00               CS FOR HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 19(L&C) am                                                             
01 Supporting widespread infrastructure investment in the state.                                                           
02 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                               
03       WHEREAS improving the state's transportation, energy, and technological                                         
04 foundations is a key goal of the comprehensive economic development strategy of the state;                              
05 and                                                                                                                     
06       WHEREAS the state received a grade of C- when last reviewed by the American                                     
07 Society of Civil Engineers in 2017; and                                                                                 
08       WHEREAS the 2019 Alaska Broadband Task Force Plan identified the expansion of                                   
09 broadband infrastructure as critical to meeting the ever-increasing demand for bandwidth to                             
10 support innovations in commerce, education, and health care, among other sectors of the                                 
11 state's economy; and                                                                                                    
12       WHEREAS the deployment of broadband and satellites is critical to the state's                                   
13 comprehensive economic development strategy, because many communities in the state lack                                 
14 adequate access to the Internet; and                                                                                    
15       WHEREAS the state has an estimated backlog of deferred maintenance at state                                     
16 facilities of over $2,000,000,000; and                                                                                  

01       WHEREAS the University of Alaska has a deferred maintenance backlog of                                          
02 $1,300,000,000; and                                                                                                     
03       WHEREAS some communities in the state do not have centralized water or                                          
04 wastewater systems, requiring residents to haul water from rivers and lakes and use "honey                              
05 buckets" for disposal of solid waste; and                                                                               
06       WHEREAS addressing all clean water and sanitation needs in communities in the                                   
07 state would require an investment of nearly $2,200,000,000; and                                                         
08       WHEREAS residents and businesses in many areas of the state endure extremely high                               
09 electric and heating costs; and                                                                                         
10 WHEREAS the state's abundant renewable energy resources have the potential to                                         
11 reduce energy costs but require an upfront investment before these resources can produce                                
12 clean energy for decades to come; and                                                                                   
13 WHEREAS affordable housing shortages persist throughout all corners of the state,                                     
14 affecting the viability of rural communities and the ability of businesses and governments to                           
15 hire locally; and                                                                                                       
16 WHEREAS the state needs approximately 16,000 affordable homes, at an estimated                                        
17 cost of $7,000,000,000, to alleviate overcrowding across the state; and                                                 
18 WHEREAS the Port of Alaska in Anchorage moves goods consumed by 90 percent                                            
19 of the state's population and serves as a critical strategic asset for military readiness; and                          
20 WHEREAS the Port of Alaska in Anchorage needs significant investment to                                               
21 complete an ongoing modernization project in an active seismic zone; and                                                
22 WHEREAS other ports in Alaska need significant investment to improve, expand,                                         
23 and thereby provide increased resilience to the state; and                                                              
24 WHEREAS the Alaska marine highway system has an aging fleet of vessels that                                           
25 require replacement and repair to ensure the continued viability of this unique form of public                          
26 transit; and                                                                                                            
27 WHEREAS the need for infrastructure investment across the state far outpaces the                                      
28 state's ability to directly fund these needs; and                                                                       
29 WHEREAS several funding mechanisms, including the Denali Commission, the                                              
30 renewable energy grant fund, the Alaska marine highway system vessel replacement fund, the                              
31 Alaska microloan revolving loan fund, and many others established by state and federal law,                             

01 are already in place to capitalize infrastructure needs in the state; and                                               
02 WHEREAS the President of the United States and the United States Congress are                                         
03 currently working toward a meaningful legislative package with investments in areas of new                              
04 and existing infrastructure, power and renewable energy, housing, transit, and building                                 
05 retrofits;                                                                                                              
06       BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature supports widespread                                            
07 infrastructure investment in the state.                                                                                 
08       COPIES of this resolution shall be sent to the Honorable Joseph R. Biden, President                             
09 of the United States; the Honorable Kamala D. Harris, Vice President of the United States and                           
10 President of the U.S. Senate; the Honorable Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the U.S. House of                                  
11 Representatives; the Honorable Charles Schumer, Majority Leader of the U.S. Senate; the                                 
12 Honorable Kevin McCarthy, Minority Leader of the U.S. House of Representatives; the                                     
13 Honorable Mitch McConnell, Minority Leader of the U.S. Senate; and the Honorable Lisa                                   
14 Murkowski and the Honorable Dan Sullivan, U.S. Senators, and the Honorable Don Young,                                   
15 U.S. Representative, members of the Alaska delegation in Congress.