|
 After meeting tribal leaders and fishermen in Dillingham, home to
the world's largest sockeye salmon fishery, Obama will fly into
Kotzebue, an Arctic town of about 3,000 that is battling coastal
erosion caused by rising seas.
The stops, at the end of a three-day tour of Alaska, are also aimed
at cementing Obama's legacy on improving ties with Native Americans.
He has also traveled by foot and boat to see glaciers that are
receding quickly due to climate change.
Obama will say in Kotzebue that his administration has found dozens
of new ways to work better with Native Americans - program fixes
with small price tags but rich potential, a White House official
told reporters.
The president boasted this week that he will have visited more
tribal communities than any previous sitting president by the time
he leaves office. He has said he wanted to hear concerns from
"everyday Alaskans" on this tour.
 In Kotzebue, Williie Goodwin, 71, said he hoped Obama would see the
impact climate change has had on the migration patterns of animals.
But he said he does not want the federal government to restrict
mining and energy production because jobs in those sectors will keep
the North going.
"That is going to be sustaining our communities," he said.
"I can’t shut the door on them and say, 'No offshore and no
mining'."
In Dillingham, some residents are fighting the proposed Pebble Mine
project that they say could hurt their salmon fishery.
[to top of second column] |
"We’re not opposed to mineral extraction, but salmon must always
come first," said Jason Metrokin, president of the Bristol Bay
Native Corporation.
Obama made a huge symbolic gesture to Native Amercian communities
and Alaskans at large at the start of his trip by renaming Mount
McKinley, the highest mountain in North America, as Denali, its
traditional Athabascan name.
The historic nature of the visit inspired Juneau café owner Marc
Wheeler to cough up 45,000 airline miles to get to Dillingham for
the chance to lay eyes on Obama.
"He travels in this bubble. Hopefully, he can escape it a little
bit," said Wheeler, whose café is serving 'Barack’y Road' ice cream
in honor of the trip.
(Editing by Louise Ireland)
[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2015 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
