[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6634750,"mediaKeyId","2662253-1126b484b515fdd0c3b69975101c1dd3","parentId",2662253,"title","Assembly unanimously approves resolution supporting grant requests for Denali Park community connector path","audioSeconds",419,"startMs",5753000,"endMs",6172000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2662253-1126b484b515fdd0c3b69975101c1dd3&start=5753&end=6172","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2662253-1126b484b515fdd0c3b69975101c1dd3/thumbnail_5753000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6634750/Denali-Borough/Alaska/Assembly-unanimously-approves-resolution-supporting-grant-requests-for-Denali-Park-community-connector-path","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6634750-0067776cb9a8be43c43b4ec266e313d2/orig.mp4?Expires=1775636715&Signature=NGXb1sHoKc1k9ZtYiZBrSCb7IzFRVRn1AhJtY20kct~BDkzsUT3jMAR5NjjTFIrect1OOp4eyDyeT6gyqH059YRlsN-C40rZMfzghd2vd0YyjkFMtAZe5yKcKOl7i6t1zm2LTZk7tPmGdov674zbrEII6aH1di2UgEgDcnv3fkxezx~Hwc2YiMzBM7Rkh-0KsqnyA~dITrRcC2iIfJxy14euo709zYX3iOBFhDI~AF8kUOdROkbxc-nOYo1qrnevH3FHmcIG4ts~m~k4tLr5rIKLvD9DahY8DaTfkNj1PNaUJcutgiLl7agD6QVBw7qhyo1sAXuj5LaHCQCAau-AOw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Denali Borough","date","2025-03-17T18:01:19.437Z","article","The Denali Borough Assembly voted unanimously to approve Resolution 25‑05 supporting two grant requests to fund construction of a separated pathway segment near the park.

Mayor Chris Null explained the resolution authorizes support for a congressional directed spending request of $3 million (FY‑26) and an approximately $1 million request through the Denali Commission to be used as part of a matched funding package for construction of a separated pathway from Santrana Road North to Stampede Lane. The assembly noted estimated total project costs are approximately $12.8 million for the full segment and that design and engineering for some portions of the corridor are already funded.

When asked about the likelihood of congressional funding, the mayor and assembly members described federal appropriations as uncertain but said discussions with Senator Murkowski’s office and the Denali Commission were ongoing. “We’re feeling good about that,” the mayor said of the Denali Commission invitation to apply for $1 million in rural surface transportation match gap funding.

Assembly member roll call was unanimous in favor of the resolution. Assembly members and staff said additional public engagement and design work will continue for remaining segments, including a design timeline for the McKinley Village to park entrance segment and future public input opportunities.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","March 12, 2025 Assembly Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","The Denali Borough Assembly voted unanimously to support congressional and Denali Commission grant applications for a separated pathway segment; staff said engineering for other segments is already funded and the $1 million Denali Commission request could serve as match for federal funds.","taxTitle","Denali Borough, Alaska","taxId",13632,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6634755,"Chamber director warns of tourism uncertainty as Park staffing and federal changes ripple through borough economy",574,2110000,2684000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2662253-1126b484b515fdd0c3b69975101c1dd3&start=2110&end=2684","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2662253-1126b484b515fdd0c3b69975101c1dd3/thumbnail_2110000.jpg","/articles/6634755/Denali-Borough/Alaska/Chamber-director-warns-of-tourism-uncertainty-as-Park-staffing-and-federal-changes-ripple-through-borough-economy","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6634755-4c34d54b57940f9b28158c4e039b145c/orig.mp4?Expires=1775636715&Signature=avaY41nMfJpiyA5pfEQ37A9T6Arl0iGC1aOzZd9NfUcySsLj~MyRXvM8kGALC0-ljqp3EAln9trlhgXRWHCqAVdGLi78CofRK2D7IS5UxB8AobyALDVz9NvztSechdvfSys1mvFfDZ9e0czvIN~wqWJvNwN~OlJYoea9cbHUiZhU~~5yoj85olwySwAx2RzStynaBgzw0e0izxj-NSx7VgSuMG7ObQnDKvjk96RGT91jeqtj0rMKsT9c0bg3~2ImOau4mgvPCYWctID~xQkLP~sXEqL4wmAPZwaWNXuJDyRCOlWn591owLkS2czNySvbgiEwOoFpx6CPNymUWjZ5kA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Vanessa Jusak, the Denali Chamber director, reported to the assembly that local tourism businesses are seeing mixed signals ahead of the summer visitor season because of changing federal staffing at Denali National Park and other parks statewide.

Jusak said her recent survey of chamber members showed variability: some outfitters reported strong bookings while many accommodations reported fewer reservations than expected for the season. She told the assembly that visitor counts in the Interior have not recovered to pre‑2019 levels and that uncertainty about park operations and visitor center staffing may be depressing independent travel. “There’s a lot of wait and see,” she said.

Jusak described outreach to federal offices including Senator Murkowski and Senator Sullivan and said some staffing and operational decisions at the National Park Service remain unclear. She said local businesses and park staff are constrained by personnel shortages and that she is repeating the survey in April to look for trends.

On community services, Jusak said the borough submitted an application for technical assistance from the University of Minnesota for a housing study and that the EPA provided a water planning questionnaire as part of technical assistance for a proposed community well to be sited near the Chamber building. She said the EPA’s TAC work will include design and planning documents to support future capital funding applications and that the community well concept could be designed to be expandable — for example to support showers, laundry and a shared kitchen should funding become available.

Jusak also described a pilot “Launchpad” service beginning in July to provide monthly in‑person help with job applications, resumes and basic upskilling. She said the chamber will run a health and safety fair and host the Interior Community Health Center for a federally required needs assessment meeting. Jusak urged residents who can document business impacts from current federal changes to share that information with chamber staff to help inform advocacy.","Vanessa Jusak, the borough’s chamber director, told the assembly that uncertainty at the National Park Service and related federal staffing changes are disrupting local tourism recovery; she described member surveys, a potential housing study, EPA technical assistance for a community well and plans for a Launchpad job‑support service.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6634758,"Resident and borough staff discuss subdivision plans, survey instructions and land‑management funding",5212,190000,5402000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2662253-1126b484b515fdd0c3b69975101c1dd3&start=190&end=5402","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2662253-1126b484b515fdd0c3b69975101c1dd3/thumbnail_190000.jpg","/articles/6634758/Denali-Borough/Alaska/Resident-and-borough-staff-discuss-subdivision-plans-survey-instructions-and-landmanagement-funding","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6634758-4e59a4352207e3641f3f07e40efad31b/orig.mp4?Expires=1775636715&Signature=ckEoCVlQkznTFYclPbhIyuwlrYL5YbWGRBTYus6~kYe4iQKJJ196JwGLhGEKmsqGyTQLgQytZ74w~gqHfEttgVzXiTLmSi6zhjSeWWc5aven7514SJwL1sOq1YWgM3KQ6Z4J8CBygV-NxcRXqyEWSGYQwKzUHsV~zJnYKGw6r2LiphWirFjsUV7vW7rFvSeIUdE5KBCC7a8NTz5ntkEpriAIQwkxYMU6sM~TFo3y9Meq2Thcdu9xKwPf9b6va06gqfD54pOLxRzD0bu0jB7yuMcqVWRQcosqQHihb~zfgO7rmUhu7OZDRn6vbGxh75iv7l1Q--Y~-lC1~SisqjLT6w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A resident involved in local development urged the Denali Borough Assembly to prioritize carefully planned subdivision of borough lands and to preserve high‑quality lots while seeking revenue from land sales.

Steve Jones, a member of the public, urged the borough to manage upcoming entitlement lands thoughtfully and said Village View and other subdivisions show how planned development can provide community space and long‑term value. He advised the borough to “sell the good stuff” rather than releasing lower‑quality parcels that would create future problems.

Community Development Director Stephanie Ford told the assembly that staff is preparing virtual and in‑person open houses for conceptual subdivision designs, including a March 18 open house and additional meetings and planning commission review in April. She said online maps and comment forms will be available for residents who cannot attend in person.

Ford and borough staff walked the assembly through a multi‑year process for receiving state survey instructions and title. She said the borough has requested survey instructions for some parcels and that, for very large entitlement parcels, the interval from requesting instructions to receiving title can be multiple years. “When we request that, by the time we receive title, that’s somewhere in the 6‑ to 8‑year range,” she said, and noted the borough will have two years to complete required surveys after receiving instructions.

The assembly and staff discussed a proposed FY‑25 budget amendment that increases the land management capital fund to save for surveying and subdivision engineering. Finance staff said the amendment assumes a partial withdrawal of permanent investment fund earnings (allowed by borough code) and directs a substantial transfer to land management capital for survey and municipal entitlement work. Ford said some parcels (for example the Penangni B parcel) are already in the survey process and could see title in the next year if needed revisions are completed quickly.

Assembly members asked for more detail about the timing and cost of surveys and how the borough balances consultant expense, staff capacity and long‑term revenue prospects. Staff said they will provide further cost breakdowns and expect some survey work to require multiple field seasons. Public commenters offered to meet staff on site to show parcels and discuss access and potential impacts of subdivision proposals.","A member of the public urged the Denali Borough Assembly and planning commission to pursue careful subdivision of borough land; borough staff outlined upcoming open houses, survey and title procedures and large capital transfers in a proposed budget amendment tied to land‑management survey work.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6634764,"Usibelli Coal Mine Officials Tell Denali Borough Assembly mine supports jobs, warn of replacement costs if coal removed",935,762000,1697000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2662253-1126b484b515fdd0c3b69975101c1dd3&start=762&end=1697","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2662253-1126b484b515fdd0c3b69975101c1dd3/thumbnail_762000.jpg","/articles/6634764/Denali-Borough/Alaska/Usibelli-Coal-Mine-Officials-Tell-Denali-Borough-Assembly-mine-supports-jobs-warn-of-replacement-costs-if-coal-removed","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6634764-3da15c9479a12f0c1313b31bff6c13d6/orig.mp4?Expires=1775636715&Signature=AePl7lLcXuHmMwk99uWdM3MuWdXfaDMtLvHTsJQ~MtwBcf1YmrqwRManG1yJBxFtxtj~e81KP2P1e4d~~Kniw6tSfbNmHdmFGd9ZUPhoq93ZC2aR5A2EfNhtsZXUiptCiuYdGw7qCHlnOfqeVFWwYoyBDkx7I6ycGmBIRr82MsL7OTiwOydW2WZnxCXbbbVI3ZyS8CeYPqO-tFZ9WLpdWJLkveIPPddAuha6RZM3mthhTewNwEmwifw8KllW86ZP82wdV5iYsAUw0gJpRUUrx8yzD0Fzvald2eEwtcguvGQu3-v1pe7rVpLifJmHuwe8IG-71IamuMX0Km6Fgg~Z3w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Lorelei Simon, vice president of external affairs for the Usibelli Coal Mine, told the Denali Borough Assembly that the company is the largest year‑round private employer in the borough and urged local leaders to consider coal’s role in Interior Alaska's energy mix.

Simon said the mine employs about 105 year‑round workers who receive roughly $15 million in direct salaries and wages, and she cited a McKinley Group economic report the company commissioned estimating that removing coal from the Interior power mix would increase annual fuel costs for the Interior by roughly $273 million. “We produce about a million tons a year,” Simon said, and she described an estimated 80 million tons of proven reserves in the mine’s current Jumbo Dome area.

The presentation summarized safety and community engagement measures at the mine. Simon said the company has an internal safety program and marked an upcoming milestone of a full year without a lost‑time accident. She described company giving to local education programs and partnerships with Tri‑Valley High School, the University of Alaska Fairbanks and local preschools.

During questions from assembly members and members of the public, Simon explained how coal is transported by rail to Interior power plants and how past export markets collapsed after 2016 when global competition and infrastructure changes reduced demand. She said reopening exports would require substantial capital and port and rail investments, and mentioned Port MacKenzie as a potential option if its rail connection is completed. “Port McKenzie is always a thought for us,” she said.

Assembly members asked about potential job losses if local units closed; Simon said the company did not anticipate large, immediate layoffs when one plant previously examined closure, though retirements might reduce staffing. She also described technical and permitting hurdles for any new mines or plants and said proposals that include carbon capture and storage would be at an early, uncertain stage.

A member of the public asked about methane emissions. Simon answered that methane released in mining is not the same as methane from combustion and said combustion converts volatile gases as part of the boiler process. She agreed to provide follow‑up data on emissions on request.

The presentation concluded with an invitation for borough officials and residents to tour the Healy mine operations and reclamation work during the summer.","Representatives of Usibelli Coal Mine told the Denali Borough Assembly the mine provides year‑round jobs and local economic activity, described longterm coal reserves and export history, and answered questions about safety, rail logistics and potential carbon capture options.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Assembly unanimously approves resolution supporting grant requests for Denali Park community connector path

Chamber director warns of tourism uncertainty as Park staffing and federal changes ripple through borough economy

Resident and borough staff discuss subdivision plans, survey instructions and land‑management funding

Usibelli Coal Mine Officials Tell Denali Borough Assembly mine supports jobs, warn of replacement costs if coal removed