00 CS FOR HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 14(TRA) 01 Supporting the completion of the Port MacKenzie Rail Extension and the Northern Rail 02 Extension; supporting the increase in defensive capabilities at Fort Greely, Alaska; 03 encouraging a renewed commitment by the Alaska Railroad to a community-minded 04 approach to future rail expansion; and encouraging the development of critical Arctic 05 infrastructure. 06 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 07 WHEREAS Alaska is the only state in the United States that borders the Arctic  08 Ocean; and  09 WHEREAS the United States Department of Defense has expanded the anti-ballistic 10 missile facility at Fort Greely, Alaska; and 11 WHEREAS the United States Army has developed new training range areas to 12 support the Arctic Mission; and 13 WHEREAS Fort Greely is the only military base that is not currently connected to the 14 railroad system in the state; and 15 WHEREAS a railroad is well suited to provide the transportation support required to 01 sustain military operations; and 02 WHEREAS a cost-efficient transportation system would benefit the world-class 03 mining operations located near Delta Junction and projected mining operations near Tetlin; 04 and 05 WHEREAS a railroad would provide an efficient and safer alternative to industrial 06 hauling operations on public highways that are not designated as industrial use highways; and 07 WHEREAS a cost-efficient transportation system would benefit the agricultural 08 industry in the Delta Junction area, allowing the agricultural industry to become more cost- 09 efficient and competitive and increasing its ability to expand; and 10 WHEREAS a railroad would provide a cost-efficient method of transporting goods 11 and services for both mining and agricultural activities in the Delta Junction region; and 12 WHEREAS the Alaska Railroad system has the capacity to provide efficient 13 transportation services for heavy cargo and large quantities of supplies to the Delta Junction 14 region from the ports of Port MacKenzie, Seward, Whittier, and Anchorage and to 15 economically deliver mining and agricultural products from the region to market; and 16 WHEREAS the extension of the Alaska Railroad from Port MacKenzie to Houston, 17 Delta Junction, and Fort Greely is consistent with the long-term goals of the Alaska Railroad 18 Corporation and the State of Alaska to extend rail service to the contiguous United States; and 19 WHEREAS the Alaska Railroad has already completed phase 1 of the Northern Rail 20 Extension project by crossing the Tanana River, which brings the rail line within 70 miles of 21 Delta Junction and Fort Greely; and 22 WHEREAS the Matanuska-Susitna Borough and the Alaska Railroad have already 23 completed nearly two-thirds of the Port MacKenzie Rail Extension, which brings Port 24 MacKenzie within 33 miles of the Alaska Railroad rail line, which is in Houston and extends 25 on to Fairbanks and the Northern Rail Extension project; and 26 WHEREAS the completion of the Port MacKenzie Rail Extension will reduce energy 27 and transportation costs, improve air quality, increase the efficiency of shipping bulk 28 commodities and materials to and from Interior Alaska, and provide direct rail access for 29 shipments of liquefied natural gas from Cook Inlet to Fairbanks, North Pole, and beyond; and 30 WHEREAS the completion of the Port MacKenzie Rail Extension will enhance the 31 state's resilience by establishing a strategic transportation alternative to ensure the continued 01 flow of essential goods to Interior Alaska residents in the event of a disruption at any ports in 02 the state or damage to critical highways from an earthquake or other natural disaster; and 03 WHEREAS the completion of the Port MacKenzie Rail Extension will increase the 04 available supply of natural gas and reduce energy costs for industry and residential customers 05 in many Interior Alaska communities; with increased natural gas supply, that region will 06 realize additional opportunities for natural gas conversion, which will aid in achieving air 07 quality attainment; and 08 WHEREAS the communities, neighborhoods, and individuals served and affected by 09 rail expansions should have an active role in planning, considering alternatives, and 10 confirming decisions made by the Alaska Railroad regarding rail expansions; 11 BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature supports the completion of the 12 Port MacKenzie Rail Extension and the Northern Rail Extension; and be it 13 FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature recognizes the urgency of 14 developing key infrastructure and defense capabilities, considering the investments other 15 nations have committed to the Arctic as well as the increased amount of time needed for those 16 types of projects because of the extreme weather of the region; and be it 17 FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature encourages the Alaska 18 Railroad to renew its commitment to a community-minded approach to future rail expansions, 19 including reporting to the legislature regarding the railroad's efforts to improve relations with 20 private landowners, communities, and neighborhoods affected by past and current operations; 21 and be it 22 FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature urges the Alaska 23 delegation in Congress to pursue the completion of the Port MacKenzie Rail Extension and 24 the Northern Rail Extension for the purpose of securing the critical infrastructure that is 25 necessary to improve defense capabilities in the state. 26 COPIES of this resolution shall be sent to the Honorable Donald J. Trump, President 27 of the United States; the Honorable JD Vance, Vice President of the United States and 28 President of the U.S. Senate; the Honorable Mike Johnson, Speaker of the U.S. House of 29 Representatives; the Honorable Chuck Grassley, President pro tempore of the U.S. Senate; the 30 Honorable Pete Hegseth, United States Secretary of Defense; the Honorable Douglas Burgum, 31 United States Secretary of the Interior; the Honorable Sean Duffy, United States Secretary of 01 Transportation; and the Honorable Lisa Murkowski and the Honorable Dan Sullivan, U.S. 02 Senators, and the Honorable Nicholas Begich, U.S. Representative, members of the Alaska 03 delegation in Congress.