Rising Waters, Rising Challenges: Assessing Coastal Contamination in Alaska

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“Rustic relics of an early 20th-century steamship emerge from the tides along rural Alaska’s coast, echoing a bygone era of maritime history.”

As a full-time graduate student at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies (MIIS) and a Program Coordinator at the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC), I am deeply engaged in merging academic research with practical environmental initiatives. ANTHC, as the largest tribal health organization in the United States, focuses on improving the health and well-being of Alaska Native and American Indian peoples across Alaska. Within our Contaminated Sites Program, our aim is to empower Alaska Native communities to address contaminated land through building strong partnerships, providing education, technical and hands-on assistance, and promoting economic innovation to ensure a sustainable and healthy future.

“Educating local youth about inventorying contaminated sites using UAVs.”

This summer, with the backing of the Center for The Blue Economy, I led a pivotal project titled “Assessing the Impact of Sea Level Rise on Alaska’s Coastal Contaminated Sites.” Alaska hosts over 2,300 documented contaminated sites, many of which are situated in coastal regions that are increasingly vulnerable to the effects of rising sea levels. This project was driven by the need to understand how the anticipated sea level rise of 1 to 4 feet by the year 2100 could influence these sites and the broader coastal ecosystems.

According to the NOAA, Alaska is experiencing some of the fastest rates of sea level rise in the U.S., prompting urgent studies on their impacts (NOAA, 2022).

Rather than traditional data collection, my summer was spent visiting various contaminated sites to observe firsthand the challenges posed by environmental degradation. These visits provided a crucial opportunity to meet with community leaders and discuss general concerns about contamination, which offered insights into local resilience and the communities’ expectations for future mitigation efforts.

“Old landfill site progressively eroding into the ocean, with locals recalling the shoreline once extending an additional eighty feet out.”
“Barrels and tar on the beach from a bygone era.”
“A rusting barge loosening with each storm.”
“Bureau of Indian Affairs School: Currently inactive and compromised by shoreline erosion, this site contains asbestos, presenting ongoing environmental concerns and limited funding opportunities for remediation.”

Simultaneously, I utilized the Alaska contaminated sites database to identify specific sites along the coast that might be affected by sea level rise. This analysis involved correlating these sites with sea level rise projections from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s latest report, which predicts significant increases in sea levels under various climate scenarios (IPCC, 2021). This method allowed us to gauge which areas might be most at risk and begin to think about possible strategies to address these issues.

As I conclude my fellowship at ANTHC, the journey through Alaska’s landscapes and the interactions with its people have been enlightening. The relationships built and the discussions held have laid a foundation for ongoing efforts to address the environmental challenges faced by these communities. Our final deliverable—a comprehensive assessment of coastal contaminated sites—will serve as a critical resource for developing informed mitigation and adaptation strategies aimed at protecting these vulnerable ecosystems and supporting the sustainable health and prosperity of Alaska’s coastal communities.

“Community meeting about sites of concern.”
“Contaminated sites presentation to the community.”
“Integral community partners in the contaminated sites space.”