[National Security Presidential Directives - NSPDs]

NSPD-66 / HSPD-25

The White House, President George W. Bush

National Security Presidential Directive and Homeland Security Presidential Directive

January 9, 2009



SUBJECT:      Arctic Region Policy


A.  This directive establishes the policy of the United States with respect to the Arctic region and directs related implementation actions.  This directive supersedes Presidential Decision Directive/NSC-26 (PDD-26; issued 1994) with respect to Arctic policy but not Antarctic policy; PDD-26 remains in effect for Antarctic policy only.

B.  This directive shall be implemented in a manner consistent with the Constitution and laws of the United States, with the obligations of the United States under the treaties and other international agreements to which the United States is a party, and with customary international law as recognized by the United States, including with respect to the law of the sea.


A.  The United States is an Arctic nation, with varied and compelling interests in that region.  This directive takes into account several developments, including, among others:

  1.   Altered national policies on homeland security and defense;

  2.   The effects of climate change and increasing human activity in the Arctic region;

  3.   The establishment and ongoing work of the Arctic Council; and

  4.   A growing awareness that the Arctic region is both fragile and rich in resources.


A.  It is the policy of the United States to:

  1.   Meet national security and homeland security needs relevant to the Arctic region;

  2.   Protect the Arctic environment and conserve its biological resources;

  3.   Ensure that natural resource management and economic development in the region are environmentally sustainable;

  4.   Strengthen institutions for cooperation among the eight Arctic nations (the United States, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, the Russian Federation, and Sweden);

  5.   Involve the Arctic's indigenous communities in decisions that affect them; and

  6.   Enhance scientific monitoring and research into local, regional, and global environmental issues.

B.  National Security and Homeland Security Interests in the Arctic

  1. The United States has broad and fundamental national security interests in the Arctic region and is prepared to operate either independently or in conjunction with other states to safeguard these interests.  These interests include such matters as missile defense and early warning; deployment of sea and air systems for strategic sealift, strategic deterrence, maritime presence, and maritime security operations; and ensuring freedom of navigation and overflight.

  2. The United States also has fundamental homeland security interests in preventing terrorist attacks and mitigating those criminal or hostile acts that could increase the United States vulnerability to terrorism in the Arctic region.

  3. The Arctic region is primarily a maritime domain; as such, existing policies and authorities relating to maritime areas continue to apply, including those relating to law enforcement.[1]  Human activity in the Arctic region is increasing and is projected to increase further in coming years.  This requires the United States to assert a more active and influential national presence to protect its Arctic interests and to project sea power throughout the region.

  4. The United States exercises authority in accordance with lawful claims of United States sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction in the Arctic region, including sovereignty within the territorial sea, sovereign rights and jurisdiction within the United States exclusive economic zone and on the continental shelf, and appropriate control in the United States contiguous zone.

  5. Freedom of the seas is a top national priority.  The Northwest Passage is a strait used for international navigation, and the Northern Sea Route includes straits used for international navigation; the regime of transit passage applies to passage through those straits.  Preserving the rights and duties relating to navigation and overflight in the Arctic region supports our ability to exercise these rights throughout the world, including through strategic straits.

  6. Implementation:  In carrying out this policy as it relates to national security and homeland security interests in the Arctic, the Secretaries of State, Defense, and Homeland Security, in coordination with heads of other relevant executive departments and agencies, shall:

    1.   Develop greater capabilities and capacity, as necessary, to protect United States air, land, and sea borders in the Arctic region;

    2.   Increase Arctic maritime domain awareness in order to protect maritime commerce, critical infrastructure, and key resources;

    3.   Preserve the global mobility of United States military and civilian vessels and aircraft throughout the Arctic region;

    4.   Project a sovereign United States maritime presence in the Arctic in support of essential United States interests; and

    5.   Encourage the peaceful resolution of disputes in the Arctic region.

C.  International Governance

  1. The United States participates in a variety of fora, international organizations, and bilateral contacts that promote United States interests in the Arctic.  These include the Arctic Council, the International Maritime Organization (IMO), wildlife conservation and management agreements, and many other mechanisms.  As the Arctic changes and human activity in the region increases, the United States and other governments should consider, as appropriate, new international arrangements or enhancements to existing arrangements.

  2. The Arctic Council has produced positive results for the United States by working within its limited mandate of environmental protection and sustainable development.  Its subsidiary bodies, with help from many United States agencies, have developed and undertaken projects on a wide range of topics.  The Council also provides a beneficial venue for interaction with indigenous groups.  It is the position of the United States that the Arctic Council should remain a high-level forum devoted to issues within its current mandate and not be transformed into a formal international organization, particularly one with assessed contributions.  The United States is nevertheless open to updating the structure of the Council, including consolidation of, or making operational changes to, its subsidiary bodies, to the extent such changes can clearly improve the Council's work and are consistent with the general mandate of the Council.

  3. The geopolitical circumstances of the Arctic region differ sufficiently from those of the Antarctic region such that an "Arctic Treaty" of broad scope -- along the lines of the Antarctic Treaty -- is not appropriate or necessary.

  4. The Senate should act favorably on U.S. accession to the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea promptly, to protect and advance U.S. interests, including with respect to the Arctic.  Joining will serve the national security interests of the United States, including the maritime mobility of our Armed Forces worldwide.  It will secure U.S. sovereign rights over extensive marine areas, including the valuable natural resources they contain.  Accession will promote U.S. interests in the environmental health of the oceans.  And it will give the United States a seat at the table when the rights that are vital to our interests are debated and interpreted.

  5. Implementation:  In carrying out this policy as it relates to international governance, the Secretary of State, in coordination with heads of other relevant executive departments and agencies, shall:

    1. Continue to cooperate with other countries on Arctic issues through the United Nations (U.N.) and its specialized agencies, as well as through treaties such as the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, the Convention on Long Range Transboundary Air Pollution and its protocols, and the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer;

    2. Consider, as appropriate, new or enhanced international arrangements for the Arctic to address issues likely to arise from expected increases in human activity in that region, including shipping, local development and subsistence, exploitation of living marine resources, development of energy and other resources, and tourism;

    3. Review Arctic Council policy recommendations developed within the ambit of the Council's scientific reviews and ensure the policy recommendations are subject to review by Arctic governments; and

    4. Continue to seek advice and consent of the United States Senate to accede to the 1982 Law of the Sea Convention.

D.  Extended Continental Shelf and Boundary Issues

  1. Defining with certainty the area of the Arctic seabed and subsoil in which the United States may exercise its sovereign rights over natural resources such as oil, natural gas, methane hydrates, minerals, and living marine species is critical to our national interests in energy security, resource management, and environmental protection.  The most effective way to achieve international recognition and legal certainty for our extended continental shelf is through the procedure available to States Parties to the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea.

  2. The United States and Canada have an unresolved boundary in the Beaufort Sea.  United States policy recognizes a boundary in this area based on equidistance.  The United States recognizes that the boundary area may contain oil, natural gas, and other resources.

  3. The United States and Russia are abiding by the terms of a maritime boundary treaty concluded in 1990, pending its entry into force.  The United States is prepared to enter the agreement into force once ratified by the Russian Federation.

  4. Implementation:  In carrying out this policy as it relates to extended continental shelf and boundary issues, the Secretary of State, in coordination with heads of other relevant executive departments and agencies, shall:

    1. Take all actions necessary to establish the outer limit of the continental shelf appertaining to the United States, in the Arctic and in other regions, to the fullest extent permitted under international law;

    2. Consider the conservation and management of natural resources during the process of delimiting the extended continental shelf; and 

    3. Continue to urge the Russian Federation to ratify the 1990 United States-Russia maritime boundary agreement.

E.  Promoting International Scientific Cooperation

  1. Scientific research is vital for the promotion of United States interests in the Arctic region.  Successful conduct of U.S. research in the Arctic region requires access throughout the Arctic Ocean and to terrestrial sites, as well as viable international mechanisms for sharing access to research platforms and timely exchange of samples, data, and analyses.  Better coordination with the Russian Federation, facilitating access to its domain, is particularly important.

  2. The United States promotes the sharing of Arctic research platforms with other countries in support of collaborative research that advances fundamental understanding of the Arctic region in general and potential Arctic change in particular.  This could include collaboration with bodies such as the Nordic Council and the European Polar Consortium, as well as with individual nations.

  3. Accurate prediction of future environmental and climate change on a regional basis, and the delivery of near real-time information to end-users, requires obtaining, analyzing, and disseminating accurate data from the entire Arctic region, including both paleoclimatic data and observational data.  The United States has made significant investments in the infrastructure needed to collect environmental data in the Arctic region, including the establishment of portions of an Arctic circumpolar observing network through a partnership among United States agencies, academic collaborators, and Arctic residents.  The United States promotes active involvement of all Arctic nations in these efforts in order to advance scientific understanding that could provide the basis for assessing future impacts and proposed response strategies.

  4. United States platforms capable of supporting forefront research in the Arctic Ocean, including portions expected to be ice-covered for the foreseeable future, as well as seasonally ice-free regions, should work with those of other nations through the establishment of an Arctic circumpolar observing network.  All Arctic nations are members of the Group on Earth Observations partnership, which provides a framework for organizing an international approach to environmental observations in the region.  In addition, the United States recognizes that academic and research institutions are vital partners in promoting and conducting Arctic research.

  5. Implementation:  In carrying out this policy as it relates to promoting scientific international cooperation, the Secretaries of State, the Interior, and Commerce and the Director of the National Science Foundation, in coordination with heads of other relevant executive departments and agencies, shall:

    1. Continue to play a leadership role in research throughout the Arctic region;

    2. Actively promote full and appropriate access by scientists to Arctic research sites through bilateral and multilateral measures and by other means;

    3. Lead the effort to establish an effective Arctic circumpolar observing network with broad partnership from other relevant nations;

    4. Promote regular meetings of Arctic science ministers or research council heads to share information concerning scientific research opportunities and to improve coordination of international Arctic research programs;

    5. Work with the Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee (IARPC) to promote research that is strategically linked to U.S. policies articulated in this directive, with input from the Arctic Research Commission; and

    6. Strengthen partnerships with academic and research institutions and build upon the relationships these institutions have with their counterparts in other nations.

F.   Maritime Transportation in the Arctic Region

  1. The United States priorities for maritime transportation in the Arctic region are:

    1. To facilitate safe, secure, and reliable navigation;

    2. To protect maritime commerce; and

    3. To protect the environment.

  2. Safe, secure, and environmentally sound maritime commerce in the Arctic region depends on infrastructure to support shipping activity, search and rescue capabilities, short- and long-range aids to navigation, high-risk area vessel-traffic management, iceberg warnings and other sea ice information, effective shipping standards, and measures to protect the marine environment.  In addition, effective search and rescue in the Arctic will require local, State, Federal, tribal, commercial, volunteer, scientific, and multinational cooperation.

  3. Working through the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the United States promotes strengthening existing measures and, as necessary, developing new measures to improve the safety and security of maritime transportation, as well as to protect the marine environment in the Arctic region.  These measures may include ship routing and reporting systems, such as traffic separation and vessel traffic management schemes in Arctic chokepoints; updating and strengthening of the Guidelines for Ships Operating in Arctic Ice-Covered Waters; underwater noise standards for commercial shipping; a review of shipping insurance issues; oil and other hazardous material pollution response agreements; and environmental standards. 

  4. Implementation:  In carrying out this policy as it relates to maritime transportation in the Arctic region, the Secretaries of State, Defense, Transportation, Commerce, and Homeland Security, in coordination with heads of other relevant executive departments and agencies, shall:

    1. Develop additional measures, in cooperation with other nations, to address issues that are likely to arise from expected increases in shipping into, out of, and through the Arctic region;

    2. Commensurate with the level of human activity in the region, establish a risk-based capability to address hazards in the Arctic environment.  Such efforts shall advance work on pollution prevention and response standards; determine basing and logistics support requirements, including necessary airlift and icebreaking capabilities; and improve plans and cooperative agreements for search and rescue;

    3. Develop Arctic waterways management regimes in accordance with accepted international standards, including vessel traffic-monitoring and routing; safe navigation standards; accurate and standardized charts; and accurate and timely environmental and navigational information; and

    4. Evaluate the feasibility of using access through the Arctic for strategic sealift and humanitarian aid and disaster relief.

G.  Economic Issues, Including Energy

  1. Sustainable development in the Arctic region poses particular challenges.  Stakeholder input will inform key decisions as the United States seeks to promote economic and energy security.  Climate change and other factors are significantly affecting the lives of Arctic inhabitants, particularly indigenous communities.  The United States affirms the importance to Arctic communities of adapting to climate change, given their particular vulnerabilities.

  2. Energy development in the Arctic region will play an important role in meeting growing global energy demand as the area is thought to contain a substantial portion of the world's undiscovered energy resources.  The United States seeks to ensure that energy development throughout the Arctic occurs in an environmentally sound manner, taking into account the interests of indigenous and local communities, as well as open and transparent market principles.  The United States seeks to balance access to, and development of, energy and other natural resources with the protection of the Arctic environment by ensuring that continental shelf resources are managed in a responsible manner and by continuing to work closely with other Arctic nations.

  3. The United States recognizes the value and effectiveness of existing fora, such as the Arctic Council, the International Regulators Forum, and the International Standards Organization. 

  4. Implementation:  In carrying out this policy as it relates to economic issues, including energy, the Secretaries of State, the Interior, Commerce, and Energy, in coordination with  heads of other relevant executive departments and agencies, shall: 

    1. Seek to increase efforts, including those in the Arctic Council, to study changing climate conditions, with a view to preserving and enhancing economic opportunity in the Arctic region.  Such efforts shall include inventories and assessments of villages, indigenous communities, subsistence opportunities, public facilities, infrastructure, oil and gas development projects, alternative energy development opportunities, forestry, cultural and other sites, living marine resources, and other elements of the Arctic's socioeconomic composition; 

    2. Work with other Arctic nations to ensure that hydrocarbon and other development in the Arctic region is carried out in accordance with accepted best practices and internationally recognized standards and the 2006 Group of Eight (G-8) Global Energy Security Principles;

    3. Consult with other Arctic nations to discuss issues related to exploration, production, environmental and socioeconomic impacts, including drilling conduct, facility sharing, the sharing of environmental data, impact assessments, compatible monitoring programs, and reservoir management in areas with potentially shared resources;

    4. Protect United States interests with respect to hydrocarbon reservoirs that may overlap boundaries to mitigate adverse environmental and economic consequences related to their development;

    5. Identify opportunities for international cooperation on methane hydrate issues, North Slope hydrology, and other matters;

    6. Explore whether there is a need for additional fora for informing decisions on hydrocarbon leasing, exploration, development, production, and transportation, as well as shared support activities, including infrastructure projects; and

    7. Continue to emphasize cooperative mechanisms with nations operating in the region to address shared concerns, recognizing that most known Arctic oil and gas resources are located outside of United States jurisdiction. 

H.  Environmental Protection and Conservation of Natural Resources

  1. The Arctic environment is unique and changing.  Increased human activity is expected to bring additional stressors to the Arctic environment, with potentially serious consequences for Arctic communities and ecosystems. 

  2. Despite a growing body of research, the Arctic environment remains poorly understood.  Sea ice and glaciers are in retreat.  Permafrost is thawing and coasts are eroding.  Pollutants from within and outside the Arctic are contaminating the region.  Basic data are lacking in many fields.  High levels of uncertainty remain concerning the effects of climate change and increased human activity in the Arctic.  Given the need for decisions to be based on sound scientific and socioeconomic information, Arctic environmental research, monitoring, and vulnerability assessments are top priorities.  For example, an understanding of the probable consequences of global climate variability and change on Arctic ecosystems is essential to guide the effective long-term management of Arctic natural resources and to address socioeconomic impacts of changing patterns in the use of natural resources.

  3. Taking into account the limitations in existing data, United States efforts to protect the Arctic environment and to conserve its natural resources must be risk-based and proceed on the basis of the best available information.

  4. The United States supports the application in the Arctic region of the general principles of international fisheries management outlined in the 1995 Agreement for the Implementation of the Provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of December 10, 1982, relating to the Conservation and Management of Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks and similar instruments.  The United States endorses the protection of vulnerable marine ecosystems in the Arctic from destructive fishing practices and seeks to ensure an adequate enforcement presence to safeguard Arctic living marine resources.

  5. With temperature increases in the Arctic region, contaminants currently locked in the ice and soils will be released into the air, water, and land.  This trend, along with increased human activity within and below the Arctic, will result in increased introduction of contaminants into the Arctic, including both persistent pollutants (e.g., persistent organic pollutants and mercury) and airborne pollutants (e.g., soot).

  6. Implementation:  In carrying out this policy as it relates to environmental protection and conservation of natural resources, the Secretaries of State, the Interior, Commerce, and Homeland Security and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, in coordination with heads of other relevant executive departments and agencies, shall:

    1. In cooperation with other nations, respond effectively to increased pollutants and other environmental challenges;

    2. Continue to identify ways to conserve, protect, and sustainably manage Arctic species and ensure adequate enforcement presence to safeguard living marine resources, taking account of the changing ranges or distribution of some species in the Arctic.  For species whose range includes areas both within and beyond United States jurisdiction, the United States shall continue to collaborate with other governments to ensure effective conservation and management;

    3. Seek to develop ways to address changing and expanding commercial fisheries in the Arctic, including through consideration of international agreements or organizations to govern future Arctic fisheries;

    4. Pursue marine ecosystem-based management in the Arctic; and 

    5. Intensify efforts to develop scientific information on the adverse effects of pollutants on human health and the environment and work with other nations to reduce the introduction of key pollutants into the Arctic.

IV.  Resources and Assets

A.  Implementing a number of the policy elements directed above will require appropriate resources and assets.  These elements shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and authorities of agencies, or heads of agencies, vested by law, and subject to the availability of appropriations.  The heads of executive departments and agencies with responsibilities relating to the Arctic region shall work to identify future budget, administrative, personnel, or legislative proposal requirements to implement the elements of this directive.


                             GEORGE W. BUSH


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[1] These policies and authorities include Freedom of Navigation (PDD/NSC-32), the U.S. Policy on Protecting the Ocean Environment (PDD/NSC-36), Maritime Security Policy (NSPD-41/HSPD-13), and the National Strategy for Maritime Security (NSMS).

Source: The White House