ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Interior Secretary Sally Jewell says she has set no timetable for deciding whether to approve a land exchange that would allow construction of a road through a national wildlife refuge in Alaska.
Jewell during a six-day trip to the state flew over Izembek (EYE’-zem-bek) National Wildlife refuge and spoke to residents of King Cove, who want the road for better access to emergency flights leaving from an all-weather airport.
Villagers say high winds and foul weather often make flying out of their own airport impossible.
Conservation groups bitterly oppose the proposed road.
The refuge encompasses Izembek Lagoon, an internationally recognized bird sanctuary with the world’s largest known bed of eelgrass.
The eelgrass provides food for millions of geese and other waterfowl as they leave Alaska or Russia for warmer climates.
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