The Department of the Interior believes a perceived risk to birds is more important than a very real threat to human lives:

The Department of Interior decision to prohibit a road between King Cove and Cold Bay 25 miles away has ired Alaska's politicians, who made remarks after the decision.

Governor Parnell expressed deep frustration with the USFWS decision, saying , “I cannot fathom why the Fish and Wildlife Service prioritized a perceived risk to birds over an existing threat to human life,” Governor Parnell said. “After years of good faith efforts by the State of Alaska, the Alaska Legislature, the Aleutians East Borough, the City of King Cove, the King Cove Corporation, the Agdaagux Tribe, the Belkofski Tribe, and local residents to work with the federal government, the USFWS chose to deny King Cove residents access to basic services, like all-weather medical evacuation.”