By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
The director of the Southeast Conference Wednesday hailed Congressional passage of the $1.2 trillion infrastructure package as “a historic investment to fix a very broken Marine Highway System,”
Robert Venables spoke in a U.S. Chamber of Commerce online meeting about the Alaska projects in the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill that President Biden signed into law on Monday.
The three members of Alaska’s congressional delegation – Sen. Lisa Murkowski, Sen. Dan Sullivan and Rep. Don Young – broke with the majority of their party to join the bipartisan support for passage of the bill.
“How the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Will Impact Alaska” was subject of the U.S. chamber’s Wednesday “press call.” It guarantees at least $5.3 billion in federal funding for Alaska.
Participants in the video conference were Marty Durbin, SVP of Policy, U.S. Chamber of Commerce; Kati Capozzi, president and CEO, Alaska Chamber; Bruce Bustamonte, President and CEO, Anchorage Chamber; Alicia Amberg, Executive Director, Association of General Contractors of Alaska; and Venables, who is executive director of the Southeast Conference, which promotes development in Southeast region of Alaska.
Venables spoke of the importance of the funding to the ferry system, which has been crippled by state cutbacks.
“This infrastructure bill is a historic investment to fix a very broken Marine Highway System, which is part of America’s Scenic Byway, and so this bill allows for a timely investment in critical infrastructure, including vessels and terminals, which will be multi-purpose and designed with a new focus going forward,” Venables said. “This really allows for the modernization of the fleet with the opportunity for electric vehicles that can be powered by renewable energy resources. So that is a very critical piece of this infrastructure bill that we’re very grateful for.”
Wednesday’s program was billed as a press call to “join local, state, and national representatives of business and industry to discuss how the bipartisan infrastructure bill will help address Alaska’s most critical infrastructure needs, including funding to improve the safety and efficiency of Alaska’s roads, bridges, ports and airports, expand access to broadband in rural areas, and provide clean drinking water to families and schools across the state.
The U.S. Chamber listed these major Alaska projects in the infrastructure act:
Roads: $3.8 billion in highway funding – a 43% increase.
Bridges: $225 million to replace/repair bridges – 9% of which are in poor condition.
Broadband: 14.7% of Alaskans lack access to high-speed internet – IIJA will allocate $100 million to the state to upgrade internet access.
Drinking/Wastewater: Alaska has a $987 million drinking water investment gap – IIJA will provide $368 million to improve water infrastructure across the state.
Airports: Alaska’s 26 major airports will receive a $392 million in investment.
Resiliency: Alaska will receive $19 million for fire resiliency and $11 million to protect against cyberattacks.
Transit: Alaska will receive $362 million to improve public transportation options across the state.
Along with providing funds, the law will speed up the permitting process for a variety of projects, which Capozzi said is much needed relief.
“It takes large projects anywhere from 10 to 15, sometimes 20 years to get permitted. And this bill addresses... those issues,” Capozzi said. “Obviously the infrastructure part we will never be at a level playing field with our friends in the Lower 48... So the physical infrastructure of course is a huge deal for us. It will help make us more competitive at the national and global level.”
The infrastructure bill requires agencies to coordinate on projects in an effort to shorten timelines.
“What it does is it effectively decreases the federal permitting timeline on infrastructure projects… down to no more than two years and that’s done through a framework requiring agencies to coordinate immediately and to create a joint schedule,” she said.
Speaking for the Anchorage Chamber, Bustamante was happy for the investment in harbor facilities.
“The one area that we all focus on is the Port of Alaska and the need for funding the Port of Alaska. Really 90 percent of the state’s population is served by the movement of goods over the Port of Alaska,” Bustamante said, “and it’s in dire need of repair right now.... We’re one major natural disaster from really having an economic disaster by having long term damage to the port. So it’s been a high priority for the Anchorage chamber to have the Port of Alaska modernization project funded.”
Funding will also be directed to roads and other forms of constructions, a positive point for Alaska’s general contractors.
“This $1.2 trillion package really represents a historic and meaningful increase in infrastructure investment long sought by AGC,” said Amberg, representing the state’s most influential organization of builders. “It provides much needed opportunities for transportation contractors, heavy contractors, building contractors and utility contractors and more importantly, it demonstrates to our existing and future workforce that there is sustainable work in the years to come. And that’s a huge issue of concern.”
