Igiugig Village Update
Our workforce has been busy on all fronts, finding that balance between our rich subsistence way of life and our gainful local employment. Here are some project highlights:
CARES ACT Master Budget: On August 3, 2020 we held a regular meeting via teleconference on our proposed CARES ACT master budget, which was then approved and adopted. The focus areas included continuing freight and garbage hauls, logistics and purchasing coordination, sick leave and quarantine housing. Additional areas that were funded include the commercial kitchen and emergency storage facility planning and design, greenhouse expansion and long-term improvements, and powerhouse repairs for reliable electricity. Quyana to everyone that provided input on the budgeting process.
The BIA Tribal Resilience Adaptation Planning Grant was completed and closed out. The end product: “The Igiugig Climate Change Adaptation Assessment” was completed and outlines our next steps for action. It was formally adopted by IVC on June 6, 2020. Quyana to all that participated over the last two years of resilience meetings and prioritizing the subsistence resources that we are concerned about.
Our Alaska Energy Authority “Wind Feasibility Grant” was completed and closed out as well – which concludes many years of wind studies in the community. Quyana to Rob Wills for his dedication to that project.
The Igiugig Community Cultural Center (ICCC) Planning and Implementation guide was completed in April 2020, and we are working to complete the Environmental Review Record for the site. The schematic design phase of the project has been completed, and the archeological site investigation is scheduled to take place between September 4-10, 2020. We continue to seek funding for the construction of the facility.
The RivGen project has received an extension through December 2021 to account for COVID delays. The ORPC team arrived mid-August to do routine maintenance. The device was turned off during fish priority windows including out-migrating smolt, and returning sockeye salmon. On July 17, we turned the device back on and took drone footage that show the salmon completely avoiding the device.
The Alaska Native Education grant “Communities Teaching Culture” is approaching its conclusion after 3 years. It will be over on September 30, 2020 and the Department of Education is not offering the program to Alaska so we will stay apprised if and when they decide to re-fund it. Please join our facebook page Communities Teaching Culture!
We also applied for our FCC tribal broadband license, are underway with a Preliminary Engineering Report for water service extension to three homes, are working to update the Igiugig Community Profile mapping, and are applying for Yup’ik and Dena’ina language preservation grants. We look forward to school resuming this fall and meeting our new teachers. Quyana to our busy and dedicated workforce – our village is looking amazing and opportunities are abounding!
