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My identify is Roswell Schaeffer Sr. I used to be born and raised right here in Kotzebue. I’ve been a lifelong hunter, subsistence and industrial fisherman, and former Northwest Arctic Borough mayor.
Once I contemplate the impression that the Ambler Highway would have on our Iñupiaq lifestyle, not solely within the Higher Kobuk space, but in addition the Indian nation and right here in Kotzebue, I see it as very dangerous. Now we have to make the choice to guard our lifestyle, at first. There isn’t any different situation that’s extra essential than how we stay. I’ve fought so laborious for thus lengthy, as my brother Pete Schaeffer has executed, attempting to determine how we’re going to get by as a individuals.
There are different person teams looking in our area, taking what they need. They’re flying as much as the North Slope now to go and meet the caribou earlier than they migrate by way of our area as they’re alleged to. These drop-off hunters, introduced in by outfitters from Fairbanks, Bettles, Anchorage and from Kotzebue, severely have an effect on the wholesome migration of our caribou. And ultimately, this case would have an effect on us a lot that you’d begin to see our villages starve sooner or later.
Now we have to be robust and shield our meals safety. If we don’t do this, we’re shot. And we’d like management to ensure our area is protected.
Subsistence is important to our native people in Ambler, Shungnak, Kobuk, Allakaket and Huslia, together with Kotzebue Sound. Once I take into consideration the Ambler Highway, I take into consideration the long run on that highway. When the economic highway was constructed to Deadhorse, the state advised us that there can be no public entry. Inside 10 years, that modified. If the state of Alaska places cash into the Ambler Highway, sportsmen’s associations in Anchorage, Fairbanks and the Kenai Peninsula would file their lawsuits and I assure inside only a few years, that highway can be open to the general public.
What would we see in and across the Kobuk River? You’ll see tons of, possibly 1000’s of RVs. When you suppose it’s unhealthy now with the drop-off hunters, simply wait till you see what that highway would herald.
The opposite factor that worries me is that our individuals are not contemplating what this highway would do to our younger people. Now we have lengthy winters. And younger individuals get on their snowmachines to journey. When we’ve a long-distance highway like that, what do you suppose our younger individuals are going to do? They might stand up and go. And what do you suppose goes to occur? We’re going to have loads of loss of life, and loads of distress for our individuals. Now we have to maintain all of this stuff in thoughts. Now we have to ensure we voice our considerations. If we don’t, we are able to count on catastrophe sooner or later.
I used to be not in assist of the Purple Canine Mine once I first noticed it. However once I labored because the NANA president, I began touring as much as the Purple Canine Mine. I noticed younger individuals with jobs and a future. I used to be actually impressed. However, we didn’t have robust management to make our calls for heard once they had change in possession.
Now we have to be very vigilant about initiatives such because the Ambler Highway. If not, it could possibly be an enormous catastrophe for our individuals. The Ambler Highway wouldn’t be a Purple Canine Mine. There are too many lands that aren’t ours. And the quick time that these mines could possibly be open in all places would make extra entry roads for extra mines after which we might have misplaced all management.
I’m on the age now the place my looking and fishing is beginning to decelerate. However we’ve loads of younger people right here that proceed to observe subsistence. I inform these younger people that we’d like good management to be vigilant in defending our lifestyle. It needs to be executed for our individuals, for the state of Alaska, and the remainder of the world. Hear our voices: We’re towards the Ambler Highway.
Roswell Schaeffer Sr. is a lifelong hunter, subsistence and industrial fisherman, and former Northwest Arctic Borough mayor.
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