Secretary Buttigieg started his day at the Port of Alaska on Tuesday, August 15th. The Secretary was briefed on the port’s degrading infrastructure and its critical role in getting food and supplies to 90% of the state’s population. He toured a modernization project that is supported by a $68.7 million grant from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This funding builds on two investments made by the previous Administration that helped begin the port improvement process. A city bus—recently purchased with Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding—was used for the tour.
Buttigieg then joined Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson for a news conference, where he discussed the 2022 Port Infrastructure Development Grant and the importance of the Port of Alaska to the entire state.
Buttigieg also met with leadership from the Alaska Federation of Natives and Alyeska Pipeline for a roundtable and luncheon to discuss transportation and infrastructure needs in Alaskan Tribal communities.
He also had a chance to meet with leaders of the FAA’s Alaska Aviation Safety Initiative, known as FAASI, to understand the critical nature of Alaskan aviation regionally and globally. After learning from FAA leaders, he will have the chance to meet with FAA employees.
To close out his day in Anchorage, the Secretary stopped by the Ted Stevens International Airport to take two hangar tours — the first at the Guardian Flight facility where he learned about medivac operations in Alaska and the second at the Alaska Airlines Cargo Facility to discuss the critical nature of air cargo for people across Alaska.
The Secretary is wrapping up his three-day tour in Juneau on August 16th.