Watch CBS News

US Commander: Alaska Fuel Delivery A Hopeful Sign

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. (AP) -- A U.S. military commander says the international effort to bring fuel to an iced-in Alaskan city is a promising sign for cooperation in the Arctic.

Army Gen. Charles H. Jacoby Jr., commander of U.S. Northern Command, wrote in his blog this week that the delivery of fuel to Nome by a Russian tanker ship is "a historic moment."

Northern Command, based at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., is responsible for U.S. military operations in the Arctic.

The Russian tanker began offloading 1.3 million gallons of fuel to tanks in Nome on Monday.

Nome didn't get its last pre-winter fuel delivery because of a massive November storm. Without the Russian tanker, the city of 3,500 would run out of fuel by March or April, before the next barge delivery is possible.

(© Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.