Just two days before Christmas, Interior Secretary Sally Jewell killed a controversial road project that would benefit an Alaska Native village.

King Cove, an Aleut village, sits 30 miles from the nearest air strip in Cold Bay. But the only way to get there is to via boat, a trip that can take up to two hours in choppy weather [Google Maps: No Directions].

Etta Kuzakin, the president of the Agdaagux Tribe, knows the challenges first hand. She waited 10 hours for a helicopter last March after going into early labor.

"If there had been a road, it would be two hours out," Kuzakin told The Anchorage Daily News. "I sat there in labor not knowing if I was going to die or my kid was going to die. Pretty traumatic."

All three members of Alaska's Congressional delegation expressed outrage at Jewell's decision. They said they would consider options to help the village with a road through the Izembek National Wildlife Refuge.

“This is a horrible decision at any time, but horribly offensive going into the holidays. It is an additional slap in the face to the people of King Cove and shows that the Department of Interior understands how deeply troubling and problematic is this complete rejection of its native trust responsibility,” Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) said in a press release.

King Cove Corp., an Alaska Native village corporation, planned to give 13,000 acres to the federal government as part of a land transfer for the project.

Get the Story:
Jewell rejects Alaska land swap (AP 12/23)
Interior decision on King Cove-Cold Bay road met with anger, vows to fight on (The Anchorage Daily News 12/24)

Some Opinions:
Paul Jenkins: Secretary Jewell signs death warrant for whom it may concern in King Cove (The Anchorage Daily News 12/28)
Editorial: Secretary makes wrong call on Izembek road (The Anchorage Daily News 12/28)
JAMIE WILLIAMS: Secretary makes right call on Izembek road (The Anchorage Daily News 12/28)

Related Stories:
Alaska Native village sees controversial road as health issue (9/12)
Editorial: Federal land swap benefits Alaska Native community (9/9)
Interior Secretary Sally Jewell to visit Alaska Native village (08/28)
Bruce Babbitt: Jewell must deny road for Alaska Native village (5/3)
Sally Jewell spent weeks learning about Interior Department (4/30)
No payback for Alaska despite votes against Obama's gun bill (04/23)
BIA takes role on controversial road for Alaska Native village (03/22)