"Permafrost thaw, erosion, storm surges and other climate-change impacts in Alaska’s rural Native villages are not being properly addressed by federal programs because residents have too much trouble overcoming bureaucratic hurdles, said a report issued by the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium.
“Legislative and programmatic changes are needed to remove barriers faced by small rural communities and to create more effective and equitable systems to deliver resources and services,” said the report, titled “The Unmet Needs of Environmentally Threatened Alaska Native Villages.”
In all, there is an estimated shortfall of about $80 million a year in federal funding to address problems across the more than 200 Indigenous villages in the state, said the report, issued on Monday.
Addressing those needs properly will save money in the long run, the report argues. While $4.3 billion is expected to be needed over 50 years to mitigate infrastructure damage, each $1 spent on hazard mitigation will save $6 in recovery costs, the report said. A focus on hazard mitigation to prevent problems could save over $25 billion in response and recovery costs, the report said."
Yereth Rosen reports for the Alaska Beacon February 1, 2024.
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