King Cove Optimistic New Administration Will Get Community their Life-Saving Road
December 29, 2016
“Unlike Secretary Jewell, we believe President-elect Donald Trump and Interior Secretary nominee Ryan Zinke value human lives as well as birds,” said King Cove Mayor Henry Mack. “We are confident they will take action because they understand that the lives of King Cove residents matter. We’re encouraged that we may finally get access to a small life-saving road corridor, and our dream of safe passage to the Cold Bay airport will become a reality.” Recently, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) reported that she’s encouraged by her talks with Zinke relating to the King Cove road, stating that she believes he is “very favorably inclined to be supportive.” Her enthusiasm boosted the spirits of King Cove community members and tribal leaders who have campaigned for a safe and reliable road connection through the Izembek Wildlife Refuge to the all-weather Cold Bay Airport for 35-plus years. “We are optimistic that a change of administration will mean we will finally get to the finish line,” said Della Trumble, spokeswoman for the King Cove (Native) Corporation. “This issue is and always has been about saving lives. Without a dependable and safe solution, it’s only a matter of time before someone loses his or her life. It’s time to do the right thing and solve this urgent matter once and for all.” “Our weather can be very severe,” said Aleutians East Borough Mayor Stanley Mack. “Medical emergencies in King Cove happen in all kinds of weather. A road connection has been proven to be the most reliable and safest option for us. We’re feeling very encouraged that the incoming administration will make it happen.” So far this year, there have been 17 medevacs: three were conducted by the Coast Guard; 14 were non-Coast Guard. Of the 55 medevacs that occurred since Secretary Jewell rejected the road, 17 were conducted by the Coast Guard. Thirty-eight of the medevacs were non-Coast Guard. Those medevacs included:
The people of King Cove have worked for more than three decades to build a life-saving road corridor linking their isolated community to the all-weather Cold Bay Airport, 25 miles away. The small stretch of road (approximately 11 miles) would connect to existing roads in the Izembek National Wildlife Refuge and would provide reliable and safe ground transportation to medevac seriously ill or injured patients when travel by plane or boat is too dangerous due to the area’s frequent periods of harsh weather.
Editing by Mary Kauffman, SitNews
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