ITEM TITLE:
#21-39 - Supporting the Municipality of Anchorage Letter to the U.S. Secretary of Transportation Requesting Federal Funding for Critical Infrastructure Work for the Port of Alaska
SUBMITTED BY: Mark Detter, City Manager
FISCAL NOTES:
Expenditure Required: N/A
Unencumbered Balance: N/A
Funding Source: N/A
RECOMMENDATION:
Approve Resolution #21-39
SUMMARY STATEMENT:
The Mayor of the Municipality of Anchorage has requested Mayor Scheidt sign a letter supporting a funding request to the United States Secretary of Transportation for critical infrastructure upgrades to the Port of Alaska.
Mayor Dave Bronson contacted Mayor Scheidt requesting Valdez support for funding request through proposed Bi-Partisan infrastructure bill under consideration by the United States Congress.
The Port of Alaska has in excess of a billion dollars in improvements that are needed to strengthen and modernize the Port in order to avoid major damage due to earthquake/tsunami and other natural disasters. The vulnerability of the Port appears to be a major issue.
The issue for Valdez in supporting the request of the Mayor Bronson relates to whether any funding request made by Valdez is considered secondary in the federal governments priorities for funding in the infrastructure bill for ports and waterways.
Mayor Bronson acknowledged in his letter that other Ports in Alaska have funding needs also and the Municipality of Anchorage plans to work with other ports in their funding requests to the United States Department of Transportation and other federal agencies.