2009 SESSION WRAP-UP FROM INSIDE: REPRESENTATIVE BRYCE EDGMON

Dear Friends and Neighbors, With the low price of oil, this was a tough budget year. But I am pleased that at least we were able to maintain a satisfactory level of funding for state government that provides crucial programs and services. As chairman of the House Committee on Fisheries and Co-Chair of the House Energy Committee, I was presented with many new challenges and opportunities this legislative session. I was glad that through these added responsibilities I was able to bring attention to matters of vital importance to the entire district. In particular, I know that every member of the Energy Committee found our hearings in rural communities—including Dillingham, Kotzebue, and Nome—indispensible for learning firsthand the needs and viewpoints of bush Alaskans. When our Senator Lyman Hoffman introduced bills to continue the higher PCE subsidy and add $9 million to heating assistance programs, Energy Com- mittee members in the House were well aware of the real need for these measures. I’m certain that this helped ensure the success of Sen. Hoffman’s legislation. I am planning a very active interim for both the Fisheries and the Energy Committees, and I hope to look in on constituents in many areas of District 37.

Wishing you a safe and rewarding summer season, Bryce Edgmon

CONTACT YOUR STATE REPRESENTATIVE! Bryce Edgmon

Interim Address: 716 W. 4th St., #390 Anchorage, AK 99501 Phone: 907-269-0275 Fax: 907-269-0274 Toll Free: 800-898-4451 Email: [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU REPRESENTATIVE BRYCE EDGMON’S

SESSION-END REPORT FROM THE CAPITOL APRIL 2009 Tight budgets dominate 2009 session The largest single influence on this year’s legislative session was the steep fall in the price of oil. With much less revenue to work with, our attention had to be focused on our budgets, and not many bills passed. Most of the negotiations were concen- trated on how to contain our spending while still making sure that necessary public programs remained effective. Our general approach was to construct a “maintenance level” budget. We sought to maintain the same level of governmental services as in the previous year, and we did our best to avoid creating expensive new programs. While this was a somewhat frugal approach, it was certainly better than the alternative of cutting programs statewide. The Stimulus package that passed in Washington, DC, gave us at least some money to spread around within our Capital Budget. In the Department of Trans- portation alone, the Stimulus package added almost $248 Million worth of pro- jects to the budget. In our district’s case, those funds are going to be used to finish the Wood River Road project in Dillingham and also the apron and taxi- way resurfacing of the King Salmon . Without that federal money, we would have had a very small Capital Budget. I’m happy we were able to help get funding for many projects, but there is a long list of needs for our district that were left out due to the paltry amount of state funds put into the capital budget this year. A quick glance at some statewide reports show there was only $183 million of General Fund dollars put in this year—not even matching what DOT alone captured from the Stimulus package. The budgets we passed will now go to Governor Palin for her signature. She has not given any clear indication of her plans for vetoes. Nevertheless, if your community has projects in the budget, I urge you to contact the governor and let her know how necessary and important they are. Wood River Road Receives Long-Awaited Funding

One major accomplishment this year is our success in funding the Wood River Road reconstruction project in the Capital budget. The project will be 100% paid for with Stimulus money from the federal government. The last significant maintenance to this State-owned road was in 1982, and local residents have been requesting help for this project for at least 16 years. This road’s reconstruction is a great example of what Stimulus dollars were meant to accomplish. FY2010 Funding for Coastal Impact Assistance

This session’s Capital Budget includes funding for several Coastal Resource Service Areas and boroughs in District 37. Also, direct federal funding from the Minerals Management Service will go to Lake & Peninsula Borough and Bristol Bay Borough. These monies are used for planning, projects, and activities related to the conservation and protection of coastal areas. Aleutians West CRSA $1,200,000 Aleutians East Borough $700,000 Bristol Bay CRSA $500,000 PAGE 3 SESSION-END REPORT Energy Committee Plans Unalaska Hearings The first year of the newly formed House Special Committee on Energy was a productive one, with several field meetings in rural communities and hearings in Juneau on a wide variety of important legislation, including our bill to create a Department of Energy for . We anticipate a busy interim. Here are just a few items we will be focusing on between now and January: • Our committee will continue making trips to communities in rural Alaska—including Unalaska—to show our urban lawmakers what life in the Bush is all about and how energy costs have impacted our homes and businesses. • Ed Sniffen from the Dept. of Law will work with us to explore possible legislation to address the lack of competition for fuel transporters and suppliers in Alaska. My thanks to the Judiciary Committee, which shares our view of the importance of this issue. • In addition to continuing work on our proposal to form a stand-alone state Department of Energy, we will also carry on our effort to develop a comprehensive Statewide Energy Plan. Giant Step for King Cove’s Link to the Days after President Obama signed into law a public lands bill that included provisions to move ahead on the King Cove-Cold Bay road project, I introduced a bill in the legislature to complete the state’s role in the agreement. HB210 will give state approval for a land ex- change with the federal government in order to establish a road corri- dor through the Izembek National Wildlife Refuge. Only ten days after its introduction, HB210 passed the House in a unanimous vote. It has now been transmitted to the Senate, where we anticipate it will also find wide support. It’s my hope that the bill will reach the gover- nor’s desk early in the next session.

At RIGHT: Rep. Edgmon with (left to right) Staffers Tim Clark, Keri Smith, and Adam Berg. Estimated Figures for FY2010 Community Revenue Sharing Adak $109,261 Koliganek $47,660 Akutan $162,930 Lake & Peninsula Borough $457,217 Aleknagik $115,614 Manokotak $131,151 Aleutians East Borough $389,512 New Stuyahok $134,795 Atka $101,993 Nikolski $34,528 Bristol Bay Borough $468,227 Pilot Point $101,546 Chignik $101,488 Port Heiden $103,259 Clarks Point $100,776 Saint George $105,209 Cold Bay $102,803 Saint Paul $132,662 Dillingham $289,457 Sand Point $175,280 Egegik $101,125 Togiak $161,047 Ekwok $105,487 Twin Hills $38,697 False Pass $99,398 Unalaska $389,892 King Cove $157,439 FROM THE CAPITOL PAGE 4

District Capital Projects An Emphasis on Basic Infrastructure in a Tight BudgetYear

EDUCATION MAJOR MAINTENANCE GRANTS Sand Point K-12 School Window Replacement $67,948 Cold Bay K-12 Heating System Upgrade $75,789 False Pass K-12 School Siding Replacement $92,042 Aleknagik, Clarks Point, Ekwok K-12 Schools: HVAC Upgrades $384,186 DEC VILLAGE SAFE WATER AND INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS Adak: Water & Sewer Improvements $526,490 Atka: Phase IV Improvements $310,385 Chignik Bay: Wastewater System Improvements Phase IV $396,605 Ekwok: Sewer System Improvements $364,231 False Pass: Sewage Collection System $638,276 Manokotak: Old Village Water and Sewer Plan and Source Study $189,000 Manokotak: Water and Sewer Disposal and Distribution Improvements $860,658 Pilot Point: Water and Sewer Pipe Extension and Upgrades $602,911 Saint Paul: Sewage Ocean Outfall $1,512,000 Togiak: Water Treatment Plant Upgrades and Repairs $1,066,856 DEC MUNICIPAL WATER, SEWAGE, AND SOLID WASTE FACILITIES GRANTS Dillingham: Water System Improvements, Phase II $3,090,000 FISH & GAME Collection and Genetic Analysis of Chum and Sockeye Salmon in Western Alaska $1,500,000 DOT\PF Maintenance and Operations $1,621,900 Chignik: Airport Master Plan Wind Study $100,000 Cold Bay: Airport Rescue and Firefighting Building Expansion $300,000 Dillingham: Airport Apron and Taxiway Resurfacing $10,200,000 Dillingham: 3 Bay Chemical Storage Building $500,000 False Pass: Airport Improvements $17,250,000 King Salmon: Airport Improvements $8,500,000 King Salmon: Apron and Taxiway Resurfacing $9,750,000 Dillingham: Wood River Road Reconstruction $8,900,000 ALASKA RENEWABLE ENERGY FUND PROJECTS Sand Point Wind $639,806 Unalaska Heat Recovery $1,300,000 Adak Diesel Hybrid $85,835 Akutan Loud Creek Hydro $237,772 Akutan Hydro System Repair & Upgrade $162,000 Akutan Hot Springs Bay Valley $2,995,000