The Alaska Native village of Newtok is contemplating a massive and costly relocation to prevent being erased by a growing river.

The village has chosen a site and obtained land for the move. Their problem? They don't know where the money to relocate will come from.

The problem really lands on Stanley Tom, the village grocer who has taken it upon himself to manage the move. He has been working with state and federal officials to obtain money to plan and carry out relocation but has run into roadblocks.

A General Accounting Office study released in October 2003 said that Newtok was one of four villages in "imminent danger." But the study found that villages had a hard time qualifying for federal funds and noted that the cost of relocation is unknown, with estimates raging as high as $400 million, or more than $1 million per the village's 340 residents.

Get the Story:
Can One Man Turn the Tide? (The Los Angeles Times 10/28)
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GAO Report:
Alaska Native Villages: Most Are Affected by Flooding and Erosion, but Few Qualify for Federal Assistance. GAO-04-142 | Highlights

Related Stories:
Senate panel holds hearings on village erosion (07/01)
Residents of Alaska Native village choose new site (01/26)
GAO report reviews funding for Alaska Native villages (12/15)