Parnell tracks fuel supplies in rural Alaska

Craig Tornga, vice president of Crowley Maritime Corp., said he's been in contact with Randy Ruaro, Parnell's chief of staff, on the matter. Tornga said some financially strapped communities are struggling already to gather the funds to pay for fuel shipments, and there isn't much time left before rivers ice up, blocking barges from making their final deliveries for the year.

Parnell press secretary Sharon Leighow said the Division of Community and Regional Affairs staff is making 400 calls over the next two weeks to gather updates on where fuel shipments stand. The division has also set up a toll-free number -- (877) 769-4614 -- for people with concerns about adequate winter fuel supplies in their communities.

Alaska's harsh winter weather and ice prevent shipments on waterways from reaching rural areas in all but a few summer months. Most of the fuel must be delivered by early October, Tornga said. But already waters on the Kuskokwim are well below normal stages for barge transport, and temperatures in McGrath, a village several days upriver from Bethel, have dropped below freezing on a number of nights. If waters freeze before levels rise, a few communities could face the added expense of flying in fuel to replenish their tanks.

As fuel prices skyrocketed in 2008, many villages were left with tanks full of diesel purchased at record prices. Coupled with the increases in fuel costs related to shipping food and other goods, some rural Alaskans ran into tough times. In a few villages, such as Emmonak, the situation reportedly reached crisis levels as some families weighed heating their homes against buying food.
That crisis blew up into a political fight between former Gov. Sarah Palin and state Rep. Jay Ramras, R-Fairbanks, when the state was unable to allocate planes and similar resources to help communities. Ramras spearheaded a massive statewide food drive and arranged for donations to be transported to several communities. As the relief effort unfolded, Palin and Ramras exchanged harsh statements through press releases and the media.

The state eventually came through with some aid -- including a very public tour by Palin and Franklin Graham, a nationally known religious figure affiliated with the Christian relief organization Samaritan's Purse.

Contact Rena Delbridge at rena@alaskadispatch.com.