Alaska is building again
By Sean P. Duffy and Nick Begich
With this administration’s support, Alaska is building with Washington as an ally, not an overbearing parent slapping Alaska with more sanctions than Iran.
No one denies the inspiring beauty that defines Alaska’s rugged landscapes and pristine peaks. The majestic mountains capture the American imagination of a last frontier ripe for tourism, exploration and recreation. But a critical element of Arctic governance was lost on the last administration’s D.C. monarchy: Alaska is a state about a fifth the size of the Lower 48, not a national park for the East Coast elite.
But while Washington can deliver all the permitting needed to go after minerals and oil, the next step is delivering investments in infrastructure to transport them. The Trans-Alaska Pipeline is a marvel of modern engineering to deliver rich North Slope oil south. The same kinds of investments will be needed to develop Alaska ports as additional shipping lanes open across the Arctic north. The U.S. Department of Transportation has already pledged more than $330 million to support our northern maritime efforts. We are only just getting started.
Upgrades to Alaska infrastructure are not just needed to solidify national security. Modernization is a priority to unleash economic prosperity. President Trump and the Republican Congress are more determined than ever to allow Alaska to become all it can be. While deepwater ports in Anchorage and Nome see investments for maritime shipping, Alaska aviation can and must be safer.
In a state where 82% of communities lack road access, transportation in Alaska is akin to connecting a massive island chain larger than the states of Texas, California and Florida combined. Some of the technology managing Alaskan airspace, however, dates as far back as Alaska’s 1959 statehood. Investments from the One, Big, Beautiful Bill are going to address this with $120 million for the Don Young Alaska Aviation Safety Initiative (DYAASI). Alaska aviation networks will receive $80 million for new weather observation systems alone. More is on the way, but we’re just getting started to marshal the state’s extreme airspace.
In an era where the Arctic has become a focal point of international tension, America must invest in Alaska’s maritime and aviation infrastructure to maintain peace and stability. Alaska possesses all the resources America needs to deliver energy and mineral independence, and Alaskans have petitioned Washington for years to harvest them. We’re not just getting D.C. out of the way. We’re getting D.C. on board.
Sean P. Duffy is the United States Secretary of Transportation. Rep. Nick Begich represents Alaska in the U.S. House of Representatives.