the National Science Foundation,

the Department of Commerce,

the Department of Defense,

the Department of State,

the Department of Health and Human Services,

Office of Science and Technology Policy,

the Department of Agriculture,

the Department of Energy,

the Department of the Interior,

the Department of Transportation,

the National Aeronautics and Space Administration,

the Environmental Protection Agency,

the Smithsonian Institution,

and other agencies or offices deemed appropriate.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is the lead agency responsible for implementing Arctic research policy, and the NSF chairs the IARPC.

The IARPC:

• helps set priorities for future Arctic research;
• works with the Arctic Research Commission to develop and establish an integrated national Arctic research policy to guide Federal agencies in developing and implementing their research programs in the Arctic;
• consults with the Arctic Research Commission on matters related to Arctic research policy, programs and funding support;
• develops a five year plan to implement the national policy, and updates the plan biennially;
• coordinates preparation of multiagency budget requests for Arctic research;
• facilitates cooperation between the Federal Government and State and local governments in Arctic Research;
• coordinates and promotes cooperative Arctic scientific research programs with other nations;
• cooperates with the State of Alaska in fulfilling responsibilities under the ARPA;
• promotes Federal interagency coordination of Arctic research activities, including logistical planing and data sharing; and
• submits a biennial report to the Congress through the President containing a statement of the activities and accomplishments of the IARPC since its last report; and a statement in response to the recommendations of the Arctic Research Commission with respect to Federal interagency activities in Arctic research.

ARCTIC RESEARCH AND POLICY ACT

The Arctic Research and Policy Act of 1984, Public Law 98-373, July 31, 1984; amended as Public Law 101-609, November 16, 1990 (ARPA), provides for a comprehensive national policy dealing with national research needs and objectives in the Arctic. The ARPA establishes an Arctic Research Commission (ARC) and an Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee (IARPC) to help implement the Act.

ARCTIC RESEARCH OF THE UNITED STATES

The journal Arctic Research of the United States is published by the National Science Foundation for the IARPC and the Arctic Research Commission.

Arctic Research is aimed at national and international audiences of government officials, scientists, engineers, educators, private and public groups, and residents of the Arctic. The emphasis is on summary and survey articles covering U.S. Government-sponsored or funded research rather than on technical reports, and the articles are comprehensible to a nontechnical audience. Although the articles go through the normal editorial process, manuscripts are not refereed for scientific content or merit.

Arctic Research contains:

• Reports on current and planned U.S. Government-sponsored research in the Arctic;
• Reports of Arctic Research Commission and IARPC meetings; and
• Summaries of other current and planned Arctic research.

Last modified: July 2000; Office of Polar Programs