Add thelocalreport.in As A Trusted Source
trump Administration announced it on thursday The construction of a disputed road was approved Through an ancient wildlife refuge in Alaska that officials and activists have fought for decades.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum Signed the Certificate of Approval for a comprehensive package of measures including allowing King Cove Corporation Construction of a road to connect the remote villages of King Cove and Cold Bay, About 900 miles southwest of Anchorage.
The road, which will be approximately 11 miles long, will pass through the Izembek National Wildlife Refuge which includes internationally renowned wetlands and essential habitat for vulnerable species and migratory birds.
Burgum and Alaska officials have argued that the road would provide an essential route for residents of the small fishing village of King Cove, who often have to travel via boat to Cold Bay Airport before flying out to seek medical treatment.
“I find it absolutely absurd that it somehow took us 40 years to put people first,” Burgum said at a news conference Thursday after the signing.
“For decades, Alaskans in King Cove have sought a safe land route to vital services in Cold Bay. With the route now secured, we can move from promise to progress and build the life-saving road connections these communities deserve,” said Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities Commissioner Ryan Anderson.
As part of the deal, the Department of the Interior will transfer approximately 500 acres of land within the refuge to King Cove Corporation. In return, the corporation would cede thousands of acres of its land to the government, some of which would be added to the refuge.
Activists say the move will cause ‘irreparable damage’
Activist groups argue that the proposed road would cause “irreparable damage” to Izembek’s ecosystem and wildlife, including vulnerable species such as Pacific black brant, emperor geese and the endangered Steller’s eider.
The center of the refuge is the Izembek Lagoon, a coastal ecosystem that is home to one of the world’s largest eelgrass beds, which provides food to a variety of species during migration. More than 200 species of birds, from brown bears to Pacific salmon, live on the refuge.
Cooper Freeman, Alaska’s director at the Center for Biological Diversity, called the road an “extremely bad idea that would wreak havoc on one of the planet’s most important migratory bird sanctuaries,” adding that it would set a “dangerous precedent” that would leave other state national parks and refuges vulnerable to exploitation.
Burgum’s announcement has also angered Alaska Native tribes, who are still recovering from the aftermath of Typhoon Halong.
“To see the Izembek land exchange back in the news while Alaska is still grappling with the heartbreak induced by the most recent climate change is disappointing and anger-inducing,” said Angutekarak Estelle Thomson, chair of the traditional council of the native village of Pamiot.
“Certainly, the people of Kings Cove can see that the value of leaving habitat for so many species would be far more valuable than any road.”
The Native Village of Hooper Bay and other tribes in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta region have repeatedly requested to meet with lawmakers on the Izembek and include their perspectives in the process. He says those requests have been denied or left unanswered.
decades old debate
There has been a debate for more than three decades over whether or not to build the road, although Izembek has received federal protection ever since. jimmy carter Signed the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act in 1980.
The Clinton administration signed an agreement to commission a hovercraft that could transport residents between the two villages in 20 minutes. However, at a cost of $50 million, the plan, which was launched in 2003, was later deemed too expensive and was abandoned in 2010.
The land swap agreement was reconsidered during Barack Obama’s second term, but was rejected after the Interior Department concluded that there were at least three other viable options to transport King Cove residents to Cold Bay Airport.
Under Trump’s first term, the interchange was restarted but denied multiple times by various state courts, but in 2021 Interior Secretary David Bernhardt issued a memorandum allowing the Fish and Wildlife Service to approve a right-of-way permit consistent with proposed road construction at Izembek.
Although the exchange proposal was pulled by Bernhardt’s successor, Deb Haaland, in 2023, another proposal was put forward by the Biden administration in November 2024. Following Trump’s return to office, that proposal was signed by Burgum.
Shortly before his death last year at the age of 100, Carter also warned that allowing the road would set a dangerous precedent, writing in legal filings that it would pave the way for future administrations to destroy millions of acres of protected natural lands.
Trump administration claims to ‘unleash Alaska’s potential’
Indeed, the measures set forth by Burgum also include other controversial proposals such as leasing vast tracts of land in Alaska to oil and gas companies to exploit natural resources, as well as building another road – Ambler Road – a 211-mile industrial road to provide access to the Ambler Mining District, which has also proven controversial.
“From day one, President Trump directed us to unlock Alaska’s energy and resource potential while honoring commitments to the state and local communities,” said. Burgum. “By reopening the coastal plain and advancing key infrastructure, we are strengthening energy independence, creating jobs and supporting Alaska’s communities while fostering economic growth across the state.”
The department has reopened 1.56 million acres of the Coastal Plain to oil and gas leasing – reversing the previous administration’s 2024 plan that limited development to statutory minimums, and restoring leases to the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority, allowing development to proceed.
The leases were canceled by the Biden administration in a decision later overturned by the courts.
Additionally, eligible Alaska Native Vietnam-era veterans will now be able to apply for up to 160 acres of federal land that they were unable to claim while serving their country, the administration announced Thursday.
“Together, these actions highlight the Trump Administration’s commitment to responsible energy development, meeting statutory obligations, and improving Alaskans’ quality of life,” it said in a statement. “They demonstrate Interior’s continued focus on reducing regulatory barriers, expanding domestic energy production, supporting local economies, and securing Alaska’s role in promoting America’s energy and economic security.”