By Frank Murkowski
The Canadian government recently announced that cruise ship arrivals and departures from Canadian ports will be cancelled until February 2022 - the news is a shock to our entire state.
Before the Coronavirus, it was estimated that cruise ship visitors to Alaska last year would exceed 1.3 million. Polling indicates that the majority of U.S. cruise ship passengers choose Alaska as their No. 1 preferred destination, but that dream has evaporated this year, devastating Alaska's economy.
In addition, also because of the pandemic, the Canadian government has restricted Alaska-bound vehicle traffic entering British Columbia from Washington state. This is also true from traffic originating in Alaska going southbound. The stark reality is that Alaska finds itself totally dependent on air transportation both north and south for at least the term of the virus.
The Canadian announcement leaves Alaskans with an alternative: Seek a waiver from the Jones Act (the federal law that prohibits the carriage of U.S. cargo or passengers between two American ports in a foreign vessel with a foreign crew). In 1920, Congress passed the Jones Act. U.S. Sen. Wesley Jones, from Washington state, sponsored the protectionist legislation when the railhead of Canadian National Railway was established through the Port of Prince Rupert, just 86 miles south of Ketchikan. The fear from the state of Washington was that Alaska's supply needs might move to Canada rather than from Seattle .
Yes, it may be possible to get a waiver for the Jones Act. It has been done twice. A few years ago, Nome was running low of diesel and the U.S. supply vessel was delayed. Approval was granted for assistance by a Russian vessel to help bring in foreign supply. Earlier, under Govs. Bill Egan and Wally Hickel, a temporary waiver was granted when the state acquired from Northern Europe the Wickersham, which operated as an Alaska ferry with an Alaska crew from Prince Rupert to Alaska ports, as well as between ports within Alaska. The ship was sold after the Jones Act waiver expired.
So where does that leave Alaska now? I'd say high and dry.
We have the Alaska Marine Highway System, certainly well rested, but without much interest or direction from the state Legislature, the administration of Gov. Mike Dunleavy or his Department of Transportation. We are facing a statewide emergency, yet we have vessels in lay-up status to save money.
However, relief from the financial cost of operating two mainline vessel with one from Bellingham to Juneau and the other from Bellingham to Seward or Whittier could come from the U.S. Transportation Department announcement that $25 billion in federal funding would be available to help the nation's public transportation systems respond to COVID-19.
The measure, signed into law almost a year ago, provided $22.7 billion for large and small urban areas and $2.2 billion for rural areas. No local match is required, and the money, if Alaska could get some, fit right into the needs of the state ferry system.
I suggest that the state request immediate emergency assistance from the federal transit program. In addition, I propose an aggressive advertising effort both in and outside the state, promoting "Alaska is open, " with weekly sailings by state ferries. If the rates are reasonable, the traffic will come. We must be ready and have the will to make the best of a difficult situation while under COVID-19 limitations.
I would encourage the congressional delegation and our governor to make Alaska's case for an emergency declaration in light of Canada's announcement. We are twice the size of Texas, and imagine if Texas roads were closed at the state line and the roads to Mexico were closed and the only way out was by the Gulf Coast ports. A declaration for immediate relief would be called.
Our economy is in free fall and it may get worse. So here we are Alaska, no way in and no way out except by air. That's what I call high and dry.
Frank Murkowski served as governor of Alaska 2002-2006, and as U.S. senator for Alaska 1981-2002.
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