Murkowski Announces Investments for Sitka in FY24 Six-Bill Appropriations Package

Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), a senior member of the Senate Appropriation Committee and Ranking Member of the Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee, announced investments for Sitka on the six-bill Fiscal Year 2024 appropriations package. The bill passed the Senate in a bipartisan 78-22 vote.

“After months of unnecessary delay, Congress has finally taken a big step by passing six of our 12 appropriations bills for Fiscal Year 2024 on an overwhelmingly bipartisan basis. Considering the vast size of our state and limited infrastructure, the significant investments I have included in these measures are well-justified and much-needed,” Murkowski said. “From programmatic wins to congressionally directed spending projects, the funding I have secured is the direct result of working together with Alaskans from across the state to address the needs of their communities. This package invests in our military while enabling us respond to workforce shortages, food insecurity, clean drinking water needs, the housing crunch, the high cost of energy, crises in our fisheries, and more.”

“The effects of the housing shortage have been seen across the state, but nowhere are the impacts felt more acutely than in Sitka. Securing over $2 million for the Sitka Community Development Corporation to build a new apartment complex will offer new home ownership opportunities for first time buyers, with the Trust’s model of ownership preserving that affordability permanently. Thanks to the partnership of the city and the borough, we are looking at a new neighborhood of fourteen homes plus apartment units.”

Click here or the icon above to download an audio version of Senator Murkowski’s quote.

Alaskans have expressed their appreciation for Senator Murkowski’s work to deliver these strategically targeted investments.

“The Sitka Community Land Trust is deeply grateful for the funding which Senator Murkowski has secured for an apartment building in Sitka,” said Randy Hughey, Sitka Community Land Trust. “This CDS will enable the work of this non-profit to continue for years. This helps Sitka a great deal!”

“Senator Murkowski’s support for the Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association’s Boat Energy Transition Accelerator (ALFA BETA) Feasibility Study is a huge step toward lowering energy costs in Alaska’s seafood industry and reducing our fleet's carbon footprint,” said Linda Behnken, Executive Director of the Alaska Longline Fishermen's Association. “With Senator Murkowski’s leadership, our fishing communities will drive the transition to locally-generated and renewable energy. We are tremendously grateful for Senator Murkowski relentless advocacy for Alaska’s fisheries.” 

FY24 Six-Bill Appropriations Package Highlights for Sitka:

Expanding Housing, Childcare, and Community Development Access

Murkowski listened to the needs of Alaskans and worked to bring home funding for housing and childcare facilities in the state. She also focused on protecting Alaska’s diverse history and landmarks—from the Iditarod Trail to Native languages, Murkowski is working to ensure future generations have access to our state’s rich history.

·       Statewide: $3.3 million for the Alaska Department of Public Safety to establish rural public safety housing.

·       Sitka: $2.17 million for the Sitka Community Development Corporation to build an apartment complex. 

Cleaner and More Affordable Energy

As a leading voice on energy, Murkowski continues to provide crucial support to advance Alaska projects and make our state’s energy cleaner and more affordable. In this package she provided support for tidal energy projects, secured funding for critical mineral activities, and provided for the Arctic Energy Office to support projects in rural communities and throughout the Arctic.

·       Sitka: $514,000 for the Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association to research and identify decarbonization and clean energy transition options for vessel owners and shoreside businesses.

Strengthening Alaska Fisheries and Oceans Research

Alaska’s oceans and fisheries are the heartbeat of communities across the state—and that’s why Murkowski worked hard to include provisions throughout the appropriations package that will strengthen our blue economy, support coastal communities, promote electronic monitoring development and installation, and enhance research abilities to create healthier fisheries.

Murkowski helped secure more than $205 million for Fisheries Data Collections, Surveys, and Assessments; $44 million for Regional Fishery Management Councils and Fisheries Commissions; and $65 million for the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund. 

She also secured the following CDS requests to strengthen Alaska’s fisheries and oceans research abilities:

·       Statewide: $2.01 million for the Marine Exchange of Alaska to create a user guide to keep ships sailing safely in the Arctic.

·       Statewide: $1.2 million for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game to fund coastal marine surveys that support sustainable salmon management in the northern Bering Sea, southern Bering Sea, and western Gulf of Alaska.

·       Statewide: $2.5 million for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game to better equip their research vessels with necessary technology and upgrades.

·       Statewide: $4 million for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game to fund juvenile Pacific salmon research.

·       Statewide: $2 million for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game for research and equipment related to Alaska critical salmon stocks.

·       Statewide: $2.8 million for the University of Alaska System to research the impacts of environmental stressors on freshwater and marine aquatic life in Alaska.

Fighting Illegal Drug Use

As illegal drugs devastate families and communities throughout Alaska, Murkowski continues to fight for drug prevention efforts and support for those impacted by this terrible scourge. In addition to the recently enacted FEND Off Fentanyl Act, she has supported the Community Based Coalition Enhancement Grant Program, which will encourage community-led coalitions to raise awareness of fentanyl and prevent drug overdose deaths caused by the drug. 

·       Statewide: Murkowski continues to support the Drug Free Communities program and the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas program. 

·       Statewide: Murkowski has pushed to ensure that medication assisted treatment is available and accessible to individuals with substance use disorder (SUD). The bill includes language to permanently require state Medicaid plans to cover medication-assisted treatment, and to allow treatment of SUD at institutions

Supporting Victim Services, Public Safety and Services Efforts, and Vulnerable Populations

Murkowski continues to focus on preventing domestic violence and sexual assault in Alaska and providing critical services for victims. From funding the Sexual Assault Services Program at $80 million, to advocating for increases to the Services for Rural Victims program—she is working to provide significant support for Alaskans who are at risk or in need. Murkowski is also dedicated to supporting survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault while investing in projects that work to stop the violence from occurring in the first place.

·       Statewide: $4 million for the Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault to support victim services organizations.

Ensuring Access to Quality Health Care

Murkowski continues to fight for funding to increase access to health care. She has continued to support additional funding for the Community Health Centers and the National Health Service Corps, programs that provide critical care to Alaskans throughout the state.

This appropriation’s package also includes a boost in Medicare pay for doctors to address the additional strain that physicians saw when physician reimbursement was cut on January 1, ensuring our providers receive adequate reimbursement and that our Seniors continue to have access to their providers. Community Health Centers were reauthorized through 2024, with a much needed increase of $270 million in annual funding.

Bolstering Food Security

Murkowski worked with her colleagues to ensure support for Alaska’s farmers and help them increase food security. Some of her top priorities were ensuring programmatic funding for essential programs for Alaska’s food security, including an increase for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) and full funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Additional programmatic wins include increasing for the Summer Food Service Program, enabling children in low-income families to receive the nutrition they need when schools are closed.

Background:

H.R. 4366 includes the annual funding bills from the Appropriations Subcommittees on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies; Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies; Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies; Energy and Water Development; Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies; and Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies.  

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For further information, please contact Senator Murkowski’s press office at 202-224-9301 or 202-224-8069. Visit our website at http://murkowski.senate.gov

Tell NOAA No to Bottom Trawling

UPDATE: NMFS has suspended this experiment in response to public concern. Thanks for speaking up!

From SalmonState:

In an effort to “research” the effects of commercial bottom-trawling activity on the seafloor and animals that live there, the Alaska Fisheries Science Center proposes to drag trawl gear, or as they put it “conduct a commercial bottom-trawl research project” in the Northern Bering Sea Climate Resilience Area. Under this project named, Northern Bering Sea Effects of Trawling Study, or 'NETS' they will use research trawl gear to test whether bottom-dwelling species recover and, if they do, what changes there are one or more years after intentionally damaging their habitat.

 Bottom trawling is proven to be destructive to the ocean floor and contributes to millions of non-target species being caught in the huge nets that are dragged on the sea bottom. Bottom trawling releases millions of tons of carbon dioxide from the seabed after disrupting it. Compounding these issues in an area that is supposed to be designated as a climate resilience area will have negative impacts on this important ecosystem. This research is heavy handed  and may well be a Trojan horse tactic to pave the way for more trawling.  

 In response to the NETS proposal and lack of consultation with Alaska Native Tribes, a lawsuit has been brought forward. “As stewards of the Northern Bering Sea, our basic rules of taking only what's needed and giving nature a chance to replenish itself have been practiced for thousands of years,” said Ben Pungowiyi, Tribal Council President for the Native Village of Savoonga. “Nature has a delicate balance, especially the chain underneath where every living organism plays its role. Further alteration of this domain will cause higher mortality impacts.”

Tell NOAA to abandon NETS

Help Alaska’s fisheries – reduce methane emissions

Alaska Beacon

By LINDA BEHNKEN and KATE TROLL

JANUARY 9, 2024 4:02 PM

NOAA now confirms that another critical Alaska fishery is in decline due to successive marine heat waves. First there was the loss of 10 billion snow crabs and the close of the once-lucrative Bering Sea crab fisheries; now we know that climate change (warming seas) is the culprit behind the crash of chum salmon on the Yukon and Kuskokwim rivers. Both these fisheries are the lifeblood to many Alaska communities and villages. From the Yukon to Kodiak, from the Arctic to Ketchikan, Alaska’s coastal fisheries must now confront the dual threat of heat waves and ocean acidification.  

Even though Alaska alone cannot solve the climate crisis and save Alaska’s fisheries we can do our part to address climate impacts head-on. We are still nowhere near the scale and pace of emission reductions required to put us on track toward limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (a goal of the Paris Accords). As a result, warming oceans and ocean acidification remain active, serious threats to Alaska’s fisheries. Whether it’s out of concern for the oceans, storm events, landslides, and/or wildfires, it’s clearly a moment when we need “all hands-on deck” to deal with the climate crisis. 

One area where Alaska can make a big difference on climate change is by addressing methane leaks. Methane, also known as natural gas waste, traps 80 times more heat than carbon dioxide. It is also important because industrial emissions from Alaska’s oil and gas operations account for approximately 60% of Alaska’s total 2020 greenhouse emissions. Altogether, this means that even though Alaska’s total emission contribution may be small on the global scale, Alaska can still make a significant difference because we have plenty of methane. 

Unfortunately, the watchdog for methane leaks, the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, has repeatedly shown itself unwilling to act.  One example occurred when a Hilcorp gas pipeline burst in Cook Inlet a few years ago and spewed gas to the atmosphere for months, causing the loss of tens of thousands of barrels of oil production. AOGCC took the alarming position that it was powerless to do anything. Hauled into court, and eventually corrected by the Alaska Supreme Court on the extent of its jurisdiction, the commission still refused to hold Hilcorp accountable.  

Since the 1990s, there have been increases in the frequency and intensity of marine heat waves in the North Pacific. Scientists project that this trend will accelerate, off Alaska and globally. In other words, it’s not far-fetched to ask which major fishery will be the next one to succumb to climate change? 

Perhaps what’s happening at the U.N. climate talks could spur some commensurate action here in Alaska. As noted by the Washington Post, “many of the world’s biggest oil companies (including Exxon Mobil) announced Saturday that they would slash methane emissions from their wells and drilling by more than 80 percent by 2030”. 

According to research done by a team of scientists from the Environmental Defense Fund and several U.S. universities, halving methane emissions by 2030 could slow the rate of global warming by more that 25% and start a path to prevent .5 degrees Celsius of warming by 2100. Furthermore, according to the International Energy Agency, the oil and gas industry could eliminate more than 75% of its methane emissions with existing and well-known technology. Taken all together, this means that taking action on methane is not only hugely significant in addressing the climate crisis but eminently doable. 

If the oil-and-gas industry is now seeking to position itself as a problem solver on the international stage, why not do the same here in Alaska? By statute, the state considers any non-emergency release of oil and gas (venting or flaring) in excess of one hour as potential “waste”. Consequently, we already have one key tool in the toolbox. 

For the sake of Alaska’s fisheries, surely Alaska can become part of the climate crisis solution by joining the industry supported international action to reduce methane emissions.  Now would be the time for the AOGCC to take its statutory obligation seriously and begin reigning in non-emergency flaring and venting of methane. Some people think that flaring methane doesn’t happen on the North Slope, but here’s a satellite image showing large volumes of methane flaring.  As noted earlier, Alaska has plenty of methane to make a difference. 

See article online here

Reducing Carbon Emissions in the Fishing Fleet

Read online at National Fishermen

December 22, 2023

Guest Author:

Linda Behnken & Kay Kreiss

The Sitka fishing fleet is pioneering energy-efficient commercial fishing. In 2021, the Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association (ALFA) was selected by the DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to partner in exploring ways fishing vessels can be powered by low- or zero-emissions propulsion systems. Two years later, the Vehicle Technology Office (VTO) funded ALFA to oversee three projects that will pilot different low-emission technologies.

The first is a hybrid battery-diesel system that allows a fishing boat to use diesel when traveling quickly to fishing grounds and then switch to a battery-electric motor when fishing. This system can reduce fuel consumption by up to 80% without requiring significant changes in fishing practices on one-to-two-day trips. It will be funded with grant support from AgWest Farm Credit and Acme Seafoods, with coordination and data support from Kempy Energetics. The hybrid system is designed to optimize the use of the engine and motor and will be equipped with data loggers to measure the fuel efficiency achieved at sea.

The second pilot project will test a different type of propulsion system that will be determined based on interest from the fleet. One candidate is a series hybrid system that allows fishing boats to reduce fuel use when running short or long distances. At all speeds, an electric motor powers the propeller, and a battery powers the motor. The battery can be charged at a Sitka dock with our green hydropower, or if a skipper needs to travel hundreds of miles, a diesel generator on-board can recharge the boat’s batteries. ALFA is inviting boat owners to apply for this retrofit.  You can find the pre-application at https://www.alfafish.org/vto-project.

The third model to be tested by ALFA is a fully battery-electric system for mariculture vessels that stay close to shore harvesting shellfish, kelp, or seaweed. ALFA is contracting with Precision Boatworks in Sitka to assist with all three retrofits.

The objectives of testing all three model propulsion systems are to lower fuel costs, which can account for over 30% of a fishermen’s expenses, build local expertise, decrease emissions, and evaluate the systems for different fisheries and fishing operational models.

In undertaking this work, ALFA seeks to de-risk these emerging technologies and remove barriers to the decarbonization of this important Alaska industry.  We are working with the Fishing Communities Coalition and the Fishermen Friendly Climate Action Campaign to advance climate solutions that increase fishing community resilience while decreasing our industry’s contribution to global warming and ocean acidification.  ALFA will share lessons learned from these projects through our website and the National coalitions in which we participate.  

A next step is to develop boat battery-charging infrastructure at our docks and seafood processing companies while we continue to explore next generation carbon-free fuels. This work is aligned with ALFA’s work to support modern and climate-resilient working waterfronts in Alaska with our local and regional partners, and nationally through the Fishing Communities Coalition.

Climate impacts on our fisheries are profound; commercial fishermen are uniquely positioned to craft both practical and political solutions. It’s time to pull on our boots and get to work.

Trawlers sue over halibut bycatch limit

From ALFA Staff

December 27th, 2023

On December 19th, 2023,, the Amendment 80 (A80) trawl fleet sued to prevent implementation of the Bering Sea halibut bycatch action that ties bycatch caps to halibut abundance. While not unexpected the refusal by the A80 fleet to share in the conservation responsibility for halibut is at best disturbing.  

The Final Environmental Impact Statement for this action documents that the A80 companies were responsible for 23.8 million pounds of halibut mortality from 2010-2019.  Bycatch levels not only exceed limits set for the directed fishery but in some years bycatch has threatened to preclude the small boat directed fishery completely.

Bycatch is deducted from the total allowable catch before catch limits are set for the directed halibut fishery. Bycatch caps, set when halibut were far more abundant, have never been triggered. Meanwhile catch limits for the directed halibut fisheries have been steadily reduced as halibut abundance has declined to protect the stocks from overharvest.    

After six years of analysis, testimony, and debate, the Council voted to connect halibut caps to halibut abundance, lowering bycatch when stocks are low to prevent overfishing. Sound reasonable?  Not if you are one of the five A80 companies.  Council action reduced bycatch caps below current bycatch levels by 2.4% --but even that sharing of conservation is too much for the A80 fleet.  

ALFA will join long-term allies to intervene in the lawsuit on behalf of the federal government.  We are fundraising to support our engagement.  Please contribute through the ALFA website (alfafish.org) with the memo “halibut lawsuit” and we will dedicate your contribution to defending halibut stocks from trawl bycatch. 

Contribute like the future of the halibut stock – and of your fishery—depend on it.