Erosion and Flood Control
As many as 213 communities in Alaska have been identified as being affected by erosion from coastal or river flooding, many of which are in imminent danger and will be forced to relocate. The sheer number of villages identified as possibly in need of aid serves to discourage agencies from making resources available to address the problem. AFN recommends that the agencies charged with addressing this issue solicit regional and local input in establishing priorities for assistance. Erosion, accelerated in recent years by a series of near-catastrophic storms, has given rise to public health, safety and welfare concerns in many communities. In more graphic terms, erosion has exposed sewer and septic systems, jeopardized community water lines, and rendered unusable road systems that serve as escape routes. The impacted communities are in need of assistance to rebuild/restore infrastructure and to undertake preventative measures to mitigate erosion damage from future storms. AFN urges Congress to consider and act upon the recommendations provided in the GAO report on flooding and erosion in rural Alaska. Further, we strongly support passage of S. 49, the Alaska Floodplain and Erosion Mitigation Act, but urge Congress to include a tribal organization as a voting member on the proposed federal-state Commission that would be created to study the feasibility of alternatives for assistance and to develop policies for infrastructure investments.
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