The Inupiat Eskimo village of Shishmaref has set up a web site to raise money to relocate.
"Shishmaref: We Are Worth Saving" (
http://www.shishmarefrelocation.com) details the village's threat from the Chukchi Sea.
Rising water levels threaten to engulf the 610 residents.
To relocate five miles away, the village needs about $180 million. Congress has so far appropriate about $23 million in flood assistance and planning.
The majority of Alaska Native villages are threatened by flooding and erosion, but few qualify for federal funds under existing guidelines, the Government Accountability Office said in a 2003 report.
Four villages, including Shishmaref, faced "imminent danger," the report said.
Get the Story:Shishmaref puts cry for help on Web (The Alaska Journal of Commerce 6/19)
pwpwd GAO Report:
Alaska Native Villages: Most Are Affected by Flooding and Erosion, but Few Qualify for Federal Assistance. GAO-04-142 | Highlights Related Stories:
Report cites high cost of relocating Native village (2/1)
Alaska Native village ponders costly relocation (10/28)
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)
