AK
Alaska House Bill HJR14

Alaska 2025-2026 Regular Session

Alaska House Bill HJR14 Compare Versions

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2-HJR014b -1- CSHJR 14(TRA)
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10-CS FOR HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 14(TRA)
10+
11+ HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 14
1112
1213 IN THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA
1314
1415 THIRTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE - FIRST SESSION
1516
16-BY THE HOUSE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE
17+BY REPRESENTATIVES MCCABE, Kopp, Tilton
1718
18-Offered: 4/25/25
19-Referred: Rules
19+Introduced: 3/21/25
20+Referred: Transportation
2021
21-Sponsor(s): REPRESENTATIVES MCCABE, Kopp, Tilton, Saddler, Prax, Underwood, Stapp, Coulombe,
22-Johnson, Rauscher, Moore, Tomaszewski, Elam, Schwanke
22+
2323 A RESOLUTION
2424
2525 Supporting the completion of the Port MacKenzie Rail Extension and the Northern Rail 1
2626 Extension; supporting the increase in defensive capabilities at Fort Greely, Alaska; 2
2727 encouraging a renewed commitment by the Alaska Railroad to a community-minded 3
2828 approach to future rail expansion; and encouraging the development of critical Arctic 4
2929 infrastructure. 5
3030 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 6
3131 WHEREAS Alaska is the only state in the United States that borders the Arctic 7
3232 Ocean; and 8
3333 WHEREAS the United States Department of Defense has expanded the anti-ballistic 9
3434 missile facility at Fort Greely, Alaska; and 10
3535 WHEREAS the United States Army has developed new training range areas to 11
3636 support the Arctic Mission; and 12
3737 WHEREAS Fort Greely is the only military base that is not currently connected to the 13
3838 railroad system in the state; and 14
39-WHEREAS a railroad is well suited to provide the transportation support required to 15 34-LS0776\I
40-CSHJR 14(TRA) -2- HJR014b
39+WHEREAS a railroad is well suited to provide the transportation support required to 15 34-LS0776\N
40+HJR 14 -2- HJR014a
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4343 sustain military operations; and 1
4444 WHEREAS a cost-efficient transportation system would benefit the world-class 2
4545 mining operations located near Delta Junction and projected mining operations near Tetlin; 3
4646 and 4
47-WHEREAS a railroad would provide an efficient and safer alternative to industrial 5
48-hauling operations on public highways that are not designated as industrial use highways; and 6
49-WHEREAS a cost-efficient transportation system would benefit the agricultural 7
50-industry in the Delta Junction area, allowing the agricultural industry to become more cost-8
51-efficient and competitive and increasing its ability to expand; and 9
52-WHEREAS a railroad would provide a cost-efficient method of transporting goods 10
53-and services for both mining and agricultural activities in the Delta Junction region; and 11
54-WHEREAS the Alaska Railroad system has the capacity to provide efficient 12
55-transportation services for heavy cargo and large quantities of supplies to the Delta Junction 13
56-region from the ports of Port MacKenzie, Seward, Whittier, and Anchorage and to 14
57-economically deliver mining and agricultural products from the region to market; and 15
58-WHEREAS the extension of the Alaska Railroad from Port MacKenzie to Houston, 16
59-Delta Junction, and Fort Greely is consistent with the long-term goals of the Alaska Railroad 17
60-Corporation and the State of Alaska to extend rail service to the contiguous United States; and 18
61-WHEREAS the Alaska Railroad has already completed phase 1 of the Northern Rail 19
62-Extension project by crossing the Tanana River, which brings the rail line within 70 miles of 20
63-Delta Junction and Fort Greely; and 21
64-WHEREAS the Matanuska-Susitna Borough and the Alaska Railroad have already 22
65-completed nearly two-thirds of the Port MacKenzie Rail Extension, which brings Port 23
66-MacKenzie within 33 miles of the Alaska Railroad rail line, which is in Houston and extends 24
67-on to Fairbanks and the Northern Rail Extension project; and 25
68-WHEREAS the completion of the Port MacKenzie Rail Extension will reduce energy 26
69-and transportation costs, improve air quality, increase the eff
70-iciency of shipping bulk 27
71-commodities and materials to and from Interior Alaska, and provide direct rail access for 28
72-shipments of liquefied natural gas from Cook Inlet to Fairbanks, North Pole, and beyond; and 29
73-WHEREAS the completion of the Port MacKenzie Rail Extension will enhance the 30
74-state's resilience by establishing a strategic transportation alternative to ensure the continued 31 34-LS0776\I
75-HJR014b -3- CSHJR 14(TRA)
47+WHEREAS a cost-efficient transportation system would benefit the agricultural 5
48+industry in the Delta Junction area, allowing the agricultural industry to become more cost-6
49+efficient and competitive and increasing its ability to expand; and 7
50+WHEREAS a railroad would provide a cost-efficient method of transporting goods 8
51+and services for both mining and agricultural activities in the Delta Junction region; and 9
52+WHEREAS the Alaska Railroad system has the capacity to provide efficient 10
53+transportation services for heavy cargo and large quantities of supplies to the Delta Junction 11
54+region from the ports of Port MacKenzie, Seward, Whittier, and Anchorage and to 12
55+economically deliver mining and agricultural products from the region to market; and 13
56+WHEREAS the extension of the Alaska Railroad from Port MacKenzie to Houston, 14
57+Delta Junction, and Fort Greely is consistent with the long-term goals of the Alaska Railroad 15
58+Corporation and the State of Alaska to extend rail service to the contiguous United States; and 16
59+WHEREAS the Alaska Railroad has already completed phase 1 of the Northern Rail 17
60+Extension project by crossing the Tanana River, which brings the rail line within 70 miles of 18
61+Delta Junction and Fort Greely; and 19
62+WHEREAS the Matanuska-Susitna Borough and the Alaska Railroad have already 20
63+completed nearly two-thirds of the Port MacKenzie Rail Extension, which brings Port 21
64+MacKenzie within 33 miles of the Alaska Railroad rail line, which is in Houston and extends 22
65+on to Fairbanks and the Northern Rail Extension project; and 23
66+WHEREAS the completion of the Port MacKenzie Rail Extension will reduce energy 24
67+and transportation costs, improve air quality, increase the efficiency of shipping bulk 25
68+commodities and materials to and from Interior Alaska, and provide direct rail access for 26
69+shipments of liquefied natural gas from Cook Inlet to Fairbanks, North Pole, and beyond; and
70+27
71+WHEREAS the completion of the Port MacKenzie Rail Extension will enhance the 28
72+state's resilience by establishing a strategic transportation alternative to ensure the continued 29
73+flow of essential goods to Interior Alaska residents in the event of a disruption at any ports in 30
74+the state or damage to critical highways from an earthquake or other natural disaster; and 31 34-LS0776\N
75+HJR014a -3- HJR 14
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78-flow of essential goods to Interior Alaska residents in the event of a disruption at any ports in 1
79-the state or damage to critical highways from an earthquake or other natural disaster; and 2
80-WHEREAS the completion of the Port MacKenzie Rail Extension will increase the 3
81-available supply of natural gas and reduce energy costs for industry and residential customers 4
82-in many Interior Alaska communities; with increased natural gas supply, that region will 5
83-realize additional opportunities for natural gas conversion, which will aid in achieving air 6
84-quality attainment; and 7
85-WHEREAS the communities, neighborhoods, and individuals served and affected by 8
86-rail expansions should have an active role in planning, considering alternatives, and 9
87-confirming decisions made by the Alaska Railroad regarding rail expansions; 10
88-BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature supports the completion of the 11
89-Port MacKenzie Rail Extension and the Northern Rail Extension; and be it 12
90-FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature recognizes the urgency of 13
91-developing key infrastructure and defense capabilities, considering the investments other 14
92-nations have committed to the Arctic as well as the increased amount of time needed for those 15
93-types of projects because of the extreme weather of the region; and be it 16
94-FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature encourages the Alaska 17
95-Railroad to renew its commitment to a community-minded approach to future rail expansions, 18
96-including reporting to the legislature regarding the railroad's efforts to improve relations with 19
97-private landowners, communities, and neighborhoods affected by past and current operations; 20
98-and be it 21
99-FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature urges the Alaska 22
100-delegation in Congress to pursue the completion of the Port MacKenzie Rail Extension and 23
101-the Northern Rail Extension for the purpose of securing the critical infrastructure that is 24
102-necessary to improve defense capabilities in the state. 25
103-COPIES of this resolution shall be sent to the Honorable Donald J. Trump, President 26
104-of the United States; the Honorable JD Vance, Vice President of the United States and 27
105-President of the U.S. Senate; the Honorable Mike Johnson, Speaker of the U.S. House of 28
106-Representatives; the Honorable Chuck Grassley, President pro te
107-mpore of the U.S. Senate; the 29
108-Honorable Pete Hegseth, United States Secretary of Defense; the Honorable Douglas Burgum, 30
109-United States Secretary of the Interior; the Honorable Sean Duffy, United States Secretary of 31 34-LS0776\I
110-CSHJR 14(TRA) -4- HJR014b
78+WHEREAS the completion of the Port MacKenzie Rail Extension will increase the 1
79+available supply of natural gas and reduce energy costs for industry and residential customers 2
80+in many Interior Alaska communities; with increased natural gas supply, that region will 3
81+realize additional opportunities for natural gas conversion, which will aid in achieving air 4
82+quality attainment; and 5
83+WHEREAS the communities, neighborhoods, and individuals served and affected by 6
84+rail expansions should have an active role in planning, considering alternatives, and 7
85+confirming decisions made by the Alaska Railroad regarding rail expansions; 8
86+BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature supports the completion of the 9
87+Port MacKenzie Rail Extension and the Northern Rail Extension; and be it 10
88+FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature recognizes the urgency of 11
89+developing key infrastructure and defense capabilities, considering the investments other 12
90+nations have committed to the Arctic as well as the increased amount of time needed for those 13
91+types of projects because of the extreme weather of the region; and be it 14
92+FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature encourages the Alaska 15
93+Railroad to renew its commitment to a community-minded approach to future rail expansions, 16
94+including reporting to the legislature regarding the railroad's efforts to improve relations with 17
95+private landowners, communities, and neighborhoods affected by past and current operations; 18
96+and be it 19
97+FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature urges the Alaska 20
98+delegation in Congress to pursue the completion of the Port MacKenzie Rail Extension and 21
99+the Northern Rail Extension for the purpose of securing the critical infrastructure that is 22
100+necessary to improve defense capabilities in the state. 23
101+COPIES of this resolution shall be sent to the Honorable Donald J. Trump, President 24
102+of the United States; the Honorable JD Vance, Vice President of the United States and 25
103+President of the U.S. Senate; the Honorable Mike Johnson, Speaker of the U.S. House of 26
104+Representatives; the Honorable Chuck Grassley, President pro tempore of the U.S. Senate; the 27
105+Honorable Pete Hegseth, United States Secretary of Defense; the Honorable Douglas Burgum, 28
106+United States Secretary of the Interior; the Honorable Sean Duffy, United States Secretary of
107+29
108+Transportation; and the Honorable Lisa Murkowski and the Honorable Dan Sullivan, U.S. 30
109+Senators, and the Honorable Nicholas Begich, U.S. Representative, members of the Alaska 31 34-LS0776\N
110+HJR 14 -4- HJR014a
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113-Transportation; and the Honorable Lisa Murkowski and the Honorable Dan Sullivan, U.S. 1
114-Senators, and the Honorable Nicholas Begich, U.S. Representative, members of the Alaska 2
115-delegation in Congress. 3
113+delegation in Congress. 1