Gov names members of AMHS work group

Gov names members of AMHS work group

Group has members beyond ferry system stakeholders

Gov. Mike Dunleavy and Department of Transportation and Public Facilities Commissioner John MacKinnon met with reporters Wednesday to announce the members of the Alaska Marine Highway Working Group.

The group will be responsible for draft a plan to make the state’s struggling ferry system into a more sustainable operation with a long term plan.

The group will be chaired by Vice Adm. Tom Barret, U.S. Coast Guard (Ret), who from 2007 to 2009 served as the Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation. He is currently president of the Alyeska Pipeline Service Company.

Barret will serve in one of three public positions on the board. The other two seats open to the public will go to former Alaska Sen. John Torgerson, R-Kasilof, and Wanetta Ayers, executive director of Commonwealth North Inc, a public policy think tank.

Representing the three unions which work on the ferries, the Inland Boatmans’ Union of the Pacific, the International Organization of Masters, Mates and Pilots and the Marine Engineers’ Beneficial Association will be Ben Goldrich, Juneau representative for MEBA.

Lee Ryan, owner of Ryan Air Services and member of the Aviation Advisory Board will represent the aviation industry for the group. Tony Johansen, from Fairbanks contracting company Great Northwest Inc. will represent roads and highways. Representing the Marine Transportation Authority Board will be Southeast Conference Executive Director Robert Venables.

Lastly, Rep. Louise Stutes, R-Kodiak and Sen. Bert Stedman, R-Sitka, will represent the Legislature in the working group.

MacKinnon told reporters because of Alaska’s diverse needs it was important to incorporate voices from outside regions served by the ferry system and in other industries besides maritime transportation.

“Because in Alaska you can’t just look at one mode of transportation. You’ve got to take it all into consideration,” MacKinnon said. “It’s not just the Marine Highway, it’s the infrastructure that gets us to the Marine Highway.”

The current condition of the Marine Highway fleet was due to a lack of maintenance over the years, MacKinnon said. Over the years funds for ship maintenance hadn’t been placed into a replacement fund or a replacement schedule, “it’s been done haphazardly,” MacKinnon said.

Replacement had never been part of the long-term plan, MacKinnon said, and in some ways DOT had been at the mercy of annual appropriations and bond issues, according to MacKinnon.

Dunleavy said he didn’t want to lay blame on past administrations or Legislatures and was determined to fix the Marine Highway issue going forward.

“If there are individuals that wish to hang (the ferry situation) on this administration, that’s fine. We’re big boys, we’re going to work at fixing this thing,” Dunleavy said.

The governor said he wanted to focus on stability and sustainability.

“We’re going to make sure that we have something in place so that future administrators and legislators have something to follow.”

• Contact reporter Peter Segall at 523-2228 or psegall@juneauempire.com.

More in News

This photo was taken from the LeConte. It shows the sunrise over Spuhn Iskand and Fritz Cove. (Couresy Phot / Tony Sholty)
Wild Shots

Reader-submitted photos of Mother Nature in Southeast Alaska.

Vera Metcalf stands on Wednesday by a chunk of sea ice transported from Utqiagvik and displayed at the Arctic Encounter Symposium. The melting ice, which started at 310 pounds, symbolizes the rapid climate change that is weaking the Arctic ice pack, with profound implications for ecosystems, communties and cultures. (Photo by Yereth Rosen / Alaska Beacon)
Sea ice, critical to ecosystems and communities, looms large at Alaska conference

Suspended in netting in a downtown Anchorage building is a potent symbol… Continue reading

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)
Police calls for Thursday, April 1, 2023

This report contains information from law enforcement and public safety agencies.

Nayeli Hood, 10, foreground, and Ona Eckerson, 9, testify against a bill limiting sex and gender content in schools during a House Education Committee meeting Thursday night. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Testimony gets colorful on ‘parental rights’ bill

Opponents of restricting sex and gender content in schools dominate five-hour hearing

(Left to right): Britt Smith, President of the National Engineering Society, Floyd Dryden Middle School team members: Tyler Oudekerk, Caden Morris, Dan Degener, FDMS Coach Alan Degener and State Mathcounts Coordinator Clark Milne. FDMS team receiving their second place trophies at the state Mathcounts tournament in Fairbanks on March 25.
Local mathletes make trip to Fairbanks count

The Floyd Dryden Mathcounts team recently placed second in the state Mathcounts competition.

President Joe Biden speaks during a reception in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, March 29, 2023, celebrating Greek Independence Day. (AP Photo / Susan Walsh)
Biden won’t veto Republican-led bill ending COVID emergency

Republicans celebrated the turn of events Wednesday.

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)
Police calls for Thursday, March 30, 2023

This report contains information from law enforcement and public safety agencies.

Most Read