[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 106 (Thursday, July 24, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1509]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      INTRODUCTION OF THE KING COVE HEALTH AND SAFETY ACT OF 1997

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. DON YOUNG

                               of alaska

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 24, 1997

  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing the King 
Cove Health and Safety Act of 1997. This legislation will for the first 
time provide residents of King Cove, AK, with a safe form of access to 
and from their community. Specifically, the legislation grants a right-
of-way across certain Federal land in exchange for acquisition by the 
United States of land containing prime habitat owned by a Native 
corporation. Surface transportation made possible through the right-of-
way will connect the city of King Cove, which has an ill-equipped 
airport, with Cold Bay, which has a modern, 24-hour all-weather airport 
and the State's third-largest runway.
  King Cove, AK, is a remote community on the western end of the Alaska 
Peninsula, with a population of about 900. Most residents are of Aleut 
descent and have lived in the community long before Federal ownership 
of the surrounding area. Unfortunately, the only modes of 
transportation to and from this fishing community are by air and sea 
through some of the most extreme--and deadly--weather and topographic 
conditions in the world.
  Weather conditions permitting, travel is done by small aircraft from 
King Cove's tiny dirt landing strip with no navigational aids to Cold 
Bay's modern facility, just 20 miles away. Because King Cove's landing 
strip is surrounded by mountains and experiences some of the harshest 
wind, snow, and dense fog found anywhere, residents do not have safely 
reliable transportation linking them with the modern airport facility 
in Cold Bay, from which access to the rest of the State and lower 48 
States is available. People in King Cove are literally trapped in their 
community for days at a time during poor weather, and the risk of 
adverse conditions is present year round.
  There have been several fatal accidents in the corridor between King 
Cove and Cold Bay. Even an attempted medivac during a life-and-death 
situation resulted in an accident, killing all aboard the aircraft. 
These accidents alone point to a need for a road between the cities.
  In carrying out the land exchange, the bill specifically directs that 
the Secretary of Interior and the Aleutians East Borough, the municipal 
government representing King Cove and Cold Bay, to develop terms and 
conditions on use of the right-of-way to protect the lands and 
resources affected. This will assure that public and private interests 
in the lands surrounding the area are protected. In addition, the land 
acquired by the United States under the exchange is very high quality 
and maintains the quality of the public's resources.
  In summary, this bill opens the way to safe, cost-effective access to 
King Cove and benefits the public, and it is my intent to move this 
legislation.

                          ____________________