Governor Bill Walker issued an administrative order Governor Halts Projects on Friday, December 26, to direct all state agencies to stop non-obligated spending on the following SIX projects: Ambler Road, Juneau Access Road, Susitna-Watana Dam, Kodiak Launch Complex, Knik Arm Crossing, and Alaska Stand Alone Pipeline Project.
“Our budget deficit grows deeper as oil prices go lower,” Governor Walker said. “These are large projects that require significantly more state investment to complete. I’ve requested that state agencies not enter into any new contracts until we’ve had a chance to look at the various projects.”
Governor Walker and his team began working on this administrative order shortly after cutting the costliest projects out of the capital budget—so that agency heads have direction on exactly how to proceed with their respective projects.
Governor Walker requested the Department of Transportation and Public Facilities, Department of Natural Resources, Alaska Energy Authority, Alaska Aerospace Corporation, Knik Arm Bridge and Toll Authority and Alaska Gasline Development Corporation submit by January 5 to the Office of Management and Budget a report detailing operating costs so far, all funding obligations, as well as the potential effects of delaying, suspending or terminating contracts.
“This is a way for us to not commit new money into projects that may not be continued during this fiscally challenging time,” Governor Walker said.
Governor’s Press Office Can’t Count:
After posting this with the headline of “Five Big Projects,” I was given a heads up by another source that it was actually 6 projects not 5.
Initially, I had read the headline of the Governor’s press release (see above screenshot for yourself) and the number five sunk in my brain. Though I read the contents, I didn’t count the projects specifically. I believed the headline. Right? Natural thing to do, coming from the Governor’s office.
Now, I have counted those projects several times, double-checking and double-checking. I hope their press office gets it, too. (They have now.)
Eugene Harnett, Managing Editor
