DRAFT Letter to Delegation

Dear Senator Murkowski, Senator Sullivan and Representative Young,

The Municipality of Skagway is committed to promoting environmental sustainability through expansion of the local market for renewable hydropower resources. Recently, we completed installation of four electric vehicle charging stations and we are continually looking for other new and innovative ways to provide clean energy for our community and our port.

Therefore, we are pleased to submit to you the attached proposal for an all-electric ferry that could carry passengers and vehicles between Skagway and Haines during our busy summer visitor season. The Skagway-to-Haines route is an essential link in the popular Golden Circle Tour, connecting the Upper Lynn Canal with the Yukon and the rest of continental North America.

Based on a high-level concept developed by Elliott Bay Design Group, the new vessel would be an innovative pilot project for renewably-powered marine transportation that takes advantage of the region’s abundant hydroelectric resources. Additionally, it is our hope that the vessel could be built in the Sitka boatyard, creating local boat building and maintenance jobs.

Attached is our funding request and an Elliott Bay Design Group spec sheet for your consideration should supplemental funding opportunities arise.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Andrew Cremata, Mayor

DRAFT Skagway-Haines Electric Ferry – Funding Request Supporting Alaska’s energy independence, transportation and sustainability

Overview: The Upper Lynn Canal is in need of additional and increased transportation opportunities, particularly between Skagway and Haines. An all-electric passenger and vehicle ferry built in the Sitka boat yard and deployed as a shuttle ferry between Haines and Skagway provides a new and exciting opportunity for the region, providing an economic boost across Southeast Alaska, creating jobs, and connecting rural Alaskan communities through efficient, affordable, and environmentally sustainable transportation.

Background: The Skagway to Haines route is an essential link in the popular Golden Circle Tour, connecting the Upper Lynn Canal and all of Southeast Alaska with the Yukon and the rest of continental North America. This project positions Haines and Skagway to best serve this market in the coming years and helps insulate the region from the uncertainties associated with future Alaska Marine Highway System viability and service levels.. Based on a high-level concept developed by Elliott Bay Design Group, the new vessel’s proposed north Lynn Canal service plan would be an innovative pilot project for renewably-powered marine transportation that takes advantage of the region’s abundant hydroelectric resources. The 120-foot monohulled vessel will have capacity for 100 passengers and 15 vehicles and will utilize a lithium- ion battery bank charged by renewably-sourced shore power in the Skagway Harbor. Predicting a summer schedule of two to three roundtrips per day, it can be estimated that the vessel will meet 85% of the demand on the Skagway/Haines route, highly popular with independent travelers, RV traffic, and visitors from the Yukon. (McDowell Group’s Lynn Canal Ferry Service Revenue Analysis July 2016) In addition to promoting environmental sustainability and expanding the local market for Southeast’s vast renewable hydropower resources, this project would also realize many additional economic benefits including:

• Local boat building and maintenance jobs. • Diversification of the Skagway and Haines economies beyond cruise ship visitor traffic by increasing service and capacity levels for the independent tourist market. • Visitor industry experts anticipate a significant upsurge in independent travelers post Covid-19 – this project would position Southeast Alaska to best serve this market in the coming years. Request: The Municipality of Skagway, Alaska requests $10 million of federal funding to pursue and execute contract design and construction of an electric vehicle and passenger ferry. Of that $10 million, $8 million is for construction, $1.5 million is for shoreside infrastructure adaptation for charging, and $500,000 is for design.

15-Vehicle Electric Ferry

VESSEL DESCRIPTION This 120' monohull vessel is intended to provide vehicle and passenger transportation between Skagway and Haines. The vessel is intended to be all-electric. The vessel will utilize a lithium-ion battery bank charged by shore power. The estimated contract design cost is $400 -$500 thousand, with construction cost approximately $7-$8 million, not including any shoreside infrastructure changes for charging.

PRINCIPLE DIMENSIONS Length (O.A.): 120'-0" Beam (Max): 40'-0" Draft (DWL): 7'-0" Depth: 13'-0" Lightship: 345 LT Hull Type: Monohull, drive-through deck arrangement PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS Design Speed: 10 kt Certification: USCG Subchapter T Route: Skagway to Haines Route Length: 14.5 miles Design Sea Conditions: Approximately 25 kts and 6 ft seas Passenger Capacity: 100 Vehicle Capacity: 15 (Alaska Standard Vehicle – 20ft) CO2 Savings: 1.1 mt/trip PROPULSION MACHINERY Propulsion Motors: (2) 700 kW, Permanent Magnet Battery Bank Capacity: 2.7 MWh Battery Bank Weight: 35 LT Battery Chemistry: NMC Expected Battery Life: 7.5 yr (approx. 2,700 cycles) Propellers: (2) 4-bladed, fixed pitch Rudders: (2) Balanced SHORE POWER REQUIREMENTS Shore Power Available: 2 MW Approx. Charge Time: 1 hr Round Trip Energy: 1770 kWh NOTES • All charging performed at Skagway between round trips • The hull and superstructure to be of welded steel construction utilizing a longitudinally stiffened deck • CO2 savings based on a comparison to the efficiency of a representative diesel mechanical system and assuming all shore power for the electric version comes from renewable sources.