The Quinault Indian Nation's efforts to relocate residents from a village threatened by the rising Pacific Ocean are hindered by insufficient funding and increasing climate impacts.
Rising sea levels have severely affected the Quinault reservation in Taholah, Washington, with flooding causing mold and structural damage to homes.
The tribe has been working for over a decade to relocate hundreds of residents, but needs over $400 million, far more than what current federal and state grants provide.
Plans for a new village include climate-resilient infrastructure, but progress has been slow due to bureaucratic funding hurdles.
Key quote:
“We’ve seen the ocean come over the berm and actually come up against and even on top of the roofs of homes.”
— Guy Capoeman, Quinault President
Why this matters:
The Quinault tribe's struggle highlights the broader issue of how climate change disproportionately affects marginalized communities. Without adequate funding and resources, these populations face severe risks to their health, homes, and cultural heritage.
In Arizona v. Navajo Nation, tribal attorneys argue that, by not providing their nation with sufficient water, the United States has breached a trust obligation related to treaties settled in 1849 and 1868.
