Browsing 35(1), Summer 2018 by Subject "St. Lawrence Island, Alaska"

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    • Alaska Justice Forum ; Vol. 35, No. 1 (Summer 2018)
      UAA Justice Center; Cravez, Pamela; Williams, Paula (Justice Center, University of Alaska Anchorage, 2018-07-16)
      The Summer 2018 print edition of the Alaska Justice Forum focuses on environmental justice, exploring the ongoing challenges of cleaning up contaminated sites in Alaska in terms of the costs of cleanup and long-term impacts upon people and the environment. Alaska is ranked third in the U.S. for Formerly Used Defense Sites (FUDS) properties. Most of these properties are in remote locations, placing a disproportionate impact on Alaska Native communities that depend upon environmental resources for their livelihood. This issue also looks at expanded eligibility and increased limits on Brownfields Program funds, which provide monies for assessment and cleanup of contaminants on property targeted for redevelopment. The Summer 2018 online edition includes all print stories, one of which has been expanded.

    • Long-Term Impacts of Environmental Contaminants Are ‘Generational Game Changer’
      UAA Justice Center (Justice Center, University of Alaska Anchorage, 2018-07-16)
      Most Formerly Used Defense Sites (FUDS) properties are in remote locations, placing a disproportionate impact on Alaska Native communities that depend upon environmental resources for their livelihood. After the 1972 closure of a U.S. Air Force base that had operated for 20 years on St. Lawrence Island, residents of the Yup'ik village of Savoonga began to experience a higher incidence of cancer, lower birth-weight babies, and higher numbers of miscarriages. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers eventually spent $125 million cleaning up the abandoned base. But there are concerns about continued impact from environmental contamination. While state and federal health studies recommend continued reliance upon traditional foods based on locally harvested berries, fish, and wildlife, St. Lawrence Island community members fear those foods may be contributing to elevated levels of PCBs and higher cancer rates.