Explorer Policy Watch
By Edith Allison
Arctic energy is in the news as summer steams into Washington, D.C. Major issues include the midpoint of the two-year U.S. chair of the Arctic Council; public campaigns for and against including the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas in the 2017-22 offshore oil and gas leasing plan; and plans for the United States to build the first heavy icebreaker in 40 years.