Lake and Peninsula Borough Comprehensive Plan Pilot Point Community Action Plan Pilot Point is located on the northern coast of the Alaska Peninsula, on the east shore of Ugashik Bay. The Alaska Peninsula Wildlife Refuge is accessible by plane or skiff up the Ugashik River. The community has a history of ethnic diversity, including both Alutiiq and Yup'ik ancestry, and currently has a fishing and subsistence lifestyle. Population has both risen and fallen over the past several years, with a significant recent increase of 20 people from 2010-2011. Community Strengths and Successes Community residents shared the following recent successes as clear illustrations of Pilot Point’s entrepreneurial and collaborative spirit that ability to secure resources for important community projects. • Local high school students raised $38,000 for a trip to Hawaii. • The Pilot Point Native Corporation started a gravel pit. • A continuing transition to wind energy, • Upgrades to well and septic systems, • A new landfill and burn box, • A new clinic, • A bulkhead upgrade (with CDBG and state funding), and • A road upgrade project (moved a one-mile section of the road). The city and tribe’s working relationship has been the key to Pilot Point’s success in securing these important projects. Community Recommendations Population and Education. Pilot Point experienced a significant population loss of 32 people from 2000 to 2010 (100 to 68 persons). The most recent population estimates, 2011- 2012, indicates a population increase of 20 persons. This may be in part to improved fisheries. School enrollment has decreased since 2000. Though it remains above the 10- student threshold for closing the school, at 13 students (in 2011), the community is close enough to be concerned about keeping young people and families in Pilot Point. Community concerns about K-12 education include the following: • Providing of a balance between the knowledge and skills that will prepare young people to get jobs after graduation, and the traditional knowledge, language and activities that will maintain culture and identity. • To maintain local culture and heritage, community members suggested offering/maintaining native language instruction, preserving interesting things from the cannery, hiring a priest, organizing regional conferences/celebrations, and getting elders involved. • Residents expressed the need to be active on the school board, communicate with teachers, and be involved with after-hours activities. PILOT POINT 1 Lake and Peninsula Borough Comprehensive Plan • To help ensure student success, some suggested that the Village Council or City could help students by hiring tutors and using the community hall if the school is unavailable. Table 1. Pilot Point Population and School Enrollment 1990-2012 PILOT POINT 1990 2000 2010 2011 2012 Total Population 53 100 68 88 School enrollment (K-12) - 24 11 14 13 Sources: US Census Bureau (1990, 2000, 2010 populations), 2011 DCCED Commissioner Certified population estimate, community estimates (2012 population), Alaska Department of Education and Early Development (1990, 2000, 2010, 2011, 2012 school enrollment). Housing. Residents identified a lack of affordable, quality housing, particularly for young families and elders. Census data shows available units but many are seasonal and some may be in sub-standard condition. Some of these are abandoned houses with absentee owners. There are about six or seven existing houses that currently need work to make them livable. They are not occupied. Residents emphasize new houses need to be built well and with energy efficient methods. The city, tribe and village corporation (“tri-authority”) have expressed interest in starting their own for-profit business remodeling houses. The idea begins with the construction of new houses that are owned and rented by the tri-authority. Potential revenues from rentals would be put toward a rehabilitation program that local residents could apply for. Because there are so many empty houses in Pilot Point, HUD will not construct new ones. Land ownership is another challenge: because a church owns most of the developable land in Pilot Point, the community is experiencing a land shortage for development. A new duplex was built in 2008, but more is needed. The lack of viable housing prevents families from moving to or staying in Pilot Point. Developable land is available in the neighboring community of Ugashik (six air miles or 27 river miles away), but HUD will only build a minimum of four houses and Ugashik’s population does meet population requirements for four new houses. Energy. Fuel prices are high, driving up the cost of living. The cost of living in Pilot Point is high. Residents cannot easily get quality fresh food shipped in. The cost of travel between communities is so expensive that people cannot visit each other. Some give up and move. High energy costs are preventing new businesses from starting up (unlike houses, businesses are not eligible for PCE). For example, the high cost of transportation has hindered the development of a community store. Pilot Point has been moving toward renewable energy. In 2008, the Pilot Point Electrical Utility upgraded its power plant and fuel farm. The community has an existing 10kW capacity wind turbine, and received a $1.4 million grant from the Alaska Energy Authority in 2011 to install new 100kW wind turbines pending the completion of year-long wind study.. In 2012-2013, the utility is upgrading the community’s electric grid to accommodate the wind turbines. To reduce the cost of heat, the community would like to pursue weatherization and energy efficiency improvements for houses and other buildings. To PILOT POINT 2 Lake and Peninsula Borough Comprehensive Plan increase access to quality fresh food, Pilot Point has identified among its capital improvements priorities a wind-powered community greenhouse. Table 2. Pilot Point Energy Prices 2002-2010 PILOT POINT 2002 2010 Cost of fuel (per gallon) $1.54 $4.20 Cost of electricity (per kWh) average 50.0 cents (14 cents 35.0 cents residential rate before PCE w/PCE) Source: Alaska Energy Authority PCE calculations and community feedback (2012) Note: Fuel prices reflect price paid by utilities; these may differ from retail heating oil, gasoline, diesel and other fuel prices. Comprehensive current data on retail fuel prices for all the Lake and Peninsula communities are not available. The Alaska Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development (DCCED) produces information on gasoline and heating fuel prices in select communities around Alaska. The most recent (July 2012) DCCED data includes three Lake and Peninsula communities: • Chignik Bay: gasoline $4.93/gallon; heating oil $5.06/gallon (up 20 percent since January 2012) • Kokhanok: gasoline $8.00/ gallon; heating oil $7.86/gallon • Nondalton: gasoline $7.79/ gallon (up 18 percent since January2012); heating oil $6.59/gallon Economy. Though commercial fishing and subsistence have traditionally the basis of the local economy and lifestyle, residents face considerable challenges in try to rely on these two supports. There is less game than in the past (some believe because of too many predators), and airplanes are required to get to the available game. With high fuel prices, subsistence has become increasingly expensive. Though many depend upon commercial fishing for the majority of their cash income, there are far fewer setnets on the beaches and far fewer boats than there used to be. In 2010, 13 residents held commercial fishing permits, down from 21 permits in 2000. If kids don’t have good credit, they cannot qualify for loans. To help residents and young people to be more successful with commercial fishing, the community is interested in learning more about limited entry permit financing, buy-backs, etc., as well as comprehensive training in the business and technical aspects of the industry (general business, marketing, accounting, navigation, basic electronics, etc.). Ideally, such training could also give students hands-on experience working on a boat, and after completion, the person qualifies for a loan. Extending the existing airport runway would also allow Pilot Point to expand its local commercial fishing industry by enabling the community to fly fresh fish directly to markets and command a higher price for it. Residents are also interested in the possibility of offering boat storage and related support services. Table 3. Pilot Point Commercial Fishing Permits 2000- 2010 PILOT POINT 2000 2010 Number of residents holding 21 13 commercial fishing permits Source: NOAA (2000) DCCED (2010) PILOT POINT 3 Lake and Peninsula Borough Comprehensive Plan Expanding eco-tourism is another economic development strategy that came up during the planning process. Visitors could be attracted to Pilot Point for sightseeing, bear viewing, fly fishing, and bird-viewing. The Pilot Point Native Corporation gravel pit could also provide jobs paying $20 an hour or more to export gravel to Ugashik and other Bristol Bay communities and bring money into the local economy. There are some seasonal jobs in Pilot Point, but steady employment is needed to keep younger people in the community. One way of lowering costs for residents and providing stable jobs is to increase the number of in-region skilled employees with training and education and housing to meet local service needs. These include: • Boiler operator • Carpentry • Utility-related operators • Refrigeration Once people have the training and skills, the