The House Natural
Resources Committee on Wednesday approved H.R.
2801, a bill that authorizes a road through a national refuge in Alaska.
The Alaska Native village of King Cove wants a road built from its land to an airport in Cold Bay.
The road would provide an alternative to hovercraft travel through the bay.
The bill authorizes a land swap between the village, state and the federal government. The swap enables a 25-mile gravel road through the Izembek National Wildlife Refuge.
Rep. Nick Rahall (D-West Virginia), the chairman of the committee, opposed the bill. But at least two other Democrats backed it out of deference to Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska), the top Republican who is sponsoring the bill.
The bill was approved by a voice vote yesterday. It was the only item on the committee's agenda.
Get the Story:King Cove land swap bill moves forward (The Anchorage Daily News 4/24)
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