Alaskan Wilderness Road

At last, a balanced portrayal of the plight of the residents of a small village in the Aleutian chain in Alaska (“A Drive to Overcome Isolation,” July 30).

Indeed, these villagers have watched children die in their arms and loved ones languish while the severe Alaskan weather prohibited movement by air or sea. Eleven people have died just trying to fly into or out of King Cove.

Is there another side to the story? Of course. I want the protection of wilderness area designations. But, the proposal for removing seven miles of road from the wilderness actually adds back 579 acres of private native lands as an exchange--more than a sevenfold trade into wilderness. And, the secretary of Interior would have control over the road in nonemergency situations.

Surely using the road several times a year to save lives is as worthwhile as protecting the birds in the sanctuary, which are only in residence a few months each year. The villagers must live there year-round.

These Aleut villagers are being told that their lives are not as important as the lives of endangered species.

SEN. FRANK H. MURKOWSKI

R-Alaska, Chairman

Senate Energy and

National Resources Committee

Washington

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The major selling point of those residents of King Cove who would like a 26-mile road built to their remote community through the Izembek National Wildlife Refuge is the need for quick access to emergency medical care. Understandably, this is a reasonable concern. However, and not surprisingly, the villagers are not nearly as vociferous in voicing the economic advantage to their fishing community and large local cannery that such a road would bring.

Thus, not unlike the issue of jobs versus the environment, we are faced with the dilemma of human lives versus the environment. As important as local interests may be, if the historic disregard for wildlife, forests and wetlands is not significantly and dramatically reversed, it is not unlikely that our own species may follow the dinosaur.

If the people of King Cove are truly serious about saving human lives as opposed to furthering their economic interests, I believe I can offer a reasonable compromise, manifesting virtually no adverse environmental impact. For probably considerably less than the $14-million to $29-million cost of such a road--aside from the not-mentioned expense of its ongoing maintenance in this hostile environment--a well-equipped hospital/clinic, staffed by several surgeons and assistants, could be built to serve not only King Cove but surrounding communities as well.

DON MALVIN

Canoga Park

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I would like to propose a simple and I feel most correct solution to those people isolated in King Cove: Move!

It is not who is the more “endangered” species, but rather which has the greater “need” and therefore “right” to exist there.

JEFFREY CAMPBELL

Garden Grove