On Friday, Representative Mary Sattler Peltola (AK-AL) submitted Fiscal Year 2025 Community Project Funding requests for Alaska’s At-Large district to secure nearly $60.2 million in diverse and much-needed projects for the state.
“Alaska’s needs are vast and unique, from the Mat-Su to Kotzebue. I’m proud to support solutions that are as big and varied as our state, from addressing the root causes of Alaska food insecurity to constructing new community workforce development centers,” said Rep. Peltola. As our state’s only representative in the U.S. House, it’s my job to consider every project and advocate for Alaska to get the funding we need for our families to thrive.”
In regards to statewide recommendations:
- $3,300,000 is planned to go towards new housing for the Alaska Department of Public Safety (DPS) in new and established remote post locations for troopers, and Village Public Safety Officers (VPSOs) is being developed due to the increased need for a public safety presence in rural areas to serve high-poverty communities in Alaska. This will decrease response time that currently involves utilizing aircraft, all-terrain vehicles, snowmobiles, and small boats.
- $310,000 is allocated to purchase equipment that automatically and continuously monitors phytoplankton (microscopic marine algae) and detects any harmful algal bloom (HAB) species, which create toxins that are taken up into the marine food web, putting shellfish, fish, birds, marine mammals, and humans at risk.
In Seward:
- $3,700,000 is anticipated to go toward the Seward Marine Industrial Center Waterfront
- Funding for a 20-acre land expansion for future leases by companies performing marine work, shipyard fill and regrade, energy utility lines, public restroom construction, and security fencing and cameras.
In Homer:
- $1,543,500 is desired to go towards the Homer Harbor Critical Float Replacement
- Completes design and permitting to bring the Homer Harbor Float System 1 & 4 Replacement Project to construction-ready status.