Community Empowerment:
Northern Access, UAA, and Pebble

Dear Friends and Neighbors, 

Tomorrow night’s Assembly meeting will include an opportunity for public testimony on the state grant funds appropriated by the Legislature to the Municipality of Anchorage in the capital budget. These funds include the $20 million dedicated to the Northern Access Road project. The Municipality must pass Resolution No. AR 2013-244, which appropriates State of Alaska grants to various municipal funds and departments.

Here is a copy of the agenda; the topic for discussion is listed under 14e. You can also view supporting documents, which includes a list of all of the projects.  The meeting will begin at 5pm in the Loussac Library, Room 108. 

Tomorrow night’s Anchorage Assembly meeting will feature public testimony on the acceptance of Northern Access Road project dollars

Members of the Senate and House have joined together to host a Town Hall meeting on the Northern Access Road project. This will be another opportunity to talk with your neighbors as well as elected officials about your concerns and questions regarding the project.

Please join us October 8th from 5:30 to 7pm at the East High School Commons Area.

House and Senate legislators are hosting an Open House Oct 8th from 5:30-7pm at the East High Commons area regarding the Northern Access Road project

UAA Engineering Building Groundbreaking

Last week I was honored to attend a groundbreaking that will have an impact on Alaskans for years to come. When the University of Alaska Anchorage’s new engineering building is completed in 2015 it will be able to accommodate UAA’s growing class sizes and Alaska’s increasing demand for home-grown engineers. Class sizes for engineering degrees have quadrupled since the year 2000. The State Department of Labor projects we will need 120 engineering professionals annually through 2018; 50 new positions and 70 to replace retirees. Training Alaskans for Alaskan jobs is something I enthusiastically support.

Senators French, Gardner, and Wielechowski and Rep. Josephson at the groundbreaking for the new UAA Engineering Building

One of the more inspiring moments of the event was hearing from current students enrolled in UAA’s School of Engineering.  Forest Rose Walker of Buckland and Michael Ulroan of Chevak will be the first civil engineers from their villages. Both students are part of the Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program at UAA. Forest Rose and Michael introduced themselves in their native language, demonstrating their commitment to local community. I look forward to not only seeing the positive impact Forest Rose and Michael will have in building our Alaskan communities, but also the many other students who will have the same opportunity.

UAA Engineering students, Forest Rose Walker of Buckland and Michael Ulroan of Chevak speaking at the new engineering building groundbreaking

Have you heard the news? Pebble backers stumble...

It is challenging, potentially impossible, to drive anywhere in Anchorage without seeing one of the circular Pebble Mine stickers with the red line drawn through it. Recently, Anglo American, a British based mining company and a 50 percent partner in the Pebble Mine effort, withdrew from the project. Anglo American left $541 million on the table, citing the Pebble project as too risky to move forward.

A major reason for the company’s newfound apprehension stems from public pressure invoked through the US Environmental Protection Agency’s public comment period on its Bristol Bay Watershed Assessment. The assessment concluded that a large scale mine in the region of the Pebble deposit would have an adverse effect on salmon habitat and fishery reserves. Nearly 900,000 people commented on the study, and 89% of the comments submitted from Alaskans supported the EPA’s assessment. 

An aerial view of the Bristol Bay Region

Recently, I was honored to be invited to speak with tribal entities in the region to gain better perspective on the issue. I know many Anchorage residents care deeply about the future of the Pebble deposit. Listening to the residents of the Bristol Bay Region, who will be directly impacted by the project was even more enlightening and gave me an entirely new understanding of the issue.

Join me at a Save our Salmon House Party next Sunday, Sept 29th from 2:30 to 5:30 at 1130 E. 10th Ave. There will be food, fun, info and opportunities to fight House Bill 77, a bill that paves the way for state permitting regarding Pebble. This is NOT a fundraiser, but please consider bringing food or drink to share. If you’re interested in attending, please RSVP to carson@alaskacoal.org.

As always, please contact me if I can be of service to you or your family,

I Answer to You!

Sincerely,

Representative Andy Josephson
716 4th Ave, Room 390
Phone: 907-269-0265
Rep.Andy.Josephson@akleg.gov