Senate’s vote on oil and gas drilling in the little north coast town of Kaktovik appeared to be a trouble for it.
Kaktovik is a very small city with just 284 residents. Still, it remains the biggest one among the towns of Arctic National Wildlife Refuge’s coastal plain.

The drastic changes are expected if Senate votes for oil and gas drilling in the wildlife refuge. "We are now given notice that we have to be on our toes," said the town’s mayor Lon Sonsalla.

Alaskan politicians have been urging Senate to start drilling in the refuge for decades. Why so anxious now? Lon Sonsalla said it is important for the residents to have access to traditional fishing and hunting.

Gov. Frank Murkowski said he hopes that oil drilling will be opened and the state will benefit from the revenues it would share with the federal government.

Kaktovik’s residents are mostly Inupiat eskimos with their traditional mode of life. They got used to fishing and hunting to provide for their families.