WASHINGTON, D.C. – The senior members of Alaska’s congressional delegation, Sen. Lisa
Murkowski and Rep. Don Young, today welcomed the decision by the Environmental
Protection Agency to not oppose a proposed railroad bridge across the Tanana
River in Interior Alaska.
The
bridge was approved by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as part of the Alaska
Railroad’s Northern Rail Extension. The project would extend rail service 80
miles from North Pole to Fort Greely, home to the U.S. Army’s missile
interceptor base.
“The
EPA’s decision is good news for the Interior and will help ensure the viability
of the military in Alaska in the future,” Murkowski said. “The expansion of the
railroad will provide the military with year-round access to the unmatched
training grounds on the Tanana Flats.”
“This
decision was the right one,” Young said. “This bridge will provide
opportunities to Interior Alaska, and help secure the long-term presence of the
military in Fairbanks. Given our short construction season, a decision by
the EPA against moving forward with this project would have killed it,
obstructing responsible development and hurting the local economies. Moving
forward with the bridge is the right decision and the only responsible choice.”
Murkowski
and Young had sent a letter to the EPA seeking a meeting with EPA Administrator
Lisa Jackson. They also had had their staffs work with the agency, presenting
the technical case why the EPA should not oppose the bridge near Salcha. The
Delegation has emphasized the importance of the bridge and railroad extension to
the Interior economy and to provide the military with year-round access to
training grounds.
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