Several of Wrangell’s requests are included in the state capital budget of public works projects that the Legislature approved last week, sending the spending plan to the governor for signature into law or veto.
Unless the governor uses his veto powers to eliminate or reduce the appropriations, Wrangell would receive $5 million toward stabilization work at the earthen dams that hold back the community’s water reservoirs; $200,000 to start planning what’s being called an “escape route” for Zimovia Highway residents to drive across the island to reach the Spur Road on the other side; and almost $9,300 for the borough’s emergency operations efforts.
The budget also includes enough state funding to reach down the Alaska Department of Education’s Major Maintenance Grant Program list to provide $6.5 million for Wrangell to make repairs to its school buildings.
The House passed the bill on a 39-1 vote on May 8; the Senate concurred on a 17-2 vote on May 10.
The 12-mile-long emergency access route across state and federal lands would connect the old logging road at Pats Creek on the west side of Wrangell Island to the Spur Road on the island’s east side. The borough has estimated it would cost $5 million to add about half a mile of new road, improve the existing rough roadway, upgrade drainage along the right of way and possibly strengthen a couple of short bridges.
The borough stepped up its lobbying efforts for the East Channel Emergency Access Route after the Nov. 20 landslide at 11.2-Mile Zimovia Highway killed six people and stranded residents until the highway could be reopened.
Planning and design for the project is estimated at $500,000. The state money will allow planning work to begin; the borough will need to find other sources to fully fund the planning work. Actual construction could be several years away.
A more immediate community project included in the state capital budget is replacing roofs, heating and ventilation systems and controls, windows, siding, insulation and other parts of the town’s decades-old school buildings.
The Legislature appropriated $62.7 million for major maintenance school projects statewide, reaching down to fund the top 26 projects on a list that includes almost 100 requests. Wrangell is ranked No. 16.
If signed by Gov. Mike Dunleavy, Wrangell would receive $6.5 million to combine with $3.5 million voters approved in 2022 to pay for $10 million in repairs to all three schools.
The governor’s office declined last week to indicate what he might do with the school funding. The past three years, Dunleavy has used his veto powers to eliminate or significantly reduce legislative appropriations for school repairs.
In total, the $4 billion capital budget funds dozens of infrastructure and maintenance projects across Alaska. Most of the funding comes from the federal government. Just over $550 million comes from the state treasury.
Education is a big-ticket item in the budget. In addition to the maintenance funding, almost $30 million is allocated for a separate fund to help maintain schools in rural Alaska; $22 million is slated to build a replacement school in Toksook Bay in Southwest Alaska; and there is $28 million for maintenance work at University of Alaska campuses (about 2% of the university system’s deferred maintenance backlog).
Other items in the spending plan include $15 million to help fund a nursing facility at the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium in Anchorage; $7.5 million to help the commercial fishing industry by buying seafood from oversupplied processors for distribution through food banks; and $7.5 million to replace the antiquated online application system for the Permanent Fund dividend.
With legislators hearing repeatedly of a dire need for housing across the state, over $30 million was approved for new housing and residential energy-efficiency projects. The Alaska Housing Finance Corp. would be given the job of building more housing in rural Alaska for professionals, such as teachers and public safety workers.
The Anchorage Daily News contributed reporting for this story.
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