After Several Long Years, Reason for Hope in King Cove
U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today released the following statement to mark the fourth anniversary of the Obama administration’s callous rejection of a life-saving road for the people of King Cove, Alaska. An 11-mile road segment is needed to connect King Cove with nearby Cold Bay, which is home to an all-weather airport.
“For years, the Department of the Interior has ignored King Cove’s need for reliable transportation, particularly during medical emergencies,” Murkowski said. “Today, however, we have more reason for hope than ever before. I believe the Trump administration recognizes the gravity of this life-and-death situation and is committed to protecting the health and safety of local residents.”
King Cove is located at the end of the Alaska Peninsula, roughly 625 miles southwest of Anchorage. With no road link to Cold Bay, severe weather conditions often leave just two options—small planes and small boats—for local residents to travel. This becomes acutely dangerous during medical emergencies, when patients must be transported to Cold Bay and then Anchorage for care.
King Cove has endured a total of 68 medevacs, including 17 by the U.S. Coast Guard, since the previous Secretary of the Interior heartlessly rejected a short, gravel, non-commercial road on December 23, 2013.
Murkowski is chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
