Southeast Alaska residents are used to choppy waters, so while they may be getting seasick over the waves of uncertainty in federal programs and funding stirred up by Donald Trump’s return to the White House, smoother sailing is on the horizon, U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski told a conference of regional business and community leaders Feb. 11.
A mix of uncertainty, optimism and concern about the Trump administration’s impacts on the region was expressed by other federal, state and industry officials participating in the opening day of Southeast Conference’s Mid-Season Summit in Juneau.
Murkowski, an Alaska Republican who is among the few in her party challenging Trump on some of his early second-term actions, said she is trying to work with the new administration on a range of issues including transportation, energy, education and infrastructure projects — despite vows by the president to slash federal spending in many of those areas.
She said she also sees promising signs from the administration on supporting things such as a larger U.S. Coast Guard presence in Alaska.
But at the moment, there’s also some rough seas to navigate, she said.
“Coming from Southeast we know what choppy water is all about and it’s rough, and it’s kind of swirling around and it’s unpredictable,” Murkowski said in remarks that were delivered live online from Washington, D.C.
“But you know that eventually you’re going to get through the choppiness and you’re going to get to smoother waters, and things are going to be just fine. But right now, people are vomiting on either of the sides of the boat and the edge is near, and you know we’re going to really take a deep breath, we’re going to get through this and we’re working together.”
Much of the uncertainty is due to a barrage of executive orders and other actions by Trump that in some instances are being rescinded and/or put on hold by the courts, Murkowski said. A freeze on all government loans and grants is an example, which if implemented could affect Southeast projects ranging from hydropower facilities to Alaska Marine Highway System upgrades — a delay could at the least mean some of those projects miss this year’s construction season.
“I know that you need to be planning those projects right now,” she said. “You need to be signing the contracts, you need to be procuring the equipment, hiring the workers, drawing on the accounts and you also need to be able to rely on the commitments that have been made, instead of having the rug pulled out from underneath you.”
Murkowski said she is meeting with top Trump administration officials such as the Secretaries of Interior and Energy to emphasize the importance of the projects, especially for parts of Alaska lacking infrastructure found elsewhere.
She also sent a letter to the federal Office of Management and Budget “urging them to issue guidance to affirm that Indians, Indian tribes and Indian programs aren’t affected by the president’s orders on DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) and environmental justice.”
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