Elim, Alaska

Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox settlement Elim (Template:Langx; Template:Langx) is a city in Nome Census Area, Alaska, United States. At the 2010 census the population was 330, up from 313 in 2000.

Geography and climate

Elim is located at Template:Coord (64.617734, -162.256705).<ref name="GR1">Template:Cite web</ref>

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of Template:Convert, all of it land.

Elim has a subarctic climate (Köppen Dfc). Winters are cold and long, and summers are warm and short. Template:Weather box

Natural history

A number of flora and fauna are found in the Elim area. This is the westernmost location for the range of Black Spruce, Picea mariana.<ref>C. Michael Hogan. 2008. Black Spruce: Picea mariana, GlobalTwitcher.com, ed. Nicklas Stromberg Template:Webarchive</ref>

Demographics

Template:US Census population Elim first appeared on the 1920 U.S. Census as an unincorporated village. It was formally incorporated in 1970.

As of the census<ref name="GR2">Template:Cite web</ref> of 2000, there were 313 people, 84 households, and 69 families residing in the city. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 106 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the city was 5.11% White, 92.65% Native American, and 2.24% from two or more races.

Of the 84 households, 60.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.1% were married couples living together, 15.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 16.7% were non-families. 14.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 2.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.73 and the average family size was 4.16.

In the city, the age distribution of the population shows 41.9% under the age of 18, 10.5% from 18 to 24, 26.2% from 25 to 44, 14.7% from 45 to 64, and 6.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 24 years. For every 100 females, there were 131.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 122.0 males.

File:Sunrise Over the Bering Sea Elim (9511322983).jpg

Sunrise of Elim, Alaska

The median income for a household in the city was $40,179, and the median income for a family was $40,893. Males had a median income of $25,938 versus $21,250 for females. The per capita income for the city was $10,300. About 8.0% of families and 7.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.3% of those under age 18 and 12.5% of those age 65 or over.

Transportation

Airports

The Elim Airport is a state-owned airport with scheduled passenger flights. Also located in Elim is the Moses Point Airport, which is privately owned by the Elim Native Corporation.

Education

Elim is served by the Bering Strait School District. Aniguiin School serves grades Pre-K through 12.

Boulder Creek uranium mine controversy

In 2005, mining company Full Metal Minerals announced a partnership with Triex Minerals Corporation to develop a uranium deposit north of Elim.<ref>"Full Metal Options Boulder Creek Uranium Property to Triex" Template:Webarchive September 28, 2005. Full Metal Minerals Press Release. Retrieved 2009-08-11.</ref> Development of the site began with survey and exploration work in Sept 2005.<ref>"Full Metal and Triex Boulder Creek Uranium Deposit - 2006 Drill Programs" Template:Webarchive January 16, 2006. Full Metal Minerals Press Release. Retrieved 2009-08-11.</ref> Initial drilling exploration was completed in July 2006,<ref>"Triex and Full Metal Continue Uranium Exploration at Boulder Creek" Template:Webarchive September 7, 2006. Full Metal Minerals Press Release. Retrieved 2009-08-11.</ref><ref>"Boulder Creek Project" Template:Webarchive Triex Minerals Corporation. Retrieved August 13, 2009</ref> confirming deposits of "sandstone-hosted uranium" at the Boulder Creek site in Death Valley, north of Elim.<ref>"Full Metal and Triex Announce Results from Drilling and Reconnaissance Exploration, Boulder Creek Uranium Project, Alaska" Template:Webarchive November 16, 2006. Full Metal Minerals Press Release. Retrieved 2009-08-11.</ref>

The Boulder Creek mine site is located on part of the Tubutulik River. Serious water and air pollution risks, including radioactive byproducts, have been identified with "in-situ leeching", the type of uranium mining proposed for the site.<ref name="alaskaconservation.org">"ACF Partners Join Village to Stop Uranium Mine: Effects could be devastating"Template:Dead link 2008. Alaska Conservation Foundation. Retrieved August 11, 2009.</ref> Villagers have raised concerns that radioactive by-products of uranium mining would adversely affect the plants, fish, and wildlife on which they rely.<ref>"Iditarod a stage for mining protest", March 13, 2008. Sandra L. Medearis. The Nome Nugget</ref> In September 2007, Irene Murray of Aniguiin High School in Elim wrote an open letter to Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, drawing attention to projected impacts on the local environment and human health.<ref>"Student Letter to Governor Palin" Template:Webarchive September 20, 2007. BSSD Strait Talk. Retrieved 2009-08-11.</ref> Protests led by Elim Students Against Uranium (ESAU)<ref>"Elim Students Against Uranium" Template:Webarchive 2008-10. Indigenous Environmental Network. Retrieved August 11, 2009.</ref> have included demonstrations in 2008 and 2009 at the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race ceremonial start, and on the Iditarod trail in Elim.<ref>"Alaska Natives protest uranium exploration on Iditarod Trail" Template:Webarchive March 14, 2009. Atlantic Free Press. Retrieved 2009-08-11.</ref><ref>"Uranium mine threatens subsistence fishery in Native village of Elim, Alaska" Center for Water Advocacy. Retrieved August 11, 2009.</ref>

The village has raised legal concerns over the project that include an alleged failure by the federal Bureau of Land Management to provide adequate public notice and public comment periods regarding the Boulder Creek mine project.<ref>"Native Village of Elim Alaska Fights Uranium Mine" Center for Water Advocacy. Retrieved August 11, 2009.</ref> Portions of the regulatory process are under the purview of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.<ref name="alaskaconservation.org"/>