regions,orsuppliesnecessarytosupportsubsistence
hunting.Inaddition,theCoastGuardworkswith
localcommunitiestobuildlocalSARcapability.
Non-Governmental Organizations
and Academic Institutions
TheCoastGuardengageswithoutsideexpertsand
concernedgroupsregularlyonArcticissuestogain
different perspectives and ensure that divergent
viewpointsareconsidered.Representativesfromnongovernmental organizations are active participants
on the task force that is negotiating a cooperative oil
pollutionagreementundertheauspicesoftheArctic
Council.
TheCoastGuardhasalsopartneredwiththeInstitute
oftheNorth,anonproftorganizationdedicatedtothe
studyandadvancementofissuesthataffectthosein
theNorth.
RepresentativesfromtheCoastGuardparticipatein
theAlaskaForumontheEnvironment,heldannually
forthepast14yearstobringtogethergovernment
agencies,businesses,organizations,tribes,andthe
publictodiscussissuesaffectingAlaskansandpromoteaproductiveandeffcientrelationshipamong
stakeholders.InFebruary2012,CoastGuardrepresentativesspokeontopicssuchasCoastGuardArctic operations, oil spill response coordination, green
building,andotherenvironmentalinitiativesinthe
CoastGuard,givingattendees theopportunity to
learnaboutCoastGuardoperations,askquestions,
solidifyexistingrelationships,anddeveloppartnerships.3
TheCoastGuardalsopartnerswithacademicinstitutions.Forexample,theCoastGuardfollowsUniversityofAlaskaatFairbanksresearchonvarious
scientifcissues.Presently,theuniversityisworking
toestablishaninternationalArcticresearchcenter
focusedontheincreasedrisksandhazardsposedby
thepotentialforoilspillsintheArctic.Additionally,
theUniversityofWashington'sCenteronCanadian
StudieshostedanArcticroundtableinMay2012to
encouragecontinuedU.S.andCanadiancollaborationonArcticissues. BoththeU.S.andCanadian
CoastGuardswererepresentedonpanelsandinthe
a
udience.
www.uscg.mil/proceedings
TheU.S.CoastGuardAcademysponsoredanArcticleadershipsymposiumthatdiscussedsomeofthe
mostvexingoperationalandpolicyissues,4 and the
NavyandCoastGuardco-hostedasymposiumatthe
NavalWarCollegeinSeptember2012toaddresscapabilitygaps.Collaborativeeffortsliketheseserveacademicresearchgoals,developleaderswhoareArctic
literateandstrategicallysavvy,andbenefitfuture
Arctic operations.
Industry
Partnerships among companies operating in the ArcticandtheCoastGuardwillcontinuetoimproveas
Arcticoperationsincreaseinduration,frequency,and
complexity.TheCoastGuardmustmaintainopen
linesofcommunicationwithindustrysothatitcan
planstrategically.
TheCoastGuardcommunicatesregularlywithindustryrepresentativesandconductsexercisestoensure
OilPollutionActof1990requirementsaremet.Industryalsoreliesoncooperativepartnerships,suchas
thosewithoilspillremovalorganizationsthatserve
asfrstresponders,intheeventofanoilspill.
Looking Ahead
Effectivepartnershipsarenotmerelybilateral,they
arecomplexandnetworked.Inaworldofincreasing
responsibility,dwindlingresources,andever-shrinkingbudgets,partnershipsarekeytothenation'ssuccess in the Arctic.
About the author:
CAPT Kathleen Duignan is the chief of Planning and Force Readiness for the Coast Guard's 17th District. She has served in the U.S.
Coast Guard for more than 20 years in varying roles, most notably as
a judge advocate, specializing in international and operational law.
She also serves as a judge on the Coast Guard Court of Criminal
Appeals.
Endnotes:
1. egotiations in Helsinki on New Arctic Agreement on Marine Oil
N
Pollution Response, published on July 12, 2012. Available at www.
arctic-council.org/index.php/en/oceans/emergency-preparedness/570negotiations-in-helsinki-on-new-arctic-agreement-on-marine-oil-pollution-response.
2. laskanNorthernTaskWatersReport.Availableathttp://housemajority.
A
org/coms/anw/pdfs/27/NWTF_Full_Report_Color.pdf.
3. oreinformationabouttheAlaskaForumontheEnvironmentisavailM
ableat:http://akforum.com/aboutus.htm.The2012agendaisavailableat
http://akforum.com/agenda.htm.
4. .S.CoastGuardAcademy,"LeadershipfortheArctic,"heldApril11-13,
U
2012.Availableatwww.uscga.edu/arctic.aspx?id=1899.
Summer 2013
Proceedings
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