On June 27, 2024, the City and Borough of Wrangell sent out a press release announcing it had received a $25 million grant to help rebuild its harbor through the Harbor Basin Revitalization and Transportation Resiliency Project. The grant is part of the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity program (RAISE).
Now, over a year later, what has become of Wrangell’s harbor revitalization project? Well, there has been little progress. In a meeting with Senator Dan Sullivan on Oct. 4 this year, city officials blamed the project’s slow progress on the National Environmental Policy Act’s (NEPA) inefficient processing.
Senator Sullivan said the project piqued his interest because it helps serve the executive order titled “Unleashing Alaska’s Extraordinary Resource Potential” which President Trump signed on his first day of office. Trump’s order states: “The State of Alaska holds an abundant and largely untapped supply of natural resources including, among others, energy, mineral, timber, and seafood. Unlocking this bounty of natural wealth will raise the prosperity of our citizens while helping to enhance our Nation’s economic and national security for generations to come.” Revitalizing Wrangell’s harbor helps accomplish these aims by significantly supporting the backbone of Wrangell’s commercial life.
“This is giant for this community,” Sullivan said. “We don’t want to waste a day, we don’t want a 10-year NEPA, we don’t even want a two-year NEPA. We want a six-month NEPA.”
With Sullivan’s attention to the project, city officials gain hope that the harbor revitalization effort will not only get off the ground but soon be completed, creating great benefits for Wrangell citizens and Alaskan commerce.
Natalie Spaulding, a 2025 Hillsdale College graduate, recently joined the Must Read Alaska team.
The author and Senator Sullivan need to get a little more information to come to the realization its the State of Alaska and their Transportation Department that holds the key to the Port of Wrangle. The state of Alaska manages harbors, fixes and repairs, etc. With that is a partnership with NOAA, ocean and that environmental use. Then the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service that records in a tracker system each and every project on the land that meets the water. The borough has a part of the say on the building and permitting of each redo and new construction and the state is to bid the project with the whole partners agreement. EPA may want to get into the project if they are required to inspect before and after and in stages. So, all in all the NEPA process is all of the above and if there is a good team that meets a set timeline and works the process with public comments, etc. the inspections and team work can be done in a favorable space of time to begin and finish construction. So, the author and Sen. Sullivan need to beef up on a lot of crucial items before the complaining begins. Grant money comes to transportation in a chunk to be used by the state, not just any entity. And, moneys from the feds is not separate and in the signage of this president. Its in the budget on a yearly basis. Time to do your homework!!