Connect with us

Alaska

Alaska got the lowest August federal transportation allocation among states at $19 million from error-filled submission

Published

on

Alaska got the lowest August federal transportation allocation among states at  million from error-filled submission


The state of Alaska was awarded $19 million by federal highway administrators in August, the lowest amount given to a state this year from an annual reallocation of unused federal transportation funding.

Alaska transportation officials had requested $71.4 million from the August redistribution. But $52 million in projects was rejected due partly to errors made in the state’s submission. Alaska contractors are disappointed and concerned what that will mean for next summer’s road construction season and beyond.

At the end of each August, the Federal Highway Administration redistributes transportation funds among states that cannot be obligated by the end of the federal fiscal year on Sept. 30.

Advertisement

The Federal Highway Administration announced on Aug. 30 that a record $8.7 billion would be redistributed to state transportation departments across the nation. Texas got the largest allocation at $1.17 billion. California got the second largest share with $622 million. Alaska received $19 million in spending authority — the lowest figure among 50 states and Washington D.C.

State transportation officials say this year’s reduced redistribution was due to several factors: Fewer big pots of money available to fund projects, changing federal requirements and added scrutiny on Alaska’s transportation spending.

“We are actually pleased to have captured this $19 million,” said Shannon McCarthy, a spokeswoman for the Alaska Department of Transportation, in an interview last week.

State transportation officials acknowledged that the state’s delayed and error-filled four-year, $5.6 billion transportation plan was a contributing factor to the Federal Highway Administration’s rejection of $16 million in projects from Alaska’s August redistribution request.

According to a transportation planning document obtained by the Daily News as part of a records request, much of the state’s ask for unused federal transportation funds was denied because of significant errors made in the submission.

Advertisement

Basic and significant errors

The State Transportation Improvement Plan, or STIP, is a separate and comprehensive plan for highways, roads, ferries, and even bicycle lanes to be implemented in Alaska through 2027. States typically had their four-year transportation plans approved by last October, the start of the federal fiscal year.

Alaska’s first transportation plan was rejected by federal highway administrators four months late in February due to significant errors with dozens of proposed projects. After scrambling to correct mistakes and to remove ineligible projects, Alaska’s transportation plan was only partially approved in March.

Additionally, state officials were required to submit an amended transportation plan in late August that made corrective actions to numerous projects.

“There are a pretty significant number of them, and they are detailed and take a lot of work to address,” said Aaron Jongenelen, executive director of AMATS, Anchorage’s local transportation planning organization.

Some of the same problems associated with the state’s first four-year transportation plan have persisted through the process to correct those errors.

Advertisement

Last year, AMATS and Fairbanks’ transportation planning organization, FAST Planning, said they were excluded from drafting the state’s plan as required by federal regulations. Projects were added to the state’s that were not also supported by the local planning organizations, such as bridge improvements to serve a contentious ore-haul project near Fairbanks operated by Kinross.

In late July, FAST Planning said they “were again excluded during development” of the state’s draft amended plan. Many of the concerns from local planning organizations were subsequently addressed by state transportation officials, but others remained.

The Alaska Department of Transportation has wanted to improve a stretch of the Seward Highway between Potter Marsh and Bird Flats, but the costly project has not been fully included in AMATS’ own transportation plan, which is required by federal regulations. The project was added to the state’s amended transportation plan despite a warning by AMATS that it would again be declared ineligible for federal funding.

A group of 12 Democratic and independent state legislators wrote to Transportation Commissioner Ryan Anderson in early August with concerns that the state’s amended transportation plan made allocation decisions that risked it posed to projects in next summer’s construction season.

Anchorage Democratic Rep. Zack Fields, a member of the House Transportation Committee, was scathing at the blatant errors that continued to be made by the department on critical state transportation funding requests. He said in an interview that Alaskans would broadly feel the impact of delayed or denied road construction projects.

Advertisement

“Anyone who works in the construction industry, anyone who doesn’t want to drive through a two-foot deep pothole, anyone in the resource development industry who relies on a functioning surface transportation system. Literally, everyone is screwed by their incompetence,” he said.

Alaska’s amended four-year transportation plan was submitted on Aug. 28. That triggered a 30-day window for the Federal Highway Administration to review and potentially approve the new plan.

That uncertainty helped reduce Alaska’s August redistribution. Federal highway administrators rejected over $16 million of proposed projects because they were contingent on the state’s amended transportation plan already being approved.

According to the transportation planning document obtained by the Daily News, another $35.7 million in projects were rejected because they “were not ready to move forward.”

Some proposed projects were denied because of errors made in the state’s request, including by again adding projects that were not also in local transportation plans. Other projects could not be obligated by the end of September — a federal deadline.

Advertisement

Emails obtained by the Daily News showed state transportation officials were warned ahead of time by the Federal Highway Administration that certain projects would be rejected because of errors. They were submitted anyway.

As part of Alaska’s August redistribution request, the state asked for $462,780 for rockfall mitigation at mile 113.2 of the Seward Highway. State transportation officials were told the project would be ineligible for funding. The project was submitted and was duly denied.

A federal highway official wrote in comments attached to that request: “Resubmission – why are design funds being added 4 years after construction ATP??”

Fields was not convinced by state transportation officials’ explanations about the reduced August redistribution being caused by changing federal regulations or added scrutiny.

“Every other state is administering these programs and getting way more money,” he said. “So how are we the only ones who are getting less money?”

Advertisement

‘Surprised and disappointed’

The $19 million in federal transportation funds obligated to Alaska in August stands in stark contrast to the recent past. Last year, Alaska got a record $108 million. The year before, the state received a then-record $87 million in authority to be used for seven projects.

“Alaska is geared up to build projects that address safety and fix our existing infrastructure,” Transportation Commissioner Ryan Anderson said in a news release two years ago.

The Associated General Contractors of Alaska, which represents over 600 local contractors, was concerned by this year’s reduced funding and what it could mean for future construction seasons.

“AGC members were surprised and disappointed to see Alaska receive the lowest August redistribution funds of any state in the nation,” said Alicia Amberg, executive director of AGC, in a prepared statement.

Amberg noted that Alaska’s 2024 redistribution was down 82% compared to last August. That was despite a nearly 10% increase in transportation funds available nationwide for redistribution, she said.

Advertisement

“We don’t know how and if this will impact the construction program in the coming months, but less money going toward safe and reliable infrastructure in Alaska is always a concern,” Amberg said.

She added that AGC was working with state transportation officials “to understand the bigger picture funding strategy in place that will ensure ample opportunity and predictability for the construction industry moving forward.”

McCarthy, a spokesperson for the Alaska Department of Transportation, emphasized that Alaska is set to receive $590 million in federal transportation funding this fiscal year before accounting for the August redistribution. But not all of that funding has been made available.

FAST Planning in Fairbanks said by Aug. 21 that it had been obligated $13.3 million, which represented 43% of the nearly $31 million in funding it has anticipated receiving this federal fiscal year.

By the end of June, AMATS in Anchorage had obligated just $14 million of $50 million, which was just 28% of the funding it had anticipated receiving this year. More funding could be made available before the end of the federal fiscal year, which is typical. But Jongenelen said the gap this year was substantial.

Advertisement

“The big difference this go around is the estimates are much higher of how much we don’t anticipate obligating,” he said.

Jongenelen, executive director of AMATS, said the delayed federal transportation funding available for Anchorage was directly connected to the delays in getting federal approval for the state’s amended four-year transportation plan.

He said that can have real consequences. A project to rehabilitate a stretch of Spenard Road to improve safety for drivers and pedestrians would likely be delayed, but he didn’t know by how long. He said that can have “a butterfly effect.”

“So one project is delayed a year. That could delay two other projects. Those could delay three other projects,” he said. “It’s kind of this effect that you don’t really know — it looks small at the beginning, but it can grow into being a larger thing as time goes on.”





Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Alaska

Help with paying utility bills listed among top requests from Alaska 211

Published

on

Help with paying utility bills listed among top requests from Alaska 211


ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – Workers at United Way’s statewide 211 line said Thursday that Alaskans asking for help to pay their utility bills is one of the top requests.

According to United Way data from 2023, utility assistance continues to be one of the top four unmet needs in Alaska, with that list rounded out by requests for help with housing, transportation, and food.

In the case of utility bills, United Way’s Chief Operating Officer Sue Brogan said the agency has a database with as many as 70 partners around the state that can provide some sort of energy assistance. That database features nonprofits, city and state programs, and tribal and non-tribal entities.

Brogan said trained navigators can help people find programs for which they might be eligible. The database also keeps track of which programs are currently accepting clients and have funding available and which ones don’t. The State of Alaska, for example, reports a backlog on processing applications for heating assistance programs.

Advertisement

Some of the money available includes a recent $50,000 donation from Enstar, which Brogan said is designed to help Southcentral Alaskans who are struggling to pay their heating bills.

“All of that information is in the database,” Brogan said, “and so, when somebody calls in for help, the resource call specialist can take that person through all of those qualifications to make sure we are making a good referral.”

In addition to calling, Brogan said people can go directly to the Alaska 211 website to research various programs themselves, though she said calling or emailing the call center has the advantage of getting personalized help.

“Where do you start, what’s the eligibility, what do I have to bring to my appointment?” Brogan said. “We can help you with that; we can help you navigate that. And that is one of the greatest things about 211, is that we have staff that are here that can help you with that step.”

Alaskans can call 211 or (800) 478-2221, visit the website at Alaska211.org, or email Alaska211@ak.org.

Advertisement

The call center is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Callers can leave messages after hours.

See a spelling or grammar error? Report it to web@ktuu.com



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Alaska

Alaska environmental commissioner picked for Trump administration EPA post • Alaska Beacon

Published

on

Alaska environmental commissioner picked for Trump administration EPA post • Alaska Beacon


Alaska’s top environmental regulator was chosen to be the new Pacific Northwestern regional administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Gov. Mike Dunleavy announced on Wednesday.

Emma Pokon, commissioner of the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, was chosen by President Donald Trump to lead EPA’s Seattle-based Region 10 office, Dunleavy said.

“I can’t think of any Alaskan better suited to oversee federal environmental regulations and laws for Alaska than Emma Pokon,” Dunleavy said in a statement.

Pokon has led the Department of Environmental Conservation since August 2023, when she became acting commissioner upon the resignation of Jason Brune. Dunleavy named her as commissioner the following December.

Advertisement

Pokon joined the department in 2020, moving there from the state Department of Law, where she served as a senior assistant attorney general. At the Department of Law, she handled environmental and natural resource matters.

Poken, in the governor’s statement, said it had been “an incredible privilege” to be part of DEC’s leadership for the past five years.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to continue public service in this new role and look forward to working with EPA leadership and Region 10 to ensure balanced implementation of the nation’s environmental laws,” she said.

Deputy Commissioner Christina Carpenter will serve as acting commissioner of the department until a permanent successor to Pokon is chosen, Dunleavy’s statement said.

The Region 10 office serves Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho and 271 tribal governments.

Advertisement

Pokon replaces Casey Sixkiller, who led the regional office in President Joe Biden’s administration. Sixkiller, a former Seattle deputy mayor and chief operating officer of King County, Washington, now serves as director of the Washington Department of Ecology.

The Region 10 EPA office has been led in the interim by Acting Administrator Dan Opalski.

 



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Alaska

3-member panel recommends automatic salary adjustments for Alaska governor, cabinet, lawmakers

Published

on

3-member panel recommends automatic salary adjustments for Alaska governor, cabinet, lawmakers


JUNEAU — A three-member panel recommended Wednesday that Alaska’s governor, cabinet members and lawmakers receive automatic pay adjustments every odd-number year moving forward.

The recommendation sets in motion pay changes for the state’s top political officials based on the Anchorage consumer price index. That means that salaries would likely rise every other year, though they could also go down if the cost of living declines. The change — unless rejected by lawmakers — would go into effect in 2027.

The proposal comes two years after the same panel recommended steep compensation boosts, including a 20% increase for the governor and his cabinet, and a 67% increase for lawmakers, following several years with no changes in pay.

Advertisement

The pay guidance was issued by the State Officers Compensation Commission, which is required under law to issue recommendations every other year. The recommendations then go into effect automatically unless lawmakers pass legislation disapproving of them.

Senate President Gary Stevens, a Kodiak Republican, said Wednesday that he was not in favor of automatic salary adjustments, and lawmakers might vote to reject the commission’s proposal.

“I don’t like the idea of having an automatic increase because our budget is so tenuous,” said Stevens. “We just don’t know what’s going to happen.”

Rep. Andy Josephson, an Anchorage Democrat, said he thought he was already “well compensated.”

“I’m hearing no interest from legislators in further adjustments to their salary,” said Josephson.

Advertisement

The commission — whose members are appointed by the governor and legislative leaders — was created to avoid direct conversations by lawmakers and the governor about how much they should get paid and when they should receive raises.

But the commission’s intended impartiality was largely sidestepped in 2023, when Gov. Mike Dunleavy fired all commission members after lawmakers rejected their proposal, which would have raised pay for the governor but not for lawmakers. The governor then appointed an all-new five-member commission, which approved a new proposal, paving the way for both lawmakers and the governor to receive pay raises with virtually no public input.

Three commissioners have since resigned from the commission, and Dunleavy replaced only one of them, leaving the panel with just three members, the minimum needed to issue recommendations.

Commissioners include former Education Commissioner Larry LeDoux, Fairbanks Economic Development Corp. President Jomo Stewart and Republican former Rep. Lynn Gattis.

The commission’s recommendations this year could largely render the panel’s future meetings and intended purpose moot, by ensuring that lawmakers and the governor’s pay are updated every other year, even without public comment or review.

Advertisement

But commissioners signaled they would support future legislation to require the commission to continue to meet and prepare recommendations every other year. Such legislation has not been introduced this year.

Lawmakers are currently compensated $84,000. All but Juneau lawmakers can also receive $307 per-day tax-free during legislative sessions, adding roughly $37,000 to their annual income.

The governor is paid $176,000. The lieutenant governor is paid $140,000. Cabinet members earn $168,000.

The average salary for state employees was just over $82,000 in 2024, according to data from the state.

The potential approval of pay increases for the state’s top officials comes as lawmakers say pay raises may be needed also for the state’s rank-and-file workforce. Some legislators have raised alarm over a move from the Dunleavy administration to block the release of results of a salary study commissioned last year to investigate whether pay increases were needed to address an ongoing recruitment and retention challenge in state agencies.

Advertisement





Source link

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending