Environment | National | Politics

Interior Secretary Jewell meets with Alaska Native leadership

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Interior Secretary Sally Jewell tours the village of Kivalina with Tribal President Millie Hawley. February 16, 2015. Photo by Emily Carlson / KTVA / Twitter

Interior Secretary Sally Jewell spent two days in Alaska this week and Native issues were major focus of the trip.

On Monday, Jewell visited two Native villages that are feeling the effects of climate change. One of them, Kivalina, is in "imminent danger" of falling into the sea due to rising temperatures that Native leaders blame on climate change.

"Hundreds of villagers in Kivalina face the terrible prospect of losing their land and homes to rising sea levels and coastal erosion, threatening their personal safety and putting them at risk of becoming climate change refugees within a decade," Jewell said in a press release. "We need to support threatened Native villages and other vulnerable communities in developing climate adaptation and resilience strategies that can help preserve their way of life."

On Tuesday, Jewell addressed leaders of the Alaska Federation of Natives at the organization's winter retreat in Kotzebue. She told The Alaska Dispatch News that she heard support and opposition for the Obama administration's plan to designate the entire Arctic National Wildlife Refuge as wilderness, a move that would bar energy development.

Jewell's presence at the meeting drew a slew of politicians to Kotzebue. Many are angry with her and President Barack Obama for decisions they say will hurt the state's economy.

Get the Story:
In Kivalina, Interior Secretary Jewell Hears “Real Stories” from Community Living with Climate Change (KNOM 2/17)
Interior secretary vows to work on solutions for climate-threatened village (The Alaska Dispatch News 2/17)
Interior Secretary Jewell visits eroding Alaska village (AP 2/17)
Murkowski, Jewell tangle over threat of Interior Department budget cuts (The Alaska Dispatch News 2/18)