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Economic Development and Advocacy for Southwest Alaska
| December 2010 |
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Greetings!
Hello again, and welcome to this latest edition of e-Tidings, SWAMC's monthly newsletter for residents and friends of the Southwest region. This month we discuss the 2011 SWAMC Annual Meeting, the aerospace industry, regional airfares, and more. Make sure to note some of the relevant regional events and dates to remember at the end of this newsletter. Thanks for reading, and Happy Holidays to all!. |
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Strong Communities, Vibrant Economies. The 2011 Annual Meeting
The 2011 Southwest Alaska Economic Summit & SWAMC Annual Membership Meeting is scheduled for February 10-11 at the Hotel Captain Cook in Anchorage. The agenda has taken shape and the topics have been carefully considered, as once again we promise a few days full of valuable information and great networking opportunities for Southwest Alaska's stakeholders. We've created a home page for the conference where you can register for the events, view the preliminary agenda, reserve a hotel room, and more. If you're interested in sponsoring the 2011 meeting (and we love each and every one of you), please go here. Finally, if you are interested in having an exhibitor booth, please contact our office.
In addition to our traditional 2-day event,SWAMC is also sponsoring a Coastal Communities Workshop with the Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program on February 9th, also at the Captain Cook. The workshop will be an open dialogue and include presentations and discussions on various coastal issues including seafood development, energy, climate change, small business opportunities, and more. It should be a day filled with lots of great information from one of Alaska's primary sources on coastal resource use and conservation. More information will be available soon as we finalize the workshop details. So mark your calendars, and we'll see you in February!
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News on the Kodiak Launch Complex & Alaska Aerospace Corp.
On November 19th, the Kodiak Launch Complex (KLC) ho sted its first satellite launch in more than eight years by successfully sending a Minotaur 4 rocket into orbit on a $170 million mission. On that same day, the State of Alaska enhanced its longstanding partnership with NASA by signing a new agreement to collaborate in a variety of activities of mutual interest involving small satellite development, advanced aviation, space exploration, education and science. The Kodiak Launch Complex, part of the Alaska Aerospace Corporation, has one of the widest launch ranges in the world, supporting rocket flights in multiple directions with minimal concerns about overflights of population centers or private property. These are challenging times for the industry, but the KLC appears optimistic about the potential for future flights, specifically polar missions, liquid-fueled rockets, Air Force activity, and other smaller launches. |
Two Announcements... Science & Energy
Solicitations are underway for the Alaska State Energy Sector Partnership grant program. The grant is for training and education programs that will increase the supply of workers with skills to support the renewable energy (RE) and energy efficiency (EE) industries, including geothermal, hydroelectric, wind turbine and biomass industries, and weatherization and rehabilitation of public facilities, commercial facilities and multi-residential facilities. RE /EE jobs require upgrading skills of incumbent workers; teaching new skills to workers in RE/EE technologies and preparing entry-level workers planning to enter RE/EE career. There will be a teleconference regarding the grant solicitation on Tuesday, December 14th at 2 PM. The dial-in information is 1-888-354-0094, and participant code 7345413.
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The Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program and University of Alaska Fairbanks are co-sponsoring a Kodiak Area Marine Science Symposium from April 9-12, 2011 dedicated to research conducted around Kodiak over the past few decades. The deadline for abstracts is January 5, 2011.
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Fish Meeting with Mayor Sullivan and Municipality of Anchorage Staff
Last Monday, nearly 25 representatives from fishing businesses and organizations, fuel and transport companies and several coastal communities met with Mayor Dan Sullivan and his staff with the Municipality of Anchorage. Arni Thompson of the United Fishermen of Alaska organized the gathering. The goal of the meeting was to impress upon the Mayor the significance of the seafood industry and its impact on the economies of Anchorage, the Southcentral region, and Alaska at large. SWAMC participated in the discussion, as did several other SWAMC members and Southwest communities. Looking ahead, we will continue to try to highlight the interdependence of our coastal economies with those living in other parts of the state. Nearly every element of the Southwest economy- including fishing, fuel, logistics, engineering, construction, government, freight, and more- is based upon a tacit relationship with Anchorage in some form. It will require a positive working relationship to keep the industry and our communities moving forward. |
SWAMC Planning to Map Renewable & Alternative Energy Projects 
The SWAMC Energy Task Force recently decided to map the region's renewable and alternative energy projects across the Aleutian/Pribilof, Bristol Bay, and Kodiak sub-areas. By inserting the projects into a regional database, we can see where gaps exist and where efforts can be made in certain communities to further decrease Southwest Alaska's diesel dependence. In addition to tracking energy projects, the Task Force and other energy partners plan to update and reprint the Energy Savers Tips for Rural Alaska booklet that was developed in 2009. The regional renewable energy map should be completed within the next month, with the booklet update following shortly thereafter.
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Southwest Alaska Monthly Indicator
| Lowest cost RT fares based on 30-days advance notice. Conducted Dec. 8. |
Anyone that lives in Southwest Alaska will tell you that we live in the most amazing region of the state; however, travel is expensive. A lack of roads means that there are only two ways to reach many communities- by boat and air. While a journey on a fishing vessel may get you a free trip, finding time to schedule back-to-back 20 hour days working on deck will mean taking extra vacation time. The other option is to fly.
A recent search into air travel to five off-the-beaten-path Southwest locations - Ouzinkie, New Stuyahok, Sand Point, Saint George and Atka - helped to illustrate the high cost of flying. Ouzinkie, at a distance of 246 air miles from Anchorage, costs $315 for a round trip ticket, or $1.28 per mile; New Stuyahok, at 281 air miles from Anchorage, costs $671, or $2.38 per mile; Sand Point, at 562 air miles from Anchorage, costs $824, or $1.46 per mile; Saint George, at 796 air miles from Anchorage, costs $932, or $1.17 per mile; and Atka, at 1103 air miles from Anchorage, costs $1677, or $1.52 per mile.
Air travel to the hub communities of Kodiak, Dutch Harbor and Dillingham, meanwhile, cost $215, $1079 and $594 respectively. While the prices displayed here seem expensive, searches were conducted for January flights with at least 30 days advanced notice; during the summer months, and especially when advance notice is not provided, fares can be substantially higher. As a control, Seattle, WA, at a distance of 1435 air miles from Anchorage, costs $418 for a round trip ticket, or $0.29 per mile (30 days advanced notice).
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Some of our Partners
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BUILD YOUR BUSINESS
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Upcoming Events & Dates to Remember
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- North Pacific Fishery Management Council meeting, Anchorage. December 6-14.
- Kodiak Emerging Leaders Dialogue, Kodiak. December 10 & 11.
- AEA Emerging Energy Technology Fund Meeting , Anchorage. December 16.
- 27th Alaska State Legislature Convenes, Juneau. January 18, 2011.
- Denali Commission Transportation Advisory Committee Meeting, Anchorage, January 18-20.
- 2011 International Wind-Diesel Workshop, Girdwood. March 8-11, 2011.
- Kodiak Area Marine Science Symposium, Kodiak. April 9-12, 2011.
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As always...
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Thanks for your support of SWAMC. Please don't hesitate to share your thoughts, ideas, concerns and events. For previous newsletters, click the link below.
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