Infrastructure

Rural Alaskan communities experience significant challenges in developing and operating water and sewer infrastructure systems. Their remote location, freezing temperatures, and regulatory hurdles often inhibit their ability to provide adequate water services. Moreover, engineered water systems are sometimes designed without using local knowledge and experience. Finally, training and certification requirements are often unreasonable and not suited to the local population, creating a gap in the local workforce.

Faults on overhead power line infrastructures in electric power distribution systems (DS) can potentially ignite catastrophic wildfires, especially in areas exposed to high wind regimes, low humidity and dense vegetation. The common practice adopted by electric utilities to build resilience against such electrically-induced wildfires is called public-safety power-shutoff (PSPS): strategies to intentionally and proactively de-energize power line infrastructures to prevent wildfire risks.

The purpose of the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) is engagement with stakeholders: local governments, businesses, associations, membership organizations, tribes, and State and Federal agencies to implement the collective best practices for the improvement of the regional economy. The CEDS is to be an evolving, guiding document for SWAMC, providing direction that supports economic development in the region backed by quantifiable data and the insight of our leadership.

The goals of the Workshop were threefold: (1) to share information gathered through the Arctic Council project with the communities; (2) gain insights that can be shared with the Arctic Council project on best practices emanating from the Gwich’in Settlement Area; and (3) provide an opportunity to build capacity and facilitate discussions amongst those involved in Environmental Impact Assessments.