Sen. Dan Sullivan stopped by the Must Read Alaska office in Spenard to talk to Alaskans about the recent passage of the massive infrastructure bill, and the good it will do for Alaska over the next few years. Some of the high points from the interview are:
Perfect? No: Sullivan said the bill wasn’t perfect, but that it is going to put a lot of people to work in Alaska over the next five years on projects that are critical to moving the state forward. It is not the big social engineering bill that is called the Build Back Better Act, which was split off from the infrastructure bill so that the road, bridge, and broadband upgrades won’t be held up by what he termed as a socialist agenda that is in the BBBA.
Roads: The bill has $3.5 billion over five years for Alaska, a 34 percent increase over the previous highway bill. Much of the regular highway bill funding is incorporated into this legislation. Alaska will also receive part of the $110 billion over five years in supplemental funding for roads and bridges. The funds go to the state government, which decides which projects get worked on, and in what order.
Bridges: Alaska will get part of $40 billion over five years that is set aside for bridges; Alaska has 141 bridges that are structurally deficient.
Broadband: Sullivan emphasized the importance of broadband for giving parents and children choice in their education, making charter and homeschool education more available to those in rural areas. He also pointed to the $1.5 billion in flexible funding over five years, with Alaska having achieved priority for getting broadband to remote communities, before that money flows to cities like Chicago. Broadband is a key economic driver, he said, for a young state like Alaska.
Water and wastewater: The bill has $40 million to $60 million by 2026 for for safe drinking water, plus Sullivan was able to get $3.5 billion over five years for Indian Health Service sanitation facilities to help build out running water and flush toilets in rural Alaska.
Energy: The bill provides a loan guarantee up to $18 billion for the Alaska LNG project.
Streamlining Permits: The bill sets deadlines for completion of environmental reviews.
Ports and Harbors: The bill has $2.25 billion over five years for ports, including $250 million over five years for the construction of remote and subsistence harbor projects.
Sullivan, after the interview, dispelled some of the myths about the bill. It does not include Critical Race Theory, it doesn’t include gender identity politics, and it is different from the $3.5 trillion Built Back Better bill the Democrats are now trying to shove through Congress (the BBBA has passed the House).
Sullivan also talked about the increasing problem with the communist Chinese and their intent to invade and take over Taiwan. A Marine Reserve colonel, he said he is keeping a close eye on the developments and is concerned the Biden Administration will give over Taiwan to the Chinese.
Watch Sullivan talk about the bill at this link.
