF Statewide Aviation UAS to search for your research location, and determine if there are any restrictions or additional permits you may need.