makes no provisions for further distribution. Material Source Location Alternatives: Four general areas known to contain potentially viable sources of various project materials were evaluated The measure failed in a 5-6 vote after tense debate. Kivalina Map. When people start talking about climate change, it really scares me, laments Russel Adams, Sr., a lifelong resident of Kivalina. Kivalina students will start this fall's school year in a brand new building, with the construction of the building nearing completion. She now reports for Alaska Public Media. 3,200. Richards said borough officials planned to go to Juneau to lobby for road funding. In February, a delegation of nine legislators visited Kivalina as part of a trip to confront United States Interior Secretary Sally Jewell over drilling prohibitions in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.Lawmakers toured the existing school and village elders pleaded with state and federal officials to aid the erosion-stricken village. "There were a lot of pieces of project process that were being tossed around," he said. This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. community, local and regional government stakeholders, and state and federal agencies to refine evacuation road alternatives to be evaluated under In March 2009, a snowstorm in Kivalina, Alaska, lasted for three days. Copyright 2023 The Arctic Sounder is a publication of For over a decade, Kivalina and the NAB have evaluated the feasibility of numerous road routes, lagoon crossing options, and material source locations Used with permission. written permission of the Iupiaq Work to Preserve Food and Traditions on Alaska's North Slope, Guidelines for Considering Traditional Knowledges in Climate Change Initiatives, Local Environmental Observer (LEO) Network, Scenarios Network for Alaska + Arctic Planning (SNAP) Tools, Seven GenerationsCommunity-Based Environmental Planning, ANTHC | Climate Change in Kivalina, Alaska: Strategies for Community Health (PDF), Re-Locate Kivalina | Re-Locate Receives 2015 ArtPlace America Grant, Alaska Community Coastal Protection Project | Kivalina Project Page, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers | Relocation Planning Project Master Plan for Kivalina, Alaska (PDF), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers | Alaska District, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency | Pacific Northwest Region, Alaska Community Coastal Protection Project, Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities. (Bill Roth / ADN). FAIRBANKS - A former substitute teacher from Kivalina, Alaska, was sentenced to 10 years in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release by Senior U.S. District Court Judge Ralph R. Beistline for soliciting nude photos and sex from multiple girls ages 11 to 16 years old. Northwest Arctic Borough Mayor Clement Richards Sr. said the borough was attempting to "think outside the box" and move forward with the school project, estimated to cost $63 million and result in the construction of a new school building on higher ground. Northwest Arctic Local Emergency Planning Committee (NALEPC), Community & Economic Development Commission, https://www.nwabor.org/wp-content/uploads/2018_4_11_Kiv.mp4. Long a stopping off place for seasonal travelers between arctic coastal areas and Kotzebue Sound communities, it lies 80 air miles northwest of Kotzebue. The selected material source alternatives are the K-Hill Site, Miles of Gravel Road. The village is home toabout 450 residents, 97% Alaska Native. At the 2000 census the population was 377. A school was built in 1903 on Kivalina that discouraged nomadic traditions. However, until homes are built at the relocation site, the school children in Kivalina will ride their new bus out the dark snow-covered newly constructed gravel road to attend school. Through this program, the Army Corps completed a rock revetment in 2010. site by serving as a full-service community emergency shelter with all-season support capabilities. Contact Us >. This poses a contamination threat to fisheries during storms, particularly in the Kivalina lagoon east of the city. But the district spent about $5,500 to send representatives from Alaska to Seattle to oppose the proposed contract. For more information about this project check out a featured article in the March 2021 edition of Ruralite. In 2000, the community settled on a nearbyand potentially safersite for relocation, dubbed Kiniktuuraq. Numerous study, concept, and planning documents exist on potential solutions, which range from: erosion protection around the city; to relocation of the entire community; to a new mainland site. Temperatures in the Arctic are rising at more than twice the rate of the global average.1 Results include violent ocean storms, flooding, and erosion beneath the homes of Kivalinaimpacts that have been traumatic to the barrier island's Alaskan Iupiaq community. As violent waves crashed against the rocks, some residents stayed up through the night, beefing up the temporary erosion protection around the airstrip with rocks, super sacs, and pieces of old fuel tanks. Under the No-Action Alternative, an evacuation road would not be constructed from Kivalina to K-Hill. and Bridge, and Full Span Bridge) were considered and developed in collaboration with the community of Kivalina, agency stakeholders, and other local KIVALINA, AK 2022-06-16 Delta Discovery Edward S. Curtis' Unpublished Alaska A new book featuring one hundred images of Alaska Natives has been released by the Curtis Legacy Foundation - Unpublished Alaska. Demo Debris Landfill. Household sewage is hauled in honeybuckets to four disposal bunkers located throughout the community. 2013). Thus, plans for an evacuation road have been in development for several years. An earlier vote was even closer a 5-5 tie, which also meant it failed to pass. Mogelijkheden zijn: Inupiat Eskimo villagers in the Chukchi Sea village of Kivalina rely on wild animals to survive, but a recent arrival associated with climate warming is causing health concerns. Kivalina already has money appropriated by the state for the construction of its new school. Please email Shelly Henderson, Director of Capital Projects, hendersonsa@mukilteo.wednet.edu. . Over the last decade, Kivalina and the NAB have evaluated the feasibility of numerous local road routings that could potentially provide for evacuation, school access, or material site development. Kivalina's homes and critical infrastructure remain at constant risk of increasing erosion, with relocation as the only long-term option. 2023 and limited reproduction rights for personal use are "We're back at the table," said Annmarie O'Brien, school district superintendent. An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the e-mail address listed on your account. risks became more evident during an evacuation event in October 2007, when debris-laden storm waves overtopped the barrier island. The Kivalina Evacuation Route and School Access Site project, completed in 2021, was recognized by the American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO) for a national Quality of Life award for a medium sized project. Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password. Prior to 1976, high school students from Noatak would attend school in Kivalina, and board with local families. Numerous study, concept, and planning documents exist on potential solutions, which range from: erosion protection around the city; to relocation The evacuation route provides residents with a safe and reliable road to a refuge site in case of a catastrophic storm. A 2012 file photo shows children leaving Kivalinas McQueen School after classes. Temperature increases in Alaska double the US average, Arctic sea ice has dissipated by 50% since 1979, and the state's glaciers are losing 75 billion tons of ice a year. Copyright 2002-2023 Blackboard, Inc. All rights reserved. the southern portion of Kivalina Lagoon, and the lower Wulik and Kivalina River drainages in Townships 27N and 28N, Ranges 25W, 26W and 27W of the The Southern Route is 7.7 miles long and would begin [13] In July 2015, a newer store was opened after months of rebuilding to make the store more convenient and safe. The Kivalina Road was constructed to withstand coastal and riverine erosion and to minimize damage to the underlying permafrost, Tessen said. Sea ice breaks up and hunters switch to open boats to hunt bearded seal and seal species. The Kivalina Evacuation Route and School Access Site project, completed in 2021, was recognized by the American Association of State Highway Officials for a national Quality of Life award for a medium sized project. with permission and Anchorage Daily News makes no provisions for further distribution. Residents of Kivalina, Alaska have an new evacuation route in case they need to leave their island home during a winter storm. Mearig said Wednesday that the department could not determine what the borough aimed to do in its series of proposed resolutions in November and December. On the other. Men go caribou hunting inland. Portions of this article may belong to other Kivalina is a safe and resilient community. the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The Kivalina Evacuation and School Site Access Road project would provide Kivalina residents a safe and reliable evacuation route in the event of a During the 1970s, a new school and an electric system were constructed in the city. Kivalina before (left) and after (right) installation of a rock revetment in 2010the revetment can be seen as the light-colored strip of rocks to the side of the village in the photo at right. Bird hunting. "And we want those relations to continue to be strong, to help get those schools in place that our students need. Numerous study, concept, and planning documents exist on potential solutions, which range from: erosion protection around the city; to relocation of the entire community; to a new mainland site. (Loren Holmes / Alaska Dispatch News). Kateel River Meridian. (Creative Commons photo by Lt. Cmdr. Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities (DOT&PF) officials recently accepted the award. design and contents are 2023 and may not be reproduced without The Kivalina Evacuation Route and School Access Site project, completed in 2021, was recognized by the American Association of State Highway Officials for a national Quality of Life award for a medium sized project. According to court documents, while Jayson Knox, aka "Birdie . Additionally, the dump site lacks a perimeter fence and draws wild animals, including bears. Kivalina wind generator. The team delivered the project to the construction phase in just 22 monthsputting Kivalina residents on the road to a more secure future. duplication for not-for-profit purposes. "The Kivalina School had run out of heat on Thursday (Dec. 16), and when they traced it back to the 1,900-gallon tank that provides heating to the school, they discovered it was empty, even though it had just been filled the day before," said Kimberley Maher, the department's Northern Region State On-Scene Coordinator. Adak Aleut Corp T1470 C&D. Adak Finger Bay Landfill. Alternative contracting, utilizing the Construction Manager General Contractor (CM/GC) method provided further innovations, with ASRC Civil Construction building the project for $43 million. Copyright 2023 The Arctic Sounder is a publication of Residents of Kivalina, Alaska have an new evacuation route in case they need to leave their island home during a winter storm. jonathan.hutchinson@alaska.gov Wick Communications. Concepts previously studied for their feasibility include construction of an earthen causeway across the lagoon that variously incorporates hydraulic and boat passage options including bridge(s), culvert(s), or both. The school test scores in Kivalina are 100% lower than the national average. As a consequence, there would The community of Kivalina has been working for decades with a variety of local, state, and federal agencies to address threats of coastal erosion and flooding. Route alternatives were evaluated for feasibility The community of Kivalina has been working for decades with a variety of local, state, and federal agencies to address threats of coastal erosion and flooding. Installation of this structure reduced the size of Kivalina, but bought the community at least a decade to make a relocation decision. The cuts caught Kivalina by surprise. Kivalina Project Information. Seven million dollars had been set aside for the construction of a school in Kivalina, and a road. Anchorage Daily News. See links to these resources in the sidebar, under Additional Resources. The plaintiffs argued there was a disparity in how the Legislature treated rural schools, and that the state was not meeting its constitutional obligation to educate students in villages. The residents of Kivalina have also engaged non-profit organizations and the international community in their plight, and have sought new sources for future funding of their relocation effort. The Kivalina school project needs about $20 million more in funding $9 million from the state and the rest expected from the borough, according to the Alaska Department of Education and Early. The Northwest Arctic Borough Assembly held an unprecedented meeting 2,000 miles away in Seattle last month, where it narrowly shot down a proposal by the borough mayor to award a no-bid project management contract for a new school near the climate-stressed village of Kivalina. This project will initiate an urgent conversation around what a sustainable and secure environment for the people of Kivalina, and for indigenous peoples of the Arctic as a whole, might look like. Copyright 2002-2023 Blackboard, Inc. All rights reserved. The location prolonged the construction of the new school, Christy said. Long a stopping off place for seasonal travelers between arctic coastal areas and Kotzebue Sound communities, it lies 80 air miles northwest of Kotzebue. (Combined Route B) based on feedback received during public and agency scoping efforts in the fall of 2016. Patchy sea ice also makes winter travel and hunting difficult and dangerous. The resolutions said a no-bid contract would result in cost savings, quickercompletion of the project and greater flexibility, as well as higher quality plans and construction. The road is considered both a path to the school site and an evacuation route for residents. All Sites. As of last week, it became a nationally award-winning evacuation route. The Kivalina evacuation/school access road project will provide residents of Kivalina Island a safe, reliable means of evacuation if necessary. Olson says the Senate Finance committee is now trying to restore some of the funding for the project, but there has been resistance to paying for the road. are being, or have been, carried out by DOT&PF pursuant to 23 U.S.C. (907) 442-2500 While the school is a new beginning for the students, it's the culmination of a long planning process and a lighting-paced construction process for both the school, which will serve as the community's emergency shelter in the event of a storm or flooding . This site, its "He pledged to bring all parties together to work on an agreement that will move the project to construction.". It is the only village in the region where people hunt the bowhead whale. The Northwest Arctic Borough Assembly approved a local funding match for. The FINAL NWAB 2030 Comprehensive Plan Page is available. 2010). Location 0 0 0 other reviews that are not currently recommended Adak Husky Demolition Waste Dump. A.C.E. when the global project of civilizing indigenous peoples reached the Arctic, that Reppi and Dolly's ancestors became confined to this island. The feasibility of several potential route alignments were evaluated within a project study area encompassing Kivalina Island, the southern portion of Kivalina Lagoon, and the lower Wulik and Kivalina River drainages in Townships 27N and 28N, Ranges 25W, 26W and 27W of the Kateel River Meridian. Kivalina Evacuation and School Site Access Road. Kivalina is at the tip of an 8-mile barrier reef located between the Chukchi Sea and Kivalina (Kiv-uh-LEE-nuh) River. In fact, Kivalina school is the last of the five schools named in the settlement to receive full funding, Mearig said. The school it will replace enrolls about 150 students. Evacuation routes considered to date by Kivalina and the NAB have included. And this accelerated timeframe resulted in a significantly reduced design and administrative costs. In Focus. The Kivalina school project is the primary benefactor of the bill, though one other project in the state a new school for the Kenai Peninsula Russian Old Believer community of Kachemak Selo will also earn a break under the change. The third, voted down in Seattle, would have simply allowed the borough to award a no-bid contract. Road Route Alternatives: Three preliminary route options (Northern, Southern, and Combined Route A) were independently proposed by Kivalina and the This site is also identified remain severe risk to life, health, and safety of residents during a storm surge event. The Re-Locate project is coordinated and funded by Three Degrees Warmer, a non-profit . $16.00 15 Used from $2.15 11 New from $11.03. Kivalina K-12 Replacement School - Kasayulie GET STARTED GO BACK Action Stage Start Valuation $50,438,397.00 Bid Date June 9, 2021 Address KIVALINA, AK 99750 Details Contacts Documents Products Overview Project Type Primary School, Middle/Senior High School, Kindergarten, Sewage Treatment Plant Owner Type From Service Report Type Project Learn more. Kivalina is just one of 31 Alaskan villages that are imminently threatened by climate change and are considering relocation . Another condition to start school construction was the completion of the road to access the location. All rights reserved. 8 Miles of line doubled the number of poles in Kivalina. Kivalina has been at its current location since its school was built in the early 1900s. A rural school project the state is legally obligated to complete was among the reductions. Paperback. The new road will provide Kivalina residents with a reliable evacuation route in the event of a catastrophic storm or ocean surge. The graph, generated by the SNAP Community Charts tool, depicts historical and projected average temperatures in Kivalina from 1961 to 2099. For questions or comments, please contact: In the meantime, the community has undertaken measures to buy them some time. This book looks at the struggle of Kivalina, a small Alaska Native village that filed a legal claim against some of the world's largest fossil fuel companies for damaging their homeland and creating a false debate around climate change. With the three special meetings now over, the thousands of dollars in travel expenses already spent and the resolution for a no-bid contract now dead, district and borough officials say they will move forward together to construct the new building, which will replace an overcrowded school for students in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade, as well as begin the village's move to a safer location. A rural school project the state is legally obligated to complete was among the reductions. by the Northwest Arctic Borough School District, and approved by the community, as a preferred new location for the community school. document.write(year) After evaluation, only the Lagoon Crossing D (Solid Causeway with Culverts and Bridge) was determined feasible and carried He hopes the road will eventually lead to the new site of the village of Kivalina. Historically, Kivalina was a summer hunting camp and not intended to be a year-round residence. Choose wisely! 2022 Anchorage Daily News. One of the complicating factors in the project is the schools location. Gina Abatemarco is raising funds for KIVALINA PEOPLE on Kickstarter! Well visualize where were at, where we can be, and how we can move in that direction. Sen. Anna MacKinnon, an Eagle River Republican who is in charge of the capital budget, was not available for an interview. DOT&PF took a unique approach to deliver this project. Due to severe erosion, the City intends to relocate to a new site 7.5 miles away. Now it is four feet thick and there are many leads. (A lead is a large fracture within an expanse of sea ice.) To revamp the village sanitation system, a biochar sanitation system is being designed to turn human and solid waste into sustainable energy. Kivalina is a coastal Iupiat village of 400 people in Northwest Alaska. The nearby Red Dog Mine, which employs some Kivalina residents, is providing funding for the project's reactor, demonstrating how public-private partnerships can help both parties thrive. Adak Husky Road Landfill. (907) 442-2500 Route B were determined feasible and carried forward for further evaluation. There is no means to leave the island on foot or by vehicle during a storm, and transport by boat or plane in storm conditions would be dangerous. Ontwikkelen van een IT-project in de school. As of last week, it became a nationally award-winning evacuation route. The awards recognize state DOTs and highlight the projects they deliver that make communities a better place to live, work, and play. Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities, Kivalina Evacuation and School Site Access Road, Northwest Arctic Borough Title 9 Conditional Use Permit, ALASKA DEPARTMENT of TRANSPORTATION & PUBLIC FACILITIES. Kivalina IRA President Millie Hawley says that this is a process that belongs to the people of Kivalina. LINKS: School Climate & Connectedness Survey, Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and NWABSD Page, FREE INTERNET: Emergency Connectivity Fund for Students, 2022-2023 Mitigation Plan 10-31-22 - Click Here, Click here for more information on the NWABSD Mitigation Plan, To provide a learning environment that inspires and challenges students and employees to excel, To graduate all students with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary for a successful future, Blackboard Web Community Manager Privacy Policy (Updated). "The school will be prepared to shelter the community in the event of an emergency," Christy said. Last updated April 26, 2013. The funding was part of the 2011 settlement of a lawsuit that asserted that the state's method of financing school construction discriminated against rural students. Seat A- Kivalina, Noatak, Baird Mountains, Kiana & NoorvikP.O. var today = new Date() It also still needs to construct a road to the school site a separate borough project that also still needs tens of millions of dollars in funding. It is a traditional Inupiat Eskimo village in which subsistence activities provide the majority of food supply (e.g., seal, walrus, whale, salmon, and caribou). O'Brien said that in the past, the district and borough worked together on school construction projects. Borough Assembly Members Elmer Armstrong Jr. To correspond by text telephone (TDD) (907) 451-2363. The awards are sponsored by the American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO), AAA, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Meet in front of the main office. The state committed to building the school in 2011, as part of a long-fought education lawsuit known as the Kasayulie case. The community of Kivalina has been working for decades with a variety of local, state, and federal agencies to address threats of coastal erosion and flooding. (907) 442-2930 fax In 2000, the community settled on a nearbyand potentially safersite for relocation, dubbed Kiniktuuraq. also includes construction of a second permanent pad near the inland side of the lagoon crossing used for contractor staging. While school construction is remote and speculative, if constructed within the vicinity of the project terminus, the school could augment the undeveloped evacuation site by serving as a full-service community emergency shelter with all-season support capabilities. The table below describes traditional subsistence seasons.2. Subsistence, including whaling, is an important part of the local economy. Section 117 Expedited Erosion Control Project, Kivalina, Alaska 1.0 Community Profile Kivalina, Alaska is a community of about 400 persons living on an 8-mile-long barrier island that separates a 16-mile-long lagoon (Kivalina Lagoon) from the Chukchi Sea (figure 1). According to a borough announcement in the legal section of The Arctic Sounder newspaper, the mayor's new chief of staff, Patrick Savok, was hired to work with the mayor, local communities and the school district "to develop consensus on projects and issues moving forward. Kivalina (Kivalliiq in Iupiaq) is a city in Northwest Arctic Borough, Alaska, United States. Project area: 1,100: Level of Investment for the conflictive project: 180,000,000 (relocation cost only) [5] Type of population: Rural: Affected Population: 382: Start of the conflict: . executed by FHWA and DOT&PF. The community of Kivalina was founded at its current location in 1905 Thin ice conditions interrupt sea ice-based hunting. While the school is a new beginning for the students, it's the culmination of a long planning process and a lighting-paced construction process for both the school, which will serve as the community's emergency shelter in the event of a storm or flooding, and the eight-mile evacuation road that connects the Kivalina community to its school. 2301 Peger Rd Fairbanks, AK 99709-5316 mi tigat ion project grants through December 14,20 12. In 1905, the Bureau of Indian Affairs selected the island as a school site . In fact, one particularly costly effort failed in a large storm just days after its completion, worsening rather than improving erosion. Work together and with partners to develop projects and policies to protect our residents, infrastructure, natural environment, and subsistence resources. . Such heavy snows also increase extended school absences. The need for a concerted effort to mitigate these risks became more evident during an evacuation event in October 2007, when debris-laden storm waves overtopped the barrier island. But now the ice is too thin; they can go anywhere., The meaning of "season" in coastal Iupiaq communities is different than in the western context. She said the contract proposals seemed hurried and were pushed at special meetings called with short notice. Foot Lagoon Crossing. It has been a Superfund site since 1989. Mearig said the education department has asked the Northwest Arctic Borough for a proposal on the initial phase of the school project. It has long been a stopping place for travelers between Arctic coastal areas and Kotzebue Sound communities.