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Economic Development and Advocacy for Southwest Alaska
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April 2013
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Greetings!
The snow is melting quick (at least in Anchorage!) and it will soon be time to start mending nets and getting gear ready for fishing. We've stayed busy at SWAMC with regional energy planning and several community visits, as well as keeping up with the Legislative session. Read on for more news from the region. Thanks for keeping in touch, and let us know if you have any questions.
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Regional Energy Planning in Southwest 
SWAMC has contracted with the Alaska Energy Authority to develop regional energy plans for the Bristol Bay and Aleutian/Pribilof regions. (A contract to assist the Kodiak region could be forthcoming.) At the energy workshop in conjunction with our Annual Economic Summit in February, we highlighted the regional energy planning process and broke out into the three sub-regions to go more in-depth on the philosophy and outcomes of the unique plans. So far, the Bristol Bay and A/P plans are taking shape in their own respective ways.
As you may recall from previous newsletters and meetings, the goal of the plans are to provide recommendations for activities and actions to help reduce the long-term cost of power and energy, reduce a dependence on fossil fuels, and improve the current energy systems in the regions. Each planning effort will include regional stakeholders, evaluate alternatives and provide a prioritized action plan of projects. As we go further along we will rely on SWAMC communities and members to be part of the stakeholder process, so don't be surprised if we solicit your input and guidance.
Bristol Bay has different energy needs and opportunities than the Aleutians. The Bay has several close and clustered communities which could present opportunities for transmission interties, while the Aleutian region is comprised of more isolated communities that require localized planning. And while the A/P region has a world-class wind regime, hydro-friendly topography and several geothermal hot spots, the Bristol Bay region has a different geologic composition with less severe winds, but potential opportunities for solar and biomass energy. Additionally, Kodiak will have its own unique set of challenges and opportunities, as we will discover once that planning process gets underway. In short, each regional plan will have its own identity, but the core planning outcomes are all identical: to find ways to reduce the long-term cost of power and energy to Southwest Alaskans. We hope you will join us as we proceed through the planning phases.
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From the VISTA Desk: STEM Education Update 
We listened to the comments from the industry and workforce panels at our conference last month, and one thing we heard from everyone - congressional representatives, business leaders and educators alike - is the need for more career-focused K-12 education. Many of the school districts in our region already boast strong career and technical education (CTE) programs, but as a region we lack a way to introduce students, whatever field they wish to enter, to career opportunities. Graduating students often don't have a complete picture of what jobs are out there or what skills they need to fill them. So, as part of our STEM education project, SWAMC is developing a program that will partner schools with businesses to create job shadowing and mentorship placements for high school students. Many businesses have already expressed interest in participating, and the variety will allow students to find a job shadow in a career path that interests them. We hope that this project will inspire students by highlighting the links between class work and future careers, as well as let them start preparing early for life after high School.
While developing our Broadband Report, one idea we consistently returned to was the need for what we call "Innovation Centers," spaces where people can collaboratively use broadband Internet access to improve the ways they live, study and work. As we thought more about the idea, innovation centers increasingly came to look like public libraries, so, thanks to funding from Connect Alaska and Alaska DCCED, we decided to offer competitive mini-grants to explore the opportunities provided by broadband Internet in libraries. We're happy to award the first of these to the Kodiak Public Library to set up a multimedia workstation that will allow patrons to use the library's broadband to create graphics, websites and more. The library will also hold workshops to teach people how to use the new tools for school work, business or personal projects. We hope the lessons learned there will be useful for other Southwest libraries looking for innovative applications for broadband Internet. |
Energy Efficiency for Public Buildings Booklet Released 
Folks may remember that SWAMC and its energy task force put together a home energy efficiency guide entitled Energy Savers Tips for Alaska. As a follow up to this, we contributed to another energy efficiency booklet recently produced by the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation. A Guide to Managing Energy Use in Public & Commercial Facilitiesprovides public facility, commercial building, and small business owners with a starting point for addressing energy use in existing facilities and recognizing energy efficiency as an energy source. Managing a facility from an energy standpoint allows owners to have control over operations and costs, which is vital because over the life of a building 50 percent of costs go to operating the facility, including energy costs, maintenance and repairs. This guide addresses target savings that can be captured through routine maintenance, energy policy creation, energy assessments and project for implementation. We encourage building owners and operators to check it out today! |
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Southwest Monthly Economic Indicator: Gulf Transportation
The Alaska Marine Highway system services SWAMC communities bordering the Gulf of Alaska, offering a valuable alternative to convenient but pricier air transportation, especially for shipping heavy items or people with flexible schedules. An unfortunate spotlight is being shown on the importance of this ocean highway, as the Tustumena incurs additional repairs to extend its service-life. The Alaska Department of Transportation knows the "Tusty" is aging, and is next in line for replacement; however, she remains out for service until June 1 st, due to unexpected repairs. Filling in is the Kennicott, making a monthly sailing down the Aleutians, from Homer to Dutch Harbor, on April 20 th and May 29 th (including additional scheduled sailings for Kodiak). The Tusty resumes twice-monthly scheduled service June 12 th through September 24 th. While the Tustumena is out of service, only Kodiak, Sand Point, King Cove, Cold Bay and Dutch Harbor have facilities to receive the Kennicott, a much longer boat. A quick search on the AMHS website revealed that availability for all summer sailings to Dutch Harbor are getting booked fast, with nearly all cabins reserved and only limited vehicle reservations available, though deck passenger availability is generally wide open.
Run time from Homer to Dutch Harbor is 3 ½ days (including layovers).
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Departure
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Arrival
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Hours
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Homer
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to
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Kodiak
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9.5
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Kodiak
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to
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Chignik
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18.5
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Chignik
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to
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Sand Point
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9.25
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Sand Point
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to
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King Cove
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6.5
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King Cove
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to
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Cold Bay
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2.0
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Cold Bay
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to
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False Pass
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4.25
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False Pass
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to
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Akutan
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10.5
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Akutan
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to
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Dutch Harbor
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3.5
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Homer
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to
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Dutch
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64
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The chart below compares transportation prices for Gulf communities with the Alaska Marine Highway System and Airfare for this summer.  | | Click Image to Enlarge |
The Chart below displays air freight charges on a per pound basis for 100 pounds of general delivery from Anchorage. Some destinations require multiple stops and carriers. Akutan does not include shipment from Akun Island to the community.  | | Click Image to Enlarge |
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Visit Southwest Alaska @
www.southwestalaska.com
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SWAMC Board of Directors
Louise Stutes, Pres.
Alice Ruby, Vice Pres.
Layton Lockett, Treas.Dan Clarion Dan O'Hara
Glen Gardner
Joe Sullivan Michelle Ravenmoon Paul Gronholdt
Shirley Marquardt Trevor Brown
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SWAMC Staff Andy Varner
Executive Director
Erik O'Brien Economist; Development Specialist Cameron Dean STEM Education Coordinator / VISTA |
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| Upcoming Events & Dates to Remember | |
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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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