The Pribilof Island of St. George is getting an upgrade to its decades-old power system. The community’s entire electrical grid, from generators to distribution lines will be replaced this summer.
For St. George mayor Pat Pletnikoff, overhauling the power grid isn’t just about cheaper energy. It’s about keeping people in the community. St. George has lost more than a third of its population since 2000.
Earlier this month, Adak requested ferry service. Now, Atka says it wants the same.
Atka city manager Julie Dirks says the city council passed a resolution recently asking for two ferry stops in community every summer. She says the service would be valuable for bringing freight into the community, and she’s also optimistic about the opportunities for tourism.
Adak wants ferry service. In a resolution passed last month, the city council asked the state marine highway system to consider sending a ferry out to the community at least once a year. City manager Layton Lockett drafted the resolution.
“Just as a way to connect Alaska a little bit more," Lockett says. "And to give Adak the ability to utilize the ferry service like other communities can. For freight, or cars, or just for passenger travel.”
The Aleutians East Borough is moving ahead with a plan to replace the hovercraft that runs between Akutan and the airport on nearby Akun Island, but the timeline for swapping out the vessel is still up in the air.
Borough administrator Rick Gifford says the hovercraft has actually been more reliable than expected, “but it still has its limitations. A conventional vessel probably would be more reliable.”
After decades of lobbying and planning, a project to overhaul the boat harbor on St. George Island is finally moving forward. The state is accepting bids for the project design, and hopes to have fully developed construction plans by 2015.
St. George mayor Pat Pletnikoff says the sooner the harbor is built, the better.
“Without a functional harbor, in short order, [St. George] will cease to exist.”
The Coast Guard lifted an order restricting movement of Shell’s Kulluk drill rig Thursday morning. Petty Officer David Moseley says the company had to provide information about assessments of the rig and their tow plan to the Coast Guard for review.
“The inspection, its seaworthiness, was done by industry class certification,” Moseley says. “They are the experts on those type of vessels. They inspected, they gave us their inspection for review, so we could understand what they found, if there were any concerns, or not, that needed to be addressed prior to its being transferred, or transported, from Kiliuda Bay.”
The 'Trusty Tusty' won’t be living up to its name this spring. The Alaska Marine Highway System announced Wednesday that the ferry Tustumena will be out of service until at least June. Spokesperson Jeremy Woodrow says workers found unanticipated problems with the vessel during routine maintenance this winter.
“So they need to replace some steel on the vessel that had deteriorated to the point where it was deemed unsafe if they were to put the vessel back online," Woodrow says.
An intense lobbying campaign by Alaska’s congressional delegation has paid off for residents of the Aleutian community of King Cove. A group of them will have the chance to meet face-to-face with Interior Secretary Ken Salazar at the end of the month. As King Cove Corporation administrator Della Trumble explains, the goal is to convince Salazar to allow a road through the Izembek National Wildlife Refuge.
“Hopefully have him say yes, we can have this road, and not go with what [the U.S.] Fish and Wildlife [Service] has... what their recommendation is, which is the no action alternative," Trumble says.
The group will be ten to twelve people, including several who can speak personally to the challenges of getting from King Cove to the all-weather airport in Cold Bay.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service came out against a controversial proposed road through the Izembek National Wildlife refuge Tuesday. Residents of King Cove are disappointed, but say they’re not giving up on the project.
Locals have been lobbying for a road to connect King Cove and and the all-weather airport at Cold Bay for decades. They say it would save lives by making medevacs safer. But environmentalist activists have consistently opposed the project, contending it would devastate critical habitat for migratory birds.
