White House renames Mount McKinley as Denali on eve of trip

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration will change the name of North America's tallest mountain peak from Mount McKinley to Denali, the White House said yesterday (Aug 30), a major symbolic gesture to Alaska Natives on the eve of President Barack Obama's historic visit to Alaska.

By renaming the peak Denali, an Athabascan word meaning "the high one", Mr Obama waded into a sensitive and decades-old conflict between residents of Alaska and Ohio. Alaskans have informally called the mountain Denali for years, but the federal government recognises its name invoking the 25th president, William McKinley, who was born in Ohio and assassinated early in his second term.

"With our own sense of reverence for this place, we are officially renaming the mountain Denali in recognition of the traditions of Alaska Natives and the strong support of the people of Alaska," said Interior Secretary Sally Jewell.

Ohio politicians reacted angrily, although it wasn't immediately clear if or how they could stop it. Representative Bob Gibbs said McKinley deserved to be honoured, and invited his colleagues to join him to try to block what he called Mr Obama's "constitutional overreach".

"This political stunt is insulting to all Ohioans, and I will be working with the House Committee on Natural Resources to determine what can be done to prevent this action," Mr Gibbs said.

The announcement came as Mr Obama prepared to open a three-day visit to Alaska aimed at infusing fresh urgency into his call to action on climate change. To the dismay of some Alaska Republicans, the White House has choreographed the trip to showcase melting glaciers and other cherished natural wonders in Alaska that Mr Obama says are threatened by warmer temperatures.

But Mr Obama's visit is also geared toward displaying solidarity with Alaska Natives, who face immense economic challenges and have warned of insufficient help from the federal government. As his first stop after arriving in Anchorage today, Mr Obama planned to hold a listening session with Alaska Natives. The president was also expected to announce new steps to help Alaska Native communities on Wednesday when he becomes the first sitting president to visit the Alaska Arctic.

At 6.19km, the mountain stands as the continent's tallest, and is still growing at a rate of about one millimetre per year, according to the National Park Service. Known for its majestic views, the mountain is dotted with glaciers and covered at the top with snow year-round, with powerful winds that make it difficult for the adventurous few who seek to climb it.

Senator Lisa Murkowski, who had pushed legislation for years to change the name, said Alaskans were "honoured" to recognise the mountain as Denali — a change in tone for the Alaska Republican, who had spoken out against Mr Obama's energy policies in anticipation of his visit to her state.

"I'd like to thank the president for working with us to achieve this significant change to show Honor, respect, and gratitude to the Athabascan people of Alaska," Ms Murkowski said in a video message recorded atop the mountain's Ruth Glacier, with cloudy snow-capped peaks behind her.

But Ohio Senator, Mr Rob Portman and House Speaker John Boehner joined Mr Gibbs in panning the move, although both stopped short of any threat to try to stop it. Said Mr Boehner, Representative from Ohio: "I'm deeply disappointed in this decision."

The White House pointed out that McKinley had never visited Alaska.

The state of Alaska has had a standing request to change the name dating back to 1975, when the legislature passed a resolution and then-Governor Jay Hammond appealed to the federal government.

But those efforts and legislation in Congress have been stymied by members of Ohio's congressional delegation. Even when Mount McKinley National Park was renamed Denali National Park in 1980, the federal government retained Mount McKinley as the name of the actual peak.

The White House cited Ms Jewell's authority to change the name, and Ms Jewell issued a secretarial order officially changing it to Denali. The Interior Department said the US Board on Geographic Names had been deferring to Congress since 1977, and cited a 1947 law that allows the Interior Department to change names unilaterally when the board fails to act "within a reasonable time". The board shares responsibility with the Interior Department for naming such landmarks.

The peak got its officially recognised name in 1896, when a prospector was exploring mountains in central Alaska, the White House said. Upon hearing the news that McKinley, a Republican, had received his party's nomination to be president, the prospector named it after him and the name was formally recognised.

Mr Obama won't personally visit the mountain during his tour of Alaska. He'll spend much of the trip in Anchorage, south of the peak, where Mr Obama will speak at a climate change summit today. While in Alaska, Mr Obama also planned to meet with fishermen in Dillingham, hike a glacier in Seward and cross the Arctic Circle to visit the rural town of Kotzebue.

In an attempt to show Mr Obama wasn't coming to Alaska empty-handed, the White House yesterday also announced plans to create a "young engagement program" to help rural and Alaska Native youth in the Arctic, along with new funding for local fish commissions and US Fish and Wildlife Service advisers. AP