Alaska is known for its beauty, northern location, fishing industry, and harsh winter weather. Now, the resilient state is set to benefit from up to $1 million to support research geared toward its local communities, as reported by NOAA.
During the first year alone, the remote state will receive about $500,000 of that funding thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act signed by the Biden-Harris administration in 2022.
Alaska may be the country's largest state by land mass, but it has a sparse population in comparison — one projected to decline by 2% or 15,000 people by 2050, according to Alaska's Department of Labor and Workforce Development.
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Many people in the sparse region live in remote communities that rely on the local fishing industry. But fishing isn't just an industry that sends delicious wild salmon to the continental states (and worldwide). For Alaskans, fish is part of the cultural tradition of many Indigenous tribes and provides nutritious subsistence.
According to the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute, this industry employs more workers than any other private sector industry in Alaska. However, the Juneau Empire reports that local seafood industry workers received 26% less wages in 2023 while tourism wages increased.
Furthermore, food security is in jeopardy from warmer temperatures that are melting sea ice and changing the ecosystems of aquatic wildlife. Residents have little sustenance backup since many areas may not have a grocery store, and imported food is very expensive.
That is why this support from the Biden administration couldn't have come at a better time. As U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo noted, the projects "will expand NOAA's efforts to create new partnerships, internships, and educational opportunities in remote communities across Alaska to help address the impacts of climate change, ensure just treatment and respect from tribal sovereignty."
The University of Alaska Fairbanks, Sealaska, Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska, Yukon Delta Fisheries Development Association, Kawerak, Inc., and the Caleb Scholars Program are among the organizations receiving allotments.
This investment is one of the Inflation Reduction Act's initiatives to restore infrastructure, reduce the country's reliance on dirty fuel sources, and help residents save money. From Alaska to Florida, Americans can continue to benefit from the $3.3 billion set aside for tax breaks and rebates related to electric vehicles, heat pumps, solar panel rebates, energy-efficient appliances, empowering rural areas, and more.
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