Murkowski Outlines Efforts to Bolster the Economy in Wrangell, Southeast

Press Release

Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski today said that in a new term she will redouble her efforts to aid economic development in Southeast Alaska by pushing for a revival of the Southeast timber industry and by promoting renewable energy and transmission, better transportation, and mineral industry development in the region.

"We all know that times have been tough in Wrangell in recent years, but even though we have differences with the Forest Service under the existing Administration we should be able to strengthen the industry and help revive an industry," said Lisa Murkowski.

She said she will work next year to propose a new state forest in Southeast that could provide a more dependable timber base to revive the industry. She said as part of such a bill she would work to protect key fishery watersheds, besides moving significant commercial lands into state hands. She also said that in the bill she will attempt to settle the many controversial Tongass forest issues that are outstanding including the "Landless" natives issue where Wrangell was one of five communities in Southeast that did not gain Native village or urban corporations when the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act was approved in 1971.

She said other issues that need addressing is a Mental Health Trust land swap to protect timber lands in both Wrangell and Petersburg, the Native veterans allotment bill that needs to be fixed so more Southeast Natives qualify for lands and municipal entitlement and expansion issues.

"I also will work to settle differences on a Sealaska land exchange bill. I know there are still issues over fishing sites and other problems that need to be worked out and I will hope new hearings on the bill early next year will finally pave the way for its passage. The timber industry needs Sealaska to remain in business for the timber industry in the region to remain viable and Sealaska shareholders have waited long enough to gain their lands," said Murkowski.

She said she hopes to revise the bill and reach agreements to allow for passage relatively soon next year, if she is re-elected.

The Senator, who is conducting a write-in campaign to win re-election to the Senate, said she also supports the concept of building more renewable hydroelectric projects, plus wind, geothermal , biomass and future marine hydrokinetic (ocean) energy projects in the region. She would then want to push to finish the Southeast Intertie and a branch line into Canada to allow for the export of surplus electric power to the Pacific Northwest.

"Clearly Alaskans deserve to benefit from lower cost electricity first, but if there is surplus power its sale could provide a new economic engine for the region," said Murkowski who noted there are more nearly 400 megawatts of hydroelectric power than can be produced in the region without environmental damage based on existing feasibility reviews.

Murkowski in 2007 won approval for a Renewable Energy Deployment Grant program that could help fund future hydroelectric projects throughout Southeast. She said she will make it a priority in the future to gain funding to implement the Department of Energy program, and also to seek more federal aid for transmission line construction. Such a line is likely to run up the Bradfield Canal along a proposed route for a new trans-boundary road into Canada.

Murkowski this session also introduced a series of bills to improve infrastructure in Southeast. She introduced a $200million ferry system improvement bill that she hopes will be included in next year's likely reauthorization of a six-year federal highway funding bill. She also will again attempt to revise her Southeast Alaska Timber Retooling and Restructuring Act to gain aid for companies to revamp operations to utilize young-growth timber or to diversify into other businesses. The proposed $40 million aid bill was halted this session by Senator Barbara Boxer of California, the chair of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.

In a new term Murkowski said she will work to reauthorize the Secure Rural Schools Program, whose school and road aid is now set to expire after next year. She is working to craft a new funding formula to try to protect as much aid for Alaska schools as possible.

"As a Southeast girl that lived as a child in Wrangell, I have a track record and want to help Wrangell," said Murkowski, who secured $2 million in 2005 for road improvements for Wrangell, plus an additional $2 million for design of a Bradfield Canal road to Canada. In 2009 she won $475,000 to construct a recreation play area and fairgrounds in Wrangell.

"While there is a federal budget deficit, the federal government still has a responsibility to help the regional economy, given that the federal government "s change in policies to restoration and young-growth from an old-growth timber industry is what has pulled the rug out from under a viable timber industry in the town. I really hope that the Department of Agriculture will do more to promote development in Wrangell," said Murkowski, noting that the Rural Development Administration recently did provide some aid to the community with the hope that more will be on the way.

Source