An Act relating to an easement for the extension of the Alaska Railroad to the Alaska-Canada Border

For Immediate Release: January 28, 1999
Contact: Representative Jeannette James at (907) 465-3743.

Why is this bill necessary?

1982 A corridor was delineated by statute, connecting Alaska's existing railroad with the Canadian Border.

1994 I sponsored and passed HB 184 authorizing $10,000.00 for a study determining the cost of acquiring this right-of-way.

1995 D.O.T. reached a cost estimate of $6,363,000.00 to acquire the right-of-way. Of the $10,000.00 appropriated by HB 184 for this study, a total of $7876.00 was expended.

1996 On May 5, the 1982 application to B.L.M. for this project was withdrawn by order of D.O.T. due to "lack of interest," in spite of my 1994 legislation which certainly indicated a continuing interest!

1999 HB 12 reauthorizes delineation of the corridor, subject to legislative appropriation. Thus, this bill carries no fiscal impact. It merely reauthorizes and updates the 1982 statute.

Both the Canadian and Russian governments, as well as our own, are increasingly interested in a U.S.-Asian link via rail through Alaska. HB 12 allows eventual funding from any source, private or governmental, and I want the authorization on the books now so we aren't scrambling for it when project funds become available.

Advantages to Alaska are obvious: resource development, tourism, job opportunities for ALL areas of Alaska, with controlled access - and without the expensive maintenance problems of other modes of transportation.