POLITICO Energy Trump canceled an Alaskan flood protection grant. Then a typhoon hit.
Oct 22, 2025
Jean Chemnick, a climate change reporter for E&E News, delves into the aftermath of a powerful typhoon that ravaged the Alaskan village of Kipnuk, coinciding with the cancellation of a crucial $20 million EPA grant. She discusses the village's vulnerabilities and the legal battle now unfolding over the rescinded funding. Chemnick elaborates on the political ramifications, including responses from Alaska lawmakers, and the broader implications for federal climate resilience initiatives. She also touches on changes in leadership within the solar industry.
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Kipnuk’s Harsh Living Conditions
- Kipnuk is a remote Native Alaskan village with under 1,000 residents and severe infrastructure challenges.
- Many homes lack running water or flush toilets and the community is highly vulnerable to storms and erosion.
Typhoon Devastated Kipnuk
- A restrengthened typhoon hit western Alaska and destroyed roughly 90% of structures in Kipnuk.
- The storm killed one person, displaced many, and swept inhabited homes into the river where residents had to be rescued.
Resilience Funding Would Have Built Long-Term Defenses
- The $20 million EPA grant from the Inflation Reduction Act aimed to shore up Kipnuk's riverbank and harden the village.
- The grant's cancellation removed multi-year resilience work that could have reduced future storm vulnerability.