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Economic Development and Advocacy for Southwest Alaska
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March 8, 2010 |
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Greetings!
Things are still moving along at the SWAMC office, and we've been able to focus on other matters now that another Annual Economic Summit & Membership Meeting has come and gone. We've been monitoring and commenting on some of the legislation coming out of Juneau, including: Marine Advisory Program funding; increased ferry access; a statewide micro-loan revolving fund; a dedicated transportation infrastructure fund (see more on this below); and a host of energy issues. Brett Welcher, our planning VISTA, is busy wrapping up our Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS), which will be available for review by April. Katie Abbott, another one of our fine VISTAs, has been assisting with energy and transportation planning. Lastly, things are starting to pick up with the crew data collection project being spearheaded by ADF&G, and we'll have more to report on that in the very near future. Until then, thanks for reading.
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AEA Announces Update on Energy Efficiency & Conservation Block Grants
The
Alaska Energy Authority has received American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
(ARRA) funding that will be made available through an application process to
qualifying local governments. The local  sub-grant funding totals $5,180,490 and
is part of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) program from the US Department of Energy (US
DOE). Eligible projects include energy efficiency audits for public buildings,
energy efficiency measures in public buildings, energy efficiency measures to
other public facilities, and energy conservation measures. All updates and the
application materials for these grants, when ready, will be posted on the
Alaska Energy Authority web site page dedicated to the Alaska Small City EECBG: http://www.akenergyauthority.org/eecbg.html. It is anticipated that applications could be
available in the next couple of weeks; once released, cities will have
approximately 30 days to complete the applications. In addition, all Tribal Governments will receive direct EECBG funding from the US DOE. Contact SWAMC if you have any
questions.
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SWAMC
Seeking New Economic Development Specialist
March 2010 - SWAMC is recruiting for a new Economic
Development Specialist. The EDS functions in a variety of capacities to
support the Executive Director and the work of committees, conducts
research, writes reports, implements programs, and serves as a liaison
to communities and businesses in Southwest Alaska. This is a full-time
exempt position. Interested individuals can visit www.swamc.org to
read the job description and apply. Applications are due March 22 by
5 pm.
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 Transportation Fund Idea Gaining Traction?
As you may know, 87% of Alaska's FY10 transportation budget
comes from the federal government. The current federal reauthorization
legislation has already expired and is being extended month to month until new
legislation can be passed. The new reauthorization bill is unfavorable for
states with small populations due to an emphasis on mass transit and green
transportation. To remedy this, House Joint Resolution 42 will
put a constitutional amendment before voters to change the Alaska constitution
to allow a dedicated fund for Capital Transportation Projects. House Bill 329 is the funding mechanism for this initiative and
will define the Alaska Transportation Infrastructure Fund (ATIF). It will also
define how
the fund will be managed, how the earnings will be spent and who will decide
which projects will be funded each year. A copy of the bill and further information can be found here. The goal of the sponsor is to move the bill from the
Transportation committee to the Finance Committee on Tuesday, March 9. Contact your
local LIO or Representative Peggy Wilson's office to testify. SWAMC's members passed a resolution in 2009 in favor of a dedicated transportation fund.
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Alaska Forward Phase I Document Released Tomorrow
 If you recall from our luncheon on day two of the SWAMC annual conference, the Alaska Partnership for Economic Development is set to release Phase One of their statewide economic development plan. The Alaska Forward initiative will ultimately provide an action plan to identify, prioritize, and implement the state's economic development program. The plan is meant to provide guidance to the Alaska legislature, government policy-makers, regional economic development groups, and local community entities. The document will be available to download on March 9.
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Some of our Partners
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| Upcoming Events |
- 3rd Western Alaska Interdisciplinary Science Conference, Unalaska. March 24-27.
- Alaska SourceLink Small Business Presentation, Unalaska City Hall. March 26.
- North Pacific Fishery Management Council, Anchorage, April 6.
- Comments Due for NOAA Proposed Draft Catch Share Policy. April 10.
- 2010 ComFish Alaska, Kodiak. April 15-17.
- The Aleutian/Pribilof Islands Energy Summit, Anchorage. April 24-26.
- 6th Alaska Rural Energy Conference, Fairbanks. April 27-29.
- 2010 Alaska Rural Health Conference, Anchorage. April 28-30.
- 2nd International Congress on Seafood Technology, Anchorage. May 10-13.
- 2010 Kodiak Crab Festival, Kodiak. May 27-31.
- REAP's 2010 Business of Clean Energy Forum, Anchorage. June 17-18.
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As always...
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Thanks for your support of SWAMC. Please don't hesitate to share your thoughts, concerns, ideas and events.
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