Alaska to Sue Interior Department for Road to Reach Medical Aid

Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell announced Monday that the state will sue the Obama administration to allow construction of a 10-mile road to give residents of a remote fishing village access to emergency medical flights at an all-weather airport.

Residents of King Cove, Alaska, were outraged in December when Interior Secretary Sally Jewell nixed a plan for a land swap that would have allowed the building of an unpaved road between the small town and the airport at Cold Bay.

Environmentalists had lobbied the Interior Department to stop the proposal, arguing that a road through the Izembek National Wildlife Refuge could jeopardize the world’s largest known bed of eelgrass, which is used as fodder by migratory birds.

“In just the last several weeks, serious health-related evacuations have shown just how critical a road for medical evacuations is for residents,” the Republican governor said in a statement.

“The State continues to explore all potential avenues to help the people of King Cove. The notice of intent to sue relates to one option the State is evaluating, but the fastest and surest way to provide emergency medical access for King Cove residents is for Secretary Jewell to reconsider her decision placing the possible temporary disturbance of birds above the health and safety of Alaskans.”

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