Session: State Capitol, Room 214 Juneau, AK 99801-1182 Toll Free: (800) 565-3742 Phone: (907) 465-3743 Fax: (907) 465-2381 Personal Web Site: www.repjames.org Interim: post office: PO Box 56622 North Pole, AK 99705 Phone: (907) 488-9339 Fax: (907) 488-4271 location: 3340 Badger Road Beaver Brook Mall, Suite 290 North Pole, AK 99705 Phone: (907) 488-1546

Alaska-Canada Rail Link?
Rep. Jeannette James Working to Make the Connection

(JUNEAU) - Rep. Jeannette James (R-North Pole) has a dream for a 21st century, high-tech Alaska transportation system that can reduce freight costs, improve visitor access, encourage mineral development and reduce vehicle emissions. It's called a railroad.

James has been a vigorous promoter of linking the Alaska Railroad with the rest of North America's rail network. Her advocacy work continues on Tuesday, when she takes part in a joint meeting of three Alaska legislative committees, plus Canadian legislators from the Yukon Territory, to hear an overview of the proposed railroad and transportation/utility corridor.

"Connecting the Alaska Railroad with the Lower 48 through Canada holds immense promise for the economic future of our state," said James. "It could open up new markets for mineral development, create a new mode of tourism and lower costs to build a gas line or a national missile defense system. There's almost no state economic activity that wouldn't benefit from a railroad link."

James, who serves as majority leader of the House of Representatives, helped put together Tuesday's joint meeting of the House Transportation, Oil and Gas, and Economic Development, World Trade and Tourism committees. It is scheduled to start at 10:30 a.m. in the House Finance Committee room.

The meeting is scheduled to include presentations from Alaska Transportation Commissioner Joe Perkins or his representative; University of Alaska Fairbanks geologist Dr. Paul Metz; Department of Natural Resources geologist Dr. Milt Wiltse; and Alaska Railroad lands specialist Jim Kubitz. Attending by teleconference will be Yukon MP (Member of Parliament) Larry Bagnell; and Scott Kent, a representative of Yukon Premier Pat Duncan, plus representatives of U.S. Sen. Frank Murkowski and U.S. Rep. Don Young.

The presentors will outline where the project stands now, and what steps are required to continue progress. Last year, Sen. Frank Murkowski won passage of a "Rails to Resources" bill authorizing $2 million to create a 24-member U.S.-Canadian task force to study the project's economic feasibility. While the project has much support in the Yukon Territory, Canada has yet to sign on the project formally, James said.

The meeting is part of James' continuing effort to bolster support for the rail line. On Feb. 13-14, she took part in a panel discussion on the project at the annual PAC COM Expo in Anchorage. She plans to meet in Juneau with Roy Chavera, the U.S. consul to Canada on Feb. 26, and to meet a day later with Canadian Consul General Roger Simmons.

"A project of this scope takes a long time and a lot of work to go from a dream to reality," James said. "This is the kind of preparation work that pays off big in the long term."

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Attachments:

• Sponsor Statement for SB 241
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