This photo from 2019 provided by the U.S. Air Force/Alaska National Guard photo shows how closely the village of Napakiak, Alaska is at risk of severe erosion by the nearby Kuskokwim River.
Emily Farnsworth/AP
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Emily Farnsworth/AP
This photo from 2019 provided by the U.S. Air Force/Alaska National Guard photo shows how closely the village of Napakiak, Alaska is at risk of severe erosion by the nearby Kuskokwim River.
Emily Farnsworth/AP
Three Tribal communities in Alaska and Washington that have been severely impacted by the effects of climate change on their homes are getting $75 million from the Biden administration to help relocate to higher ground.
The Quinault Indian Nation, located on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington; the Newtok Village, located on the Ninglick River in Alaska; and the Native Village of Napakiak, located on Alaska’s Kuskokwim River will each receive $25 million, the Interior Department announced on Wednesday.
In addition to those funds, FEMA is also awarding approximately $17.7 million to help these three communities buy, demolish and build new infrastructure.
These three tribes are just part of a growing number of communities in the U.S. that are facing a ticking clock as the effects of climate change pose serious risk to their homes. These tribes are already well into the expensive process of moving elsewhere, often leaving areas their families have called home for centuries. Funding has been a major obstacle in getting this done.