Editing Nuiqsut, Alaska

{{short description|City in Alaska, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name                   = Nuiqsut
| native_name                     = Nuiqsut
| settlement_type                 = [[City (Alaska)|City]]
| image_skyline                   = Nuiqsut Aerial View.jpg
| image_caption                   = An aerial view of Nuiqsut
| alt                             = An aerial view of Nuiqsut, showing lines of structures evenly spaced and laid out in a rectangle along the shore of a river
| image_flag                      = 
| image_seal                      = City of Nuiqsut Seal.png
| nickname                        = 
| motto                           = 
| pushpin_map                     = USA Alaska
| pushpin_map_caption             = Location in Alaska
<!-- Coordinates -->
| coordinates                     = {{coord|70|12|59|N|151|00|21|W|region:US-AK_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| coordinates_footnotes           = 
| subdivision_type                = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name                = [[United States]]
| subdivision_type1               = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1               = [[Alaska]]
| subdivision_type2               = [[List of boroughs and census areas in Alaska|Borough]]
| subdivision_name2               = [[North Slope Borough, Alaska|North Slope]]
| established_title               = [[Municipal corporation|Incorporated]]
| established_date                = June 24, 1975<ref>{{Cite book |title=1996 Alaska Municipal Officials Directory |date=January 1996 |publisher=Alaska Municipal League/[[Alaska Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development|Alaska Department of Community and Regional Affairs]] |location=[[Juneau]] |page=110}}</ref>
| government_type                 = <!-- Government -->
| government_footnotes            = 
| leader_title                    = [[Mayor]]
| leader_name                     = Lillian Kaigelak<ref name="CityOfNuiqsut">{{Cite web |url=http://cityofnuiqsut.org |title=CityOfNuiqsut}}</ref>
| leader_title1                   = [[Alaska Senate|State senator]]
| leader_name1                    = [[Donny Olson]] ([[Democratic Party (United States)|D]])
| leader_title2                   = [[Alaska House of Representatives|State rep.]]
| leader_name2                    = [[Robyn Burke]] ([[Democratic Party (United States)|D]])
| unit_pref                       = Imperial
| area_footnotes                  = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{Cite web |title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files |url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_02.txt |access-date=October 29, 2021 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref>
| area_total_km2                  = 23.02
| area_total_sq_mi                = 8.89
| area_land_km2                   = 23.02
| area_land_sq_mi                 = 8.89
| area_water_km2                  = 0.00
| area_water_sq_mi                = 0.00
<!-- Elevation -->
| elevation_footnotes             = 
| elevation_m                     = 7
| elevation_ft                    = 23
| population_footnotes            = <ref name="2020 Census"/>
| population_total                = 512
| population_as_of                = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| pop_est_footnotes               = 
| population_est                  = 
| pop_est_as_of                   = 
| population_density_km2          = 22.24
| population_density_sq_mi        = 57.61
<!-- General information -->
| timezone                        = [[Alaska Time Zone|Alaska (AKST)]]
| utc_offset                      = -9
| timezone_DST                    = AKDT
| utc_offset_DST                  = -8
| postal_code_type                = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code                     = 99789
| area_code_type                  = [[North American Numbering Plan|Area code]]
| area_code                       = [[Area code 907|907]]
| blank_name                      = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS]] code
| blank_info                      = {{FIPS|02|56320}}
| blank1_name                     = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info                     = {{GNIS4|1416680}}, {{GNIS4|2419439}}
| website                         = [https://cityofnuiqsut.org/ City of Nuiqsut]
}}

'''Nuiqsut''' ({{langx|ik|Nuiqsat}}, {{IPA|ik|nuiχsɐt|IPA}}) is a [[City (Alaska)|city]]<ref name="2020 Census">{{Cite web |title=Nuiqsut city, Alaska |url=https://data.census.gov/profile?g=160XX00US0256320 |archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date=March 19, 2023 |website= |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> in [[North Slope Borough, Alaska|North Slope Borough]], [[Alaska]], [[United States]]. The population was 512 at the 2020 Census and 92.5% Alaska Native.<ref name="2020 Census" /> It is located in the midst of a vast quantity of oil reserves and the closest community to [[ConocoPhillips]] oil drilling project named [[Willow Project]] in the [[Alpine, Alaska]] oil field of the [[National Petroleum Reserve–Alaska]]. It owns the surface rights, but not the [[subsurface rights]] of the Alpine field, which are with the regional [[Arctic Slope Regional Corporation]].

==Geography==
Nuiqsut is located at {{coord|70|12|59|N|151|0|21|W|type:city}} (70.216338, -151.005725).<ref name="GR1">{{Cite web |date=February 12, 2011 |title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990 |url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html |access-date=April 23, 2011 |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>

Nuiqsut is in the [[North Slope Borough]] on the Nechelik Channel, about {{convert|35|mi|km}} from the [[Beaufort Sea]] coast.
It is located on the [[Colville River (Alaska)|Colville River]], about 5 miles north of its confluence with the [[Itkillik River]].

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|9.2|sqmi|km2}}, all of it land. Air travel to the [[Nuiqsut Airport]] provides the only year-round access to Nuiqsut. Nuiqsut is accessible during the winter via an [[ice road]]. It is about 10 miles South of [[Alpine, Alaska]] and about 80 miles West of [[Prudhoe Bay, Alaska]]

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1980= 208
|1990= 354
|2000= 433
|2010= 402
|2010n=<ref name="2010 Census">{{Cite web |title=Nuiqsut city, Alaska |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/1600000US0256320 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200212111143/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/1600000US0256320 |archive-date=February 12, 2020 |access-date=January 23, 2013 |website=Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
|2020= 512
|2020n=<ref name="2020 Census"/>
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{Cite web |title=Census of Population and Housing |url=http://www.census.gov/prod/www/decennial.html |access-date=June 4, 2016 |publisher=Census.gov}}</ref><ref>https://data.census.gov/profile/Nuiqsut_city,_Alaska?g=160XX00US0256320 {{Bare URL inline|date=August 2024}}</ref>
}}
Nuiqsut incorporated in 1975 and first appeared on the 1980 U.S. Census as an [[incorporated city]].

As of the [[2000 United States Census|2000 census]]<ref name="GR2">{{Cite web |title=U.S. Census website |url=https://www.census.gov |access-date=January 31, 2008 |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>  there were 433 people, 110 households, and 90 families living in the city. The population density was {{convert|47.0|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.

As of the [[2010 United States Census]], there were 402 people living in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 87.1% Native American, 10.0% White, 0.2% Black and 2.7% from two or more races.

There were 126 housing units at an average density of {{convert|13.7|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the city was 88.22% [[Race (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 10.16% White, 0.23% Black or African American, 0.46% Asian, and 0.92% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 0.23% of the population.

There were 110 households, out of which 54.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.7% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 22.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.3% were non-families. 15.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 0.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.93 and the average family size was 4.24.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 42.0% under 18, 9.5% from 18 to 24, 30.5% from 25 to 44, 13.6% from 45 to 64, and 4.4% who were 65 or older.  The median age was 24 years. For every 100 females, there were 147.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 130.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $48,036, and the median income for a family was $46,875. Males had a median income of $31,667 versus $25,625 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $14,876.  About 3.2% of families and 2.4% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 1.1% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.

In the 2020 Census, the Hispanic or Latino population dropped to zero.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Explore Census Data |url=https://data.census.gov/profile/Nuiqsut_city,_Alaska?g=160XX00US0256320 |access-date=January 13, 2024 |website=data.census.gov}}</ref>

==Economy, commerce and social centers==
[[File:Nuiqsut, Alaska.JPG|thumb|right|alt=A row of homes in the center of Nuiqsut, Alaska|A row of homes in the center of Nuiqsut, Alaska]]
[[File:Nuiqsut Fire Station.JPG|thumb|right|alt=The Nuiqsut Fire Station|The Nuiqsut Fire Station]]
There is one commercial store in Nuiqsut, one mail receiving location (operated by the City of Nuiqsut not the United States Postal Service), and one church (Presbyterian).  Other areas of social activity include the city recreation center and the school. An elder's living center is also present.{{citation needed|date=February 2023}}

Since 1973, Nuiqsut has an [[Alaska Native corporation]] in form of a village corporation named "Kuukpik", in which more than 600 shareholders are enrolled.

Before 2001, Nuiqsut's economy was primarily subsistence-based.  When [[ConocoPhillips]] found oil and gas at the [[Alpine, Alaska]] oil field to which and Kuukpik owns the surface rights, it negotiated a surface-use agreement. Since oil production began in 2001, Kuukpik has received a small royalty from ConocoPhillips. It was the first Native village impacted in this way.<ref name="kuukpit">{{Cite web |last=Kuukpik Corporation |date=n.d. |title=About Us – Village Corporation for Nuiqsut, Alaska |url=https://www.kuukpik.com/corporation/about-us/ |access-date=February 6, 2023 |website=www.kuukpik.com}}</ref> The [[subsurface rights]] of the Alpine field, however, are with the regional [[Arctic Slope Regional Corporation]].

Since May 2018, ConocoPhillips has officially requested to develop the so called [[Willow project]] oil field from the Bureau of Land Management. Kuukpik submitted comments to the draft [[Environmental Impact Statement]] reducing drill sites to four, shorter gravel roads and requesting protection of [[Teshekpuk Lake]] amongst other things. In March 2023, then Mayor Rosemary Ahtuangaruak opposed the project, because of impacts on caribou and subsistence lifestyle.<ref name="pbs">{{Cite news |last=Brown and Daly |date=March 13, 2023 |title=What is the controversy behind the Alaska Willow oil project? |language=en-us |work=PBS |url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/what-is-the-controversy-behind-the-alaska-willow-oil-project |access-date=March 13, 2023}}</ref>

==Education==
There is one school in Nuiqsut for grades kindergarten through 12th grade, Nuiqsut Trapper School of the [[North Slope Borough School District]].<ref>"[http://www.nsbsd.org/Page/1833 Nuiqsuit]." [[North Slope Borough School District]]. Retrieved on February 14, 2017.</ref> The school also provides preschool. There are approximately 100 students. There are approximately 12 teachers and 6 other staff members.  Many community functions are held in the school and it serves as social center as well as school. The school facilities also serve as an emergency shelter for the community in times of power outages.

==Health==
The sale, importation, and possession of alcohol are banned in the village.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.commerce.alaska.gov/web/Portals/9/pub/ABC/DryDampCommunities/Local%20Option%20Communities%20-%20Rev%202.25.22.pdf |title=Schedule of Local Option Communities |publisher=Alcoholic Beverage Control Board |accessdate=May 3, 2023}}</ref>

==Culture and history==
The native people of the village are [[Iñupiat]]. 
In the early 1970s, the village was re-established,{{clarify|date=February 2023}} when the residents moved to the region from [[Utqiaġvik]]. For one year they lived in tents while housing was built. These original residents were the first to receive dividends from the oil companies in exchange for land use. The dividends are passed from the original shareholders on to the community member of their choice (often parent to child).{{citation needed|date=February 2023}}

Native traditions such as hunting (whale, caribou, fox, ptarmigan, etc.) and the making of native clothes and crafts continues,{{when|date=February 2023}} although the influence of modern society has reduced both need and interest in these activities to some degree. The traditional whale hunted by the whalers of Nuiqsut is the [[bowhead whale]].{{citation needed|date=February 2023}}

In 2022, a gas leak forced some villagers to evacuate their homes.<ref name="cnn">{{Cite news |last=Nilsen |first=Ella |date=February 1, 2023 |title=Biden administration takes another step toward advancing a controversial oil drilling project in Alaska |language=en |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/01/politics/willow-alaska-oil-biden-environmental-study-climate/index.html |access-date=February 5, 2023 |website=CNN}}</ref>
 
In 2023, Nuiqsut officials criticized the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) public input process for [[ConocoPhillips]] so called [[Willow project]], as the BLM denied to extend the public comment period without explanation.<ref name="cnn" />

==Natural resources==
Nuiqsut is located in the midst of a vast quantity of oil. Many major oil companies have oil facilities in the region ([[ConocoPhillips]], [[Hilcorp]], etc.). The relationship with the community of Nuiqsut is such that the oil company using the land, considered to be the property of the native Nuiqsut residents (Inupiat Eskimos), pay dividends to residents in exchange for use of the land. For many native residents, the dividends are the primary, or only, source of income, but the region's local development and global fossil fuel-generated climate disruption has had major negative impacts on their traditional hunting, fishing and whaling activities.<ref name="Post">{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2019/national/climate-environment/climate-change-alaska/ |title=Facing catastrophic climate change, they still can't quit Big Oil|newspaper=[[Washington Post]]|first1=Juliet|last1=Eilperin|date=December 13, 2019|access-date=December 20, 2019}}</ref> [[Permafrost]] thawing, rising sea levels and warming of the [[Arctic Ocean]] present a cash-versus-culture conundrum to the inhabitants.<ref name=Post/>

==Climate==

{{Weather box
|location = Nuiqsut, Alaska ([[Nuiqsut Airport]]), 1991&ndash;2020 normals, extremes 1998&ndash;present
|single line = Yes

|Jan record high F = 36
|Feb record high F = 38
|Mar record high F = 34
|Apr record high F = 44
|May record high F = 67
|Jun record high F = 82
|Jul record high F = 84
|Aug record high F = 88
|Sep record high F = 67
|Oct record high F = 50
|Nov record high F = 38
|Dec record high F = 36

|Jan avg record high F = 18.5
|Feb avg record high F = 22.9
|Mar avg record high F = 16.5
|Apr avg record high F = 30.3
|May avg record high F = 45.8
|Jun avg record high F = 71.0
|Jul avg record high F = 75.9
|Aug avg record high F = 68.3
|Sep avg record high F = 58.5
|Oct avg record high F = 38.8
|Nov avg record high F = 28.0
|Dec avg record high F = 24.0
|year avg record high F = 77.3

|Jan high F = -8.5
|Feb high F = -8.6
|Mar high F = -6.9
|Apr high F = 9.9
|May high F = 29.2
|Jun high F = 49.9
|Jul high F = 57.9
|Aug high F = 51.1
|Sep high F = 39.8
|Oct high F = 24.0
|Nov high F = 8.2
|Dec high F = -3.5
|year high F =

|Jan mean F = -15.7
|Feb mean F = -15.7
|Mar mean F = -14.2
|Apr mean F = 2.3
|May mean F = 24.1
|Jun mean F = 42.3
|Jul mean F = 49.5
|Aug mean F = 44.4
|Sep mean F = 34.8
|Oct mean F = 18.5
|Nov mean F = 1.2
|Dec mean F = -10.2
|year mean F =

|Jan low F = -23.0
|Feb low F = -22.8
|Mar low F = -21.4
|Apr low F = -5.3
|May low F = 19.0
|Jun low F = 34.7
|Jul low F = 41.2
|Aug low F = 37.7
|Sep low F = 29.7
|Oct low F = 13.1
|Nov low F = -5.9
|Dec low F = -16.9
|year low F =

|Jan avg record low F = -44.6
|Feb avg record low F = -44.1
|Mar avg record low F = -40.3
|Apr avg record low F = -25.7
|May avg record low F = 0.3
|Jun avg record low F = 25.9
|Jul avg record low F = 32.9
|Aug avg record low F = 30.5
|Sep avg record low F = 19.2
|Oct avg record low F = -5.1
|Nov avg record low F = -25.2
|Dec avg record low F = -38.1
|year avg record low F = -48.0

|Jan record low F = -62
|Feb record low F = -56
|Mar record low F = -53
|Apr record low F = -39
|May record low F = -23
|Jun record low F = 21
|Jul record low F = 29
|Aug record low F = 25
|Sep record low F = 5
|Oct record low F = -21
|Nov record low F = -46
|Dec record low F = -50

|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation inch = 0.32
|Feb precipitation inch = 0.20
|Mar precipitation inch = 0.15
|Apr precipitation inch = 0.40
|May precipitation inch = 0.38
|Jun precipitation inch = 0.57
|Jul precipitation inch = 1.14
|Aug precipitation inch = 1.21
|Sep precipitation inch = 0.58
|Oct precipitation inch = 0.16
|Nov precipitation inch = 0.26
|Dec precipitation inch = 0.31
|year precipitation inch =

|Jan snow inch = 
|Feb snow inch = 
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|year snow inch =

|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
|Jan precipitation days = 0.0
|Feb precipitation days = 0.9
|Mar precipitation days = 1.0
|Apr precipitation days = 1.2
|May precipitation days = 4.1
|Jun precipitation days = 4.6
|Jul precipitation days = 8.5
|Aug precipitation days = 11.4
|Sep precipitation days = 8.9
|Oct precipitation days = 2.2
|Nov precipitation days = 0.8
|Dec precipitation days = 0.3

|unit snow days = 0.1 in
|Jan snow days = 
|Feb snow days = 
|Mar snow days = 
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|Dec snow days =

|source 1 = NOAA<ref name="NOAA">{{Cite web |title=U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access - Station: Nuiqsut AP, AK |url=https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USW00027515&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL |access-date=October 21, 2022 |publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration}}</ref>
|source 2 = National Weather Service (mean maxima and minima, precip days 2006&ndash;2020)<ref name="NOWData">{{Cite web |title=NOAA Online Weather Data - NWS Fairbanks |url=https://www.weather.gov/wrh/climate?wfo=afg |access-date=October 21, 2022 |publisher=National Weather Service}}</ref>
}}

==In popular culture==
Nuiqsut was featured in season four episode one of the [[History (U.S. TV channel)|History]] television channel series ''[[Ice Road Truckers]]'', when a convoy of truckers delivered supplies to the village.{{citation needed|date=February 2023}}

==See also==
*[[Native Village of Nuiqsut]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{North Slope Borough, Alaska}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in North Slope Borough, Alaska]]
[[Category:Populated places of the Arctic United States]]
[[Category:Cities in Alaska]]