ABSTRACT
The Arctic has long been viewed as a distant, pure, natural frontier. In reality however, it serves as the location of considerable military activity. During the Cold War, adversarial relations between the United States and the Soviet Union bred vigorous military deployments in the region in the name of deterrence. In the diminished threat environment, security can be preserved at much lower levels of military force. The fact that a high concentration of United States and Russian military power still exists in the region makes worries over the future health of the Arctic environment and its inhabitants even more urgent. A variety of military activities may be cited for their environmental effects on the Arctic. Three types of activity stand out: nuclear testing, naval accidents involving nuclear-armed/powered vessels, and the dumping of radioactive materials in the ocean. The possibility of underground nuclear tests venting radionuclides due to inadequate containment practices nevertheless remained a source of concern.
