Lake and Peninsula Borough Comprehensive Plan

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1 Chignik Lake Community Action Plan Community Overview Chignik Lake is located just west of Chignik Lagoon, along the Pacific shore of the Alaska Peninsula. Like the other two Chignik villages, much of the life of Chignik Lake is tied to the ocean for commercial and, subsistence fishing. Table 1. Population + School Enrollment CHIGNIK LAKE Total population School enrollment (K-12) Sources: US Census Bureau (1990, 2000, 2010 populations), 2011 DCCED population estimate, community estimates (2012 population), Alaska Department of Education and Early Development (1990, 2000, 2010, 2011, 2012 school enrollment) census: Chignik Lake is 95% Alaska native; 3% white; 3% multi-racial. Population, Education and Housing. Like the other villages in the area, Chignik Lake is experiencing significant declines in population, housing occupancy and school enrollment. Like Ivanof Bay further down the coast, Chignik Lakes shows signs of a place evolving from a year round community to more of a summer fish camp, a transition residents very much want to prevent. The figure above gives a sense of the general trend and volatility of the community s school enrollment. While the figures shown for 2012 school enrollment are encouraging, local residents predicted enrollment would fall below ten students for the school year. Factors driving population declines are similar to those across rural Alaska, including limited jobs, high energy and transportation costs, and the challenges of life in a small remote community. Housing supply and demand information for the community shows the same paradox found in Chignik Lagoon and Chignik Bay; that is, community residents expressed a need for new and/or improved housing, despite the fact there are many vacant homes in the community. According to the 2010 census, 27 of 50 housing units are occupied. At the same time, according to meeting participants, few of these vacant homes are for rent or sale, and many homes are in a deteriorated condition. Economy. Paid jobs in Chignik Lake fall into two general categories: seasonal commercial fishing, and/or a handful of government/non-profit organization positions. There is a real need for more ways for Chignik Lake residents to earn a living. A number of former Chignik Lake residents have moved across the peninsula to the Port Heiden to take jobs in the soil remediation work currently occurring in that community. Commercial fishing is the mainstay of local economy. In 2010, five residents held commercial fishing permits, down from eight in According to community members, some residents leave the community during summer months to crew or do other commercial fishing-related work, in Chignik Lagoon and Chignik Bay. Like other borough communities, subsistence activities are diverse and form an essential part of local life. Major subsistence resources include salmon, other fish, moose, seal and berries. Caribou have traditionally been an important subsistence resource, but the size of the Peninsula caribou herd shrunk dramatically over the last 20 years, and subsistence hunting for caribou is no longer permitted. There is some evidence that population numbers are beginning to rebound. CHIGNIK LAKE 1

2 Table 3. Chignik Lake Commercial Fishing Permits CHIGNIK LAKE Number of residents holding commercial fishing permits 8 5 Sources: NOAA (2000) and DCCED (2010) A number of ideas were discussed as options to create resident job opportunities: Job training Training could equip local residents to do paid work that might otherwise go to people from outside the community. For example, there is a need for carpentry work, to weatherize, renovate or construct new housing. Likewise, options were discussed for jobs tied to the needs of the 4-5 lower peninsula villages. For example, these village could share the cost to train and then pay a local person to provide BBNA first provider certification (in the past BBNA paid costs to send this person to the communities). Store - Several residents mentioned a wish that a local store would reopen, both to meet resident needs and provide jobs. It was discussed that a store is not likely to create real economic health, since it requires more money in circulation in the community Tourism Tourism is a challenging economic activity requiring patience, skill and an enthusiasm for hard work; for tourism to grow in the lower peninsula will likely require a multi-year investment in marketing ideally shared marketing among several communities and businesses. While challenging, the Chignik area does offer some unique, legitimate nearby tourism attractions, including Aniakchak National Preserve, Veniaminof volcano (pictured at right), and coastal fishing, boating and kayaking. Airplane Maintenance The idea was discussed of constructing an airplane hangar, as basis for creating a regional air service/maintenance center, in the spirit of what exists at Lake Clark; likewise some interest was expressed in being trained to work jobs that exist outside the community. Local Food Production The community expressed interest in expanding local gardens, to offset the high cost of imported food. Moving forward on this idea will require motivated individuals and perhaps help with education and seeds. One option would be for the village administrator to connect people in the community (or nearby communities) with experience gardening, with people in the village with an expressed interest in starting a garden or even constructing a small cold frame or greenhouse. Another option might be to work with the school, and let school kids start a garden that could c0ntinue into the summer. Resources to help move this effort forward include the State of Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Division of Agriculture, and the regional IGAP coordinator. IGAP had a past program that distributed seeds and was cited as successful. CHIGNIK LAKE 2

3 Energy. Gasoline and heating fuel prices are high, driving up the cost of living. Fuel for running the local generator must come from Chignik Bay by barge to the western end of Chignik Lagoon and then by road to Chignik Lake Electricity is produced by Chignik Lake Electric Utility Inc. The community hopes there may be potential for wind energy in the area. An initial wind survey in the area sponsored by the borough concluded wind resources were marginal The most prominent near term energy/infrastructure issue in the community is the need to improve fuel delivery, for individual homes and electrical generation. Fuel and other goods come in by barge. This requires a) a functional barge, b) ice free conditions on the lagoon, c) a good barge landing site, d) road conditions that allow fuel to be trucked on the primitive road from the barge landing to the village and a working fuel tanker that can haul fuel to the tank farms. All five of these links present current challenges, for example, the need for a grader/loader to help with road maintenance and for resolution of insurance and operations costs issues for the fuel truck and fuel barge. Problems with this system recently resulted in the need to fly fuel into community, which is very expensive, and not a sustainable solution. Three specific additional concerns mentioned by the community: the high cost of heating two community buildings, the need for weatherization of homes and community buildings, and concern about fuel leaks when fuel is transferred from the barge to the tank farms. Table 2. Energy Prices CHIGNIK LAKE Cost of fuel (per gallon) 4.78 Cost of electricity (per kwh) average residential rate before PCE 47.9 cents 85 cents Sources: Alaska Energy Authority PCE calculations Note: Fuel prices reflect price paid by utilities; these may differ from retail heating oil, gasoline, diesel and other fuel prices. Comprehensive current data on retail fuel prices for all the Lake and Peninsula communities are not available. The Alaska Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development (DCCED) produces information on gasoline and heating fuel prices in select communities around Alaska. The most recent (July 2012) DCCED data includes three Lake and Peninsula communities: Chignik Bay: gasoline $4.93/gallon; heating oil $5.06/gallon (up 20 percent since January 2012) Kokhanok: gasoline $8.00/ gallon; heating oil $7.86/gallon Nondalton: gasoline $7.79/ gallon (up 18 percent since January2012); heating oil $6.59/gallon Infrastructure and Access Treated well water is stored in a wood stave tank and is piped to 32 households. The school has its own well. Approximately 70% of the homes are plumbed. Fifteen HUD homes are connected to a central sewer system with a waste pump and lagoon; the remainder use individual septic systems. Refuse is disposed of by residents in the unpermitted landfill. Health services can be offered at the Chignik Lake Clinic,. Emergency services are available through the health aide position and the volunteer Chignik Lake Rescue Squad. CHIGNIK LAKE 3

4 The highest priority local infrastructure project is improving the system for importing fuel and other materials into the community. Specific actions needed include an improved barge and barge landing, improvements to the road linking the landing to the community, and better road maintenance. Another identified need is improving the western end of the 2,800' by 60' state-owned gravel airstrip; the airstrip would be safer and could handle larger aircraft if a small mound was removed and the runway was extended. The community identified several regional transportation priorities. These include constructing a new public dock and ensuring continued public ferry service at Chignik Bay, investigating the option for an intertie road system connecting Chignik Bay, Chignik Lagoon and Chignik Lake, and ultimately, connecting the three Chignik communities to King Salmon. While this ambitious idea has benefits, the high cost of this project coupled with the area s very small population suggests project is not likely. Community Health and Governance Chignik has a federally recognized tribe (Chignik Lake Village Council) and ANSCA village corporation (Chignik River Limited). The local church is another important community resource. The community talked about the current issues and options facing the community: These challenges offer the opportunity and need to strengthen and re-establish spirit of self-reliance. The pastor of the local Church attended the community work session and explained that he is a former grant writer and is willing to help the community if it needs more support in this area. (He also mentioned that the local church requires additional resources to continue to operate in the community.) Need positive programs ways to improve community health, e.g. family wellness warriors Need more/better interaction among council, school, borough; plus improved interaction with community members, and between Lake and surrounding villages. Take advantage of chances for saving money, creating jobs by working together. Work to create a unified voice on issues needing political support. CHIGNIK LAKE 4

5 PRIORITIES RESPONSIBILITY TIMEFRAME + NOTES Goal: Improve economy, lower cost of living. Train local residents to carry out work (in Chignik, in surrounding villages) that would otherwise go to individuals from outside the region (e.g., carpentry, BBNA first provider certification). Goal: Improve community infrastructure Tribe, Village Corporation, LPSD, SAVEC Ongoing Improve fuel delivery system: repair and improve fuel barge, barge landing, and road from landing to community. Tribe, Village Corporation, AEA? Improve community water tank. New fire truck/equipment. Goal: Improve communications, cooperation; expand community capacity More/better interaction among council, school, borough, among community members, and among Lake and surrounding villages. Take advantage of chances for saving money, creating jobs by working together. Work to create a unified voice on issues needing political support. Tribe, Village Corporation, BBAHC, ADEC/Village Safe Water Tribe, Village Corporation, ADEC? Tribe, Village Corporation, LPSD, other communities Ongoing CHIGNIK LAKE 5

6 Chignik Lake Public Facilities and Services Inventory SERVICE/FACILITY PROVIDER CURRENT FACILITIES ISSUES/NOTES/NEEDS Transportation & Infrastructure Airport State Gravel runway 2,800 feet long Boat Landing Village Council One barge landing. Small boat launch/haul out Maintenance Equipment CAT excavator, Bobcat skidsteer, dozer, dump truck Electricity Chignik Lake Electric Utility, Inc. Three diesel generators (80 kw, 90 kw, 125 kw) Bulk Fuel Water/Sewer Village Council Village Council 42,000 gal LPSD 45,400 gal Total capacity = 87,400 gal Well water in wood stave tank storage. Piped water, sewer system and sewage lagoon. Assumed electric utility in fall Hydro and wind study completed. Solid Waste Village Council Class 3 unpermitted landfill Communications Services & Facilities Fire & EMS Police Phone: ACS AT&T Alascom GCI Internet: GCI Fire department, trained firefighters, clinic and First Responders provides EMS State Trooper (King Salmon) Code Red Unit Postal Service USPS Post Office Community Center Village Council Health Clinic Tribal Council Building Village Corporation: Chignik Chignik Lake Village Tribal Council Building River Limited. Village Council owns; BBAHC operates (BBNA funds) Chignik Lake Clinic Built School LPSD School building CHIGNIK LAKE 6

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