[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 110 (Wednesday, July 30, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8365-S8366]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. MURKOWSKI:
  S. 1092. A bill to provide for a transfer of land interests in order 
to facilitate surface transportation between the cities of Cold Bay, 
AK, and King Cove, AK, and for other purposes; to the Committee on 
Energy and Natural Resources.
  Mr. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, today I rise to introduce legislation 
to benefit one of Alaska's most isolated regions, the Alaska Peninsula. 
This bill, The Izembek Refuge Land Exchange Act, provides a balanced 
approach to a difficult problem. In this remote area, there is a small 
Aleut Native village, King Cove, which is completely isolated from 
other Alaska cities and towns, and the rest of the world. The only way 
you can get to King Cove is by air or sea. And in this part of Alaska, 
the weather is so bad that neither sea or air is very reliable.
  My bill will permit King Cove to be connected to the rest of the 
world through a road link to Cold Bay, a regional center, and the 
location of a good, all weather airport which can provide year round 
and emergency medical evacuation for the residents of King Cove. 
Currently, when somebody is injured or gravely ill, treatment is at the 
mercy of weather and sea conditions.
  Mr. President, King Cove is a tough place to live and the residents 
are tough and independent people. Their ancestors migrated to this part 
of the State thousands of years ago and have made a life out of this 
area with its rich bounty of fish. But people get sick there just like 
any place in the country, emergencies happen there more than most other 
places in America because the lifestyle is so close to the edge.
  We have had long debates in this body this year about access to 
health care. Nowhere does this take on a more dramatic meaning than in 
King Cove. When I say access, I mean access. That means the actual 
physical ability to get to a hospital in Anchorage or Seattle to get 
the specialized health care needed in the event of a serious emergency 
or sickness. Right now, the residents of King Cove do not have this 
access. Since 1981, 11 air crash fatalities have occurred flying 
residentS from King Cove to Cold Bay. Numerous other crashes have also 
occurred, luckily without fatalities.

[[Page S8366]]

  Many of these crashes involved flying injured or sick people out of 
King Cove in an attempt to get emergency care. Often the trip to care 
is as dangerous as the infliction itself. For example, in 1981, a 
medivac plane was forced to leave King Cove for an emergency/life and 
death rescue mission. There was no alternative to this flight and the 
plane crashed. Four people died including the pilot and the medivac 
victim. Six years ago another fatal crash occurred with six people 
killed. The list goes on.
  This is a terrible place to have to fly out of if you cannot afford 
to wait. On medical emergencies, nobody can afford to wait. These 
residents are predominantly Alaska Natives, Aleuts for the most part. 
They have a good Alaska Native hospital available to them in Anchorage. 
In fact, thanks to this body, it is a new hospital with great 
facilities. But it might as well be on the dark side of the Moon for 
the residents of King Cove. When they need it, they can't be sure they 
will be able to get to it.
  This legislation provides the solution by allowing ground access to 
an all-weather runway only 30 miles from King Cove in Cold Bay. In 
fact, thanks to World War II, Cold Bay has the third longest runway in 
the State. The runway has modern all weather equipment such as 
instrument landing systems and many other modern landing system 
improvements. In the past 4 years, the Cold Bay airport has seen only 
one instance in which air traffic from Anchorage could not land. It is 
safe to say that air operations can occur here in virtually all weather 
and can accommodate the King Cove emergency needs at all times. With no 
road between King Cove and Cold Bay there will be no hope for those 
seeking help. My bill would provide a land exchange that will permit 
the road to be built between King Cove and Cold Bay. This is the 
reasonable solution.
  Mr. President, there is a need for this road, but there will be 
concerns raised because most of that road will be sited through the 
Izembek National Wildlife Refuge. This is unavoidable. The refuge is 
located completely astride the route between King Cove and Cold Bay. 
This is nobody's fault, and I know that the Fish and Wildlife Service 
has concerns. I also have concerns and my constituents and I are 
prepared to do what it takes to minimize the impact of this road on the 
surrounding area and resources.
  The King Cove Corp. has proposed an exchange for valuable wetlands it 
owns near the refuge for the road right of way. The bulk of the right 
of way is already owned by King Cove as an inholding in the refuge. 
Only 7 miles is not owned by King Cove and this is the Federal land 
which would be exchanged under my bill. That portion is in the 
wilderness portion of the refuge, but there is no alternative to this 
except further danger to my constituents and the inevitable death and 
destruction to future victims of the next air crash.
  Mr. President, I stand ready to work with the Fish and Wildlife 
Service to make this as constructive process as possible, but make no 
mistake, it is absolutely critical that this road be built. My 
constituents deserve a way to save their lives in times of emergency. 
They cannot be hostage to fear for life and limb.
                                 ______