Senate committee advances bill to transfer five Alaska Railroad parcels to Whittier
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Summary
The Senate Transportation Committee voted Feb. 5 to report SB 191 out of committee after testimony from Whittier city manager Jackie Wilde and Alaska Railroad external affairs director Megan Cummins. The railroad board approved sale of three core parcels that morning; the bill authorizes transfer of five parcels and includes an immediate effective date and attached fiscal note.
Juneau, Alaska — The Alaska Senate Transportation Committee voted Feb. 5 to report Senate Bill 191, which would authorize the Alaska Railroad Corporation to transfer five parcels of railroad land to the City of Whittier.
Sponsor Senator Kathy Giesel, whose district includes Whittier, told the committee Whittier is landlocked and that about “85% of the land in that area, in the downtown waterfront and aviation areas is owned by the Alaska Railroad,” a constraint the transfer is intended to address.
The city manager, Jackie Wilde, described decades of cooperation with the railroad and said Whittier has negotiated an agreement covering five parcels that would allow the city to operate land it already uses and to pursue local economic development. “We have been able to work side by side with the railroad and come to an agreement for the five parcels that are listed in the bill,” Wilde said.
Wilde told the committee the gravel airstrip noted in the materials is a Department of Transportation facility operated under a permit with the railroad, and said prior discussions envision transferring similar permit arrangements while the city explores longer-term airport options near Shotgun Cove Road.
Senator Kiel asked about environmental concerns after noting one parcel appears on the Department of Environmental Conservation contaminated sites list. Wilde said the city and railroad have discussed options, identified the old tank-farm area adjacent to the 3.8-acre parcel, and are conducting active Brownfield remediation on the largest area of interest in the first phase.
Megan Cummins, external affairs director for the Alaska Railroad, outlined the statutory sale process and said legislative authorization is required in addition to railroad board approval. Cummins said the railroad offered to sell three downtown parcels at fair market value and that “just this morning, the Alaska Railroad Board of Directors … passed a resolution approving sale of areas of interest 1, 2, and 3.” She added the bill’s authorization to sell two additional parcels (areas of interest 4 and 5) would allow the parties to revisit those later.
After brief committee discussion and no public testimony, an unidentified committee member moved to report SB 191 from committee with individual recommendations and the attached fiscal note; there was no objection and the committee granted the motion by voice. The chair asked members to remain after adjournment to sign the committee report.
The committee announced it will not meet next Tuesday and will convene Thursday for an overview of the Cascade Point project by the Department of Transportation. The meeting adjourned at 1:45 p.m.
