“This right-of-way is the culmination of years of research, planning, and collaboration,” says AIDEA Executive Director Alan Weitzner. “The signing of this permit is a major milestone. It’s the first step in a multi-year phase of feasibility and predevelopment.”
Ice roads are an “elegant” solution to the problem of accessing Alaska’s remote projects, taking advantage of locally sourced materials without long-term effects on the delicate tundra.
“COVID turned the world upside down and retail was hit hard. At the beginning of the shutdown this spring, we were in daily communication with our retailers,” says Howard Hales, Lynden International domestic services manager in Seattle.
The twelve finalists have already earned a spot in the Alaska Railroad’s 2022 calendar. Now they vie for a cash prize, a Denali getaway, and the calendar’s cover in a public vote on the Alaska Railroad’s Facebook page where the grand prizewinner will be decided.
The jet’s primary use will be for expedited passenger and light cargo transportation throughout Alaska, Canada, and the Lower 48, as well as emergency response services.
The Alaska Spirit has been successfully fishing Alaska’s Bering Sea since 1989 when it was converted from an offshore supply vessel to a head and gut factory trawler.