Environment

For the last two decades, mining companies have been working to develop the massive Donlin Gold prospect in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta. And most of that time, the development has claimed support from neighboring communities. But that’s changing as tribes, organizations, and communities have begun opposing the mine development and organizing. 

A big winter storm came in from the Bering Sea and battered the Western Alaska coast from the evening of Nov. 25 through Nov. 26. Some communities, like Hooper Bay, have reported flooding. Others have reported power outages. 

Ten years ago, the Army Corps of Engineers released a report that detailed the impacts of erosion in Alaska Native communities.

Don Antrobus is the Program Manager for the Village Infrastructure Protection Program at the Denali Commission, and helped guide an updated report that documents erosion and other environmental threats facing the communities: erosion, thawing permafrost, and flooding. Antrobus says that all are made worse by climate change. 

Despite a late freeze-up again this year, the Kuskokwim River looks different than it did at this time last year - in a good way. But Bethel Search and Rescue doesn’t think people should be revving up their snowmachines just yet. 

The Orutsararmiut Native Council calling the federal planning process for how 13 million acres of public land is managed in the region “woefully inadequate.” BLM says that they are taking more steps to reach out. 

RurAL CAP has set up its equipment in Bethel to weatherize homes. Prior to this year they were in Quinhagak, where about half the homes in town were improved. 

The ongoing freeze up on the Kuskokwim River has been causing issues for barge companies. Last month, one boat belonging to Alaska Logistics spilled oil and another got stuck, both due to ice.