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Economic Development and Advocacy for Southwest Alaska
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August 2013
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Greetings!
For a "slow" August there a lot of items to get to for this edition of e-Tidings, SWAMC's newsletter for members and friends of the region. Thanks for reading this month, keep in touch, and let us know if you have any questions.
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Ferry M/V Tustumena Still MIA in SW Alaska- What's Next? 
As any SW Alaskan reading this knows, the Tustumena ferry has been out of commission all summer and many folks in the region are asking "What's Next"? According to the Dept of Transportation, they are working to provide a trip or two out the Aleutian Chain before the end of September for those communities that can handle a fill-in vessel like the Kennicott. Unfortunately, that still leaves several AMHS-served communities without service due to their current dock configurations. SWAMC sent a letter to the Governor recently asking DoT to do all it can to reschedule some activity for this year, and to also get construction funds in place for the Tustumena replacement. The design work for a new ferry is going out to bid this summer, but it will do little if no funds are there to build a new vessel in the near future. As the past several months have shown, Southwest Alaska deserves a reliable ferry for the economic well-being of the region. We fully intend to work with communities, businesses, and policymakers to not only get service restored, but to secure funding for a new replacement vessel as soon as possible. We encourage all in the SWAMC region to reach out to the Governor, lawmakers, and DoT on how we can work together to find solutions to these two critical issues.
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Catching up with...Rep. Bryce Edgmon, Dillingham
 From time to time, we like to catch up with long time friends of SWAMC that have worked on behalf of the region. This month we have a discussion with Rep. Bryce Edgmon of Dillingham, who currently represents House District 36. Thanks to the latest redistricting plan, Rep Edgmon will now serve more of Southwest Alaska. But we'll let him tell you about it:
SWAMC: What are your thoughts on the Alaska Redistricting Board's newly adopted plan? BE: I'm very pleased to have essentially my old district back. I've enjoyed working with new communities but I'm looking forward to working again with Unalaska, Sand Point, King Cove and the other communities in southwest Alaska that I've represented in the past. However, the plan submitted by the Redistricting Board still needs to be approved by the Alaska Supreme Court and there is a challenge filed against the plan by plaintiffs in Fairbanks. My personal opinion, however, is that the plan will likely be approved and in place for the 2014 election cycle.
SWAMC: What have you and other lawmakers been hearing from DoT about ferry service to SW Alaska communities now that the Tustumena is down indefinitely? Do the Governor and DoT seem committed to making the Tusty replacement a top priority for the Department? BE: Beyond the obvious disappointment of the Tustumena not being available this summer and the hardships it has created for people in southwest Alaska, my focus in the upcoming session is going to be to make sure the operating funds for the twice-a-month service be kept in the budget so that when the Tusty does return there will be money available in AMHS to resume the service that people in Southwest Alaska have come to rely upon
SWAMC: Last year was a pretty lean capital budget, but what can folks expect in terms of capital projects in the near future? BE: Next year is an election year in Alaska, which in ordinary times would mean a larger capital budget of the two-year legislative cycle. However, on the heels of the oil tax cut last session and the Governor's insistence on keeping the draw on savings to a minimum, I'm afraid what we might see is a smaller capital budget that would not bode well for rural Alaska. However, I think it is a bit early to be talking about the size of the capital budget for next year. At this point I would encourage communities to keep in touch with the Governor and do their best to get their projects into his budget, which would be a great help to us in the legislature.
SWAMC: Energy was a major topic of the last session, and it will likely feature heavily in the next session as well. Fairbanks and the Railbelt had some of their energy needs addressed in 2013- what do you think Rural Alaska can expect from an energy standpoint in 2014? BE: I've always viewed the issue energy on two tracks. The first is the priority of maintaining funding for the existing programs like PCE, Weatherization, Low Income Heating, Renewable Energy Grant Funding, Community Revenue Sharing and so forth. The other concern is the longer term and the bigger projects that fit outside the scope of existing programs like the Renewable Energy Fund Grant program. But like always before energy spending will be a huge priority of mine next session. As a quick aside: I'd sure like to get as much funding as possible for the weatherization programs, a program that provides immediate savings that go directly in the pockets of residential users.
SWAMC: Is there any particular legislation or issue(s) you're most looking forward to for the next session? BE: As Chairman of the House Bush Caucus I intend once again to work with the group to establish common priorities for next session. Last year I thought we were pretty effective at asserting the needs of coastal Alaska. However, we're entering a different budget era in Alaska where dipping into savings accounts is the only way we're going to make ends meet for the next several years. On the plus side, we have a fair amount of money stashed away in savings accounts. On the downside, there will be a concerted effort in the legislature to reduce spending wherever possible, which could impact already challenged programs and services in rural Alaska in a disproportionate manner.
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Rural Alaska LNG Workshop Held in Anchorage 
A few private entities recently hosted a workshop in Anchorage focused on the idea of supplying LNG to rural Alaska. The event was coordinated by companies that have experience with small to mid-scale LNG development and delivery, something that could be applicable in rural Alaska- especially in coastal communities. The consortium offers a "turn key" solution for LNG supply, delivery, conversion (diesel to gas), distribution, and operations. Along with SWAMC, several Southwest Alaska representatives from communities, utilities, and fish processors were at the meeting, in addition to several regional Legislators. Natural gas has long been seen as a 'bridge' fuel for many rural Alaska communities, so discussions like these are important for the health of economic development in the region. This particular process is still in its infancy with a lot of market analysis and fact-finding yet to be done, but we will keep members up to speed on any and all resource options.
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SWAMC Business Member Spotlight: NORTHERN ECONOMICS
Monthly spotlights on a member business. 
Founded in Anchorage in 1982 and incorporated in 1998, Northern Economics, Inc. (NEI) has conducted economic research for both private and public sector clients in the SWAMC region for over 30 years. Their projects for SWAMC include the Economic Geography of Southwest Alaska. For this project they surveyed households, businesses, and government entities in Southwest Alaska to determine the linkages and exchanges between the Southwest, Southcentral, and other regions of Alaska, focusing on the flows of goods, services, people, and income. NEI have conducted vast amounts of research on the fisheries of the southwest Alaska region, including work for SWAMC on the impacts of the Steller Sea Lion management measures; work for the Bristol Bay Economic Development Corporation on restructuring the Bristol Bay salmon fisheries; an evaluation of the importance of salmon to the Aleutians East Borough; a number of studies for the Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Development Association; and a vast array of studies for the North Pacific Fisheries Management Council on the groundfish and crab resources in the region. In addition to work conducted directly for SWAMC, NEI have conducted studies in Kodiak, the Chigniks, Sand Point, King Cove, Cold Bay, False Pass, Akutan, Unalaska, Adak, Nelson Lagoon, Port Heiden, King Salmon, Naknek, South Naknek, and Dillingham, as well as projects for all four Boroughs of the SWAMC region. |
From the VISTA Desk: STEM Education & Workforce Update 
Last week, STEM Coordinator Cameron had the chance to visit Old Harbor for the Nuniaq Environmental and Stewardship Camp, a week long event that attracts children and families from Old Harbor, Kodiak and elsewhere to learn about their natural environment and how to care for it. Held annually on Sitkalidak Island, the camp teaches ecology, culture, science and stewardship, and in addition to learning about their environment, campers cooperated to keep the camp running and complete service projects, like painting new outhouses and helping Marines install a bridge on the island. Despite wind and pouring rain, the campers helped pull the bridge over the beach to its final spot across a creek. Camps like this one give students a chance to learn subjects that interest them in the field. There are successful summer camps across Southwest, like Salmon Camp in Bristol Bay and Dig Afognak, and we think they are a great way to incorporate more science activities into education. In the second year of our STEM Americorps VISTA project we hope to support more summer and out of school programs like this one. Photo credit: Kristine Route |
VISTA Volunteer Cameron Dean's Last Days 
SWAMC's STEM Education and Workforce VISTA Volunteer, Cameron Dean, will close out his service this Friday. Cameron has been a wonderful addition to our staff and he even extended his time with us another 4 months beyond his original year commitment to see some projects through and help us out over the summer. Cam is sticking around in Alaska, fortunately, and will be off to help coordinate other state-wide VISTA activities with the University of Alaska Center for Economic Development. We wish Cameron all the best and thank him for his many months of valuable service to SW Alaska! We'll have a new VISTA to tell you about next month.
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SWAMC Community Member Spotlight: DILLINGHAM 
Monthly spotlights on a member community.
Dillingham is located at the heart of the Bristol Bay salmon fishery, the largest run of wild sockeye salmon in the world. A village of approximately 2500 people, the Dillingham population swells in the summer with commercial and sports fishers, all looking for the world-class salmon the area is noted for. Once the summer season produces the 51% of the world's salmon its waters hold, Dillingham goes back to being a quiet little town. Dillingham boasts the type of "lonesome beauty" that only the tundra and vast river system can offer. With wild berries from salmon berries and raspberries growing, and 240 different species of birds, Dillingham is also home to tremendous wildlife bounty, including moose, caribou, fox, and bear. The area is adjacent to the gateway to the Wood Tikchik State Park which attracts people from near and far for fishing and sightseeing. The Nushagak Bay branches off into the Nushagak River which leads to smaller villages and some of the best sport fishing found in Alaska.
The salmon season for 2013 is pretty much over with Coho being the last fishery with a handful of fisherman participating in Nushagak Bay. Sockeye salmon price was a welcome surprise with most processors paying $1.50 a pound compared to $1.00 a pound last year. This is the largest price hike in many years and is especially welcoming with the low fish return in the Nushagak Bay.
Dillingham houses the headquarters of the most of the Bristol Bay regional profit and non-profit organizations. These organizations are the leading employers and are known to work closely together on projects and services for people in the Bristol Bay region. The Alaska Native population in Dillingham are predominantly Aleut or Yup'ik descent and rely heavily on subsistence hunting, fishing and berry picking. 2013 has been a scorching hot summer in Dillingham!
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Become a SWAMC Member Today! 
Last month we sent out membership notices via email to all of our current (and semi-recent) organizational members. The emails contained your entity's contact information and membership level amount, and were meant to serve as an invoice. However, if you did not receive the email, or would like us to send you a separate invoice, we are more than happy to do so. Just reply to avarner@swamc.org and we can get you squared away! Remember, members receive conference registration discounts for all representatives of your organization, and investing in SWAMC is a great way to show your commitment to the region's economy. If you have any questions please let us know!
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Our Thanks to These SWAMC Members!
Adak Eagle Enterprises
AIDEA
Alaska Aerospace Corporation
Alaska Airlines
Alaska Comm. Fish & Agriculture Bank (CFAB)
Alaska Groundfish Data Bank
APICDA
Boyd, Chandler & Falconer
Bristol Bay Borough
Bristol Bay Housing Authority
City of Adak
City of Dillingham
City of False Pass
City of King Cove
City of Kodiak
City of St. Paul
City of Unalaska
Coastal Transportation
Curyung Tribal Council
DOWL HKM
Era Aviation, Inc.
First National Bank Alaska
Foraker Group
GCI
HDR Alaska, Inc.
Icicle Seafoods
James E Carmichael
Katmailand, Inc.
Lake & Peninsula Borough
Marine Stewardship Council
Northern Air Cargo
Northern Economics, Inc.
Ocean Beauty Seafoods
Pacific Seafood Processors Association
Pacific Seafoods, Inc.
Qagan Tayagungin Tribe
Sullivan & Richards, LLP
The Aleut Corporation
WACDA
Wells Fargo
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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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