Assembly Approves Federal Legislative Priorities

The Mat-Su Borough Assembly passed their federal legislative priorities with no changes at their last meeting. Borough Manager Mike Brown says federal priorities are generally larger projects with higher funding needs.

“We look at the type of projects you can get through some federal agencies or that would qualify federally that you might not see through the state.”

The Assembly is requesting $20 million for significant upgrades to the Talkeetna dike and revetment. After multiple flooding events, the facility protecting Talkeetna’s riverbank at the end of Main Street has needed on-going repairs. This funding would support constructing the proposed project from the Army Corps of Engineers’ erosion study completed in January 2024.   

Natural gas transmission lines to Port MacKenzie for $57 million and to Willow for $61.5 million also are included in the legislative priorities. Brown says these lines would help bring additional resources to the southcentral area.

“Having a more robust transmission and distribution system for natural gas would be economically beneficial to folks.”

Five million dollars for the Willow Public Safety Facility also is listed as a priority for the Borough. Brown says the Willow area is a big corridor between the interior and southcentral. 

“From an EMS perspective, we have a gap in coverage between the northern Valley and probably Big Lake. So we need another station with living quarters where we can bed down an ambulance and expand that coverage a little bit.”

Brown says the challenge is that the fire service area for Willow-Caswell does not generate enough capital to build the large facility needed for that corridor. He says they plan to use the existing station in Willow and build out that site for Fire and EMS, with the potential for Alaska State Troopers to have an office space as well.

State Representative Kevin McCabe helped secure $700,000 in state funds for the new station design.

These priorities will be shared with elected officials in this year’s legislative sessions.