A proposed land exchange at the end of the Alaska Peninsula threatens wildlife conservation and the protection of public lands in Alaska. Pristine wilderness in the refuge would be traded away in order to build a road from King Cove to Cold Bay. We need all Friends to speak up and oppose this land swap! Submit your public comment today- the deadline is December 30, 2024.
The draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (draft SEIS) completed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service selected Alternative 6 as the preferred alternative- to implement a land swap with King Cove in order to build the road along the isthmus through the refuge and designated wilderness.
Comments: we need all Friends to submit comments!! Comments can be submitted online at regulations.gov.(refer to Docket No. FWS–R7–NWRS–2023–0072). Bullet points for your testimony are below, but we need you to draft your own response– each unique set of comments is counted as one comment, while identical comments (say, if Friends of Alaska National Wildlife Refuges gave out a script for you to copy and paste) are counted as only one comment, regardless of the number of submissions.
In person and virtual hearings:
- Anchorage, Monday, Dec. 9, 6 – 8 pm. Loussac Library, 3600 Denali St.
- Bethel, Thurs, Dec. 12, 6 – 8, Yupiit Piciryarait Cultural Center, 420 Chief Eddie Hoffman Hwy
- Virtual – Register online at the links below; all welcome
- Some meetings in smaller Alaska communities have already been held.
- The full schedule and supporting documents can be found here.
Sample talking points for your comments:
- The Izembek National Wildlife Refuge is one of the most ecologically significant wetland areas in the world. The entire population of Pacific black brant and Emperor Geese rely on the refuge’s eelgrass beds. The wetlands themselves are internationally recognized as hugely significant for bird populations.
- The draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement disregards years of precedent and work to protect Izembek’s wetlands and lagoons. Everyone involved in conservation work understands that roads bring people and development. Izembek should not face that fate.
- Over 80 resolutions from Native tribes in Alaska were submitted to Secretary Haaland urging her to choose the “no action” alternative. She disregarded those resolutions.
Thank you, and remember to submit your comments by December 30, 2024!
Black Brant, Izembek National Wildlife Refuge, PC: USFWS/Kristine Sowl