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