UAF, Ulmer to host Gulf oil spill discussion
August 11, 2010
907-474-7902
8/9/10
The University of Alaska Fairbanks will host a public listening session about the Gulf of Mexico oil spill Thursday, Aug. 12 at 7:30 p.m. in the Jade Room at the Fairbanks Princess Riverside Lodge.
The informal session will allow members of the university and Fairbanks communities to share their thoughts with UAA Chancellor Fran Ulmer, who is serving on the national commission investigating the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Ulmer will discuss her role on the commission and offer insight on its work to make recommendations to President Obama.
Ulmer was appointed to the commission this summer and is gathering public input from throughout the state. Topics of discussion may include the environmental effects of the Gulf spill, policy implications for the state, nation and world, and economic ramifications. Ulmer has said that she hopes Alaskans’ experience with both the oil industry and oil spills can provide useful information to the nation as it works to recover from the Gulf spill.
The listening session will also include a panel of UAF researchers, who will share some arctic perspectives on oil spills and their effects. Ulmer held similar events at UAA and UAS.
ADDITIONAL CONTACTS: Mike Sfraga, UA Geography Program director and vice chancellor for students, at 907-474-7317 or msfraga@alaska.edu.
MG/8-9-10/019ma-11