Murkowski Highlights Bipartisan Wins in Southeast Candidate Forum
| Ferry service funding, historic infrastructure investments, and tourism wins among Senator’s accomplishments highlighted during forum |
| ANCHORAGE, AK – In today’s Southeast Conference Candidate Forum, Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) demonstrated the power of her effective and steady leadership. From securing hundreds of millions of dollars in congressionally directed spending for Southeast infrastructure to strengthening the Coast Guard and bolstering fisheries, Senator Murkowski is the only candidate in the race with a proven record of delivering for Alaskans in Southeast communities. “Kelly Tshibaka has proven she will say and do anything to get elected. From bragging about shutting down Alaska’s ferry system to parroting tired partisan talking points, Kelly is clearly out of touch with Alaskans,” said Nate Adams, campaign manager. “Lisa demonstrated in today’s candidate forum once again that she is the only candidate in this race with the seniority and ability to work across the aisle to deliver for our state.” The Southeast Conference candidate forum is the second of six public forums Senator Murkowski will participate in before the November 8 general election. The full schedule of upcoming debates and forums can be viewed here. |
| BACKGROUND: Thanks to Senator Murkowski’s leadership and Seniority, Alaska has received historic funding of $2.4 billion through the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and millions more from congressionally directed spending. Some of the significant investments heading to Southeast Alaska include: Infrastructure Funding to Date as a Result of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act: • $300 million in funding for the Alaska Marine Highway System. • Metlakatla: $402,257 for EV Buses and Charing Equipment. • Ketchikan: $4 million for the U.S. Coast Guard Base in Ketchikan. • Ketchikan: $4 million for EV Buses and Charging Equipment. • Ketchikan Gateway Borough: $425,928 for the Ferry Boat Program. • Prince of Wales Island: $29 million to deploy fiber for Prince of Wales Island. • Juneau: $2.2 million for the Juneau Vehicle Storage and Maintenance. • Gustavus: $600,000 for the Harry Hall Creek Culvert. • $14.7 million to 24+ airports in communities across the Southeast. FY22 Congressionally Directed Spending for Southeast: • Southeast Conference: $2 million to Southeast Conference establish a pilot program for electric ferries. • Petersburg: $8 million for the construction of a new hospital in Petersburg. • Klawock: $1.22 million to purchase needed landfill infrastructure and associated maintenance costs for the cities of Klawock, Craig and Coffman Cove. • Skagway: $10.2 million to expand capacity at the Wastewater Treatment Plant in Skagway. •Metlakatla: $540,000 for the Metlakatla Indian Community with an emergency backup generator. • Ketchikan: $236,000 to Women in Safe Homes to support the final stages of construction of the shelter. • Wrangell: $2.08 million to fund a connection pipe between the Upper Reservoir and the Water Treatment Plant as a means of accessing the upper reservoir’s water. • Sitka: $840,000 to the Sitka Sound Science Center. • Juneau: $420,000 for Alaska Heat Smart. • Juneau: $2.5 million to United Human Services of Southeast Alaska. FY23 Congressionally Directed Spending Requests for Southeast: • Ketchikan: $600,000 for the Peacehealth Ketchikan Medical Center. • Klawock: $500,000 to build a RISE Campus. • Craig: $760,000 for Craig’s wastewater treatment plant. • Sitka: $1 million for basic housing for homeless Sitka residents. • Petersburg: $1.6 million for upgrades to the water treatment plant. • Juneau: $5 million to provide a building to house multiple nonprofits to serve families and their children. • Yakutat: $5.1 million to extend a water line. Mariculture: • Southeast Conference: $49 million in grants from the U.S. Department of Commerce for the Alaska Mariculture Cluster to boost the mariculture industry in Alaska. • Southeast Conference: $500,000 Southeast Conference for a mariculture processing facility on the Prince of Wales Island. • $2 million to the Alaska Division of Agriculture for the Micro-Grants for Food Security Program (MGFSP). |
