OPINION: An avalanche of tribal resolutions oppose the Izembek land exchange

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has undertaken a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement process to consider the impacts of a potential land exchange to build a road through the Izembek National Wildlife Refuge and Wilderness Area. The land exchange would be used to build a road corridor through the Refuge and its Izembek Isthmus, a narrow (three-mile-wide) tundra and wetlands area surrounded by the Bering Sea and Pacific Ocean, which provides highly unique, crucial habitat for a number of animal species, including Pacific black brant and emperor geese. As described by the USFWS, the road would be used for non-commercial purposes and to connect the communities of King Cove and Cold Bay.

Seventy-six tribes are in opposition to the land exchange and road and are adamantly opposed to the dangerous precedent that would occur if a land exchange and/or road is approved without Congressional authorization in the Izembek National Wildlife Refuge. Tribes throughout the state of Alaska are very concerned that all refuge lands, designated wilderness and National Park lands will be at risk.

Tribes in opposition to the land exchange have sought a reasonable compromise that would facilitate safe and reliable transportation between King Cove and Cold Bay while avoiding negative impacts on the Tribe’s members. The marine ferry alternative to the proposed land exchange and road has been described by federal agencies previously as a reliable means of transportation between King Cove and Cold Bay, and there has already been substantial financial investment to develop infrastructure that could support this least impactful and viable alternative.

Prior agency documents estimated that 98% of the world’s population of Pacific brant rely on the Refuge’s eelgrass beds to stopover and refuel during their long migration to and from Mexico. Emperor geese — who use the Refuge and proposed action area as a spring and fall migration staging and/or wintering area and feed on its rich aquatic and terrestrial habitat — are endemic to the Bering Sea area and have been described by the USFWS as being among the most rare and vulnerable goose species on the planet.

Due to widespread tribal concerns, Tribes have passed 19 resolutions from 76 tribes and one village corporation in opposition to a potential road and/or land exchange in the Izembek National Wildlife Refuge.

It is noteworthy to recognize that resolutions of opposition are from the Tribes that reside on the Bering Sea coast, Yukon River watershed, Kuskokwim River watershed, Koyukuk River watershed, Forty Mile watershed, Bristol Bay, Upper Cook Inlet, Southern Brooks Range, Northern Brooks Range, Kobuk River watershed and the Norton Bay watershed.

Tribes in opposition to the proposed Izembek land exchange/road include the following seven language groups: Yupik, Cupik, Inupiaq, Gwich’in Athabascan, Koyukon Athabascan, Han Athabascan and Dena’ina Athabascan.

Nineteen resolutions of opposition to development in the Izembek Wildlife Refuge are from 76 federally recognized tribes and one village corporation:

1: Alaska Village Council Presidents, Waterfowl Conservation Committee (representing 56 tribes)

2: Sea Lion Corp.

3: Native Village of Hooper Bay

4: Native Village of Paimiut Traditional Council

5: Chuloonawick Native Village

6: Native Village of Saint Michael

7: Chevak Traditional Council

8: Stebbins Community Association

9: Norton Bay Watershed Council (representing 11 tribes)

10: Levelock Village Council

11: Alatna Village Council

12: Native Village of Tyonek

13: Evansville Tribal Council

14: Arctic Village Council

15: Venetie Tribal Council

16: Native Village of Venetie Tribal Government

17: Ivisaappaat (Ambler) Tribal Council

18: Native Village of Scammon Bay

19: Native Village of Eagle

Tribal requests to the Department of Interior:

Do not release the Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement. The SEIS can’t be completed during this administration. Therefore, it would be reckless to leave an unfinished and widely opposed process in the hands of an unknown administration.

If the SEIS is to be released: The Tribes request that the USFWS select the Marine Alternative as the preferred alternative, that a 120-day comment period occur, and that an ANILCA 810 Subsistence Hearing occur.

Important climate change considerations:

• Izembek is home to one of the world’s largest eelgrass beds in the world, which provides food and shelter for an astounding number of migratory and resident species, including nearly the entire Pacific black brant population each spring and fall.

• Beyond this keystone role in the Izembek ecosystem, eelgrass is also an important climate change mitigation and adaptation tool.

• Eelgrass is a remarkably effective buffer against one of the most catastrophic climate change impacts which is ocean acidification.

• Ocean acidification occurs when atmospheric carbon dioxide is absorbed by the ocean, lowering the water’s pH.

• Recent studies have shown that eelgrass provides a powerful buffer against this phenomenon.

• The Bering Sea is particularly sensitive to ocean acidification and already experiences disproportionally high acidification.

• Eelgrass has been found to annually sequester carbon at a rate of ten times greater than mature tropical forests, and stores three to five times more carbon per equivalent area than tropical forests.

• Izembek’s massive eelgrass lagoon, one of the largest of its kind, is an important carbon sink.

• When these habitats are damaged or destroyed, it is not only their carbon sequestration capacity that is lost. Carbon stored in the habitats can also be released, contributing to increased levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

• Seagrasses have declined by 30% globally in the past 150 years, and eelgrass is disappearing at an alarming rate of over 100,000 square feet per hour.

• Eelgrass provides crucial structural support along the coast, protecting Izembek from the severe and worsening climate impacts of sea level rise, coastal erosion and increased flooding.

Angutekaraq Estelle Thomson is the president of the Native Village of Paimiut Traditional Council. Chief Frank Thompson is first chief of the Evansville Tribal Council. Roberta Murphy is tribal administrator for Chuloonawick Native Village.

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