FY2013-28 Adopting a Federal CIP List for FY2014 1 Introduced by: Borough Manager
2 Requested by: Borough Assembly
3 Drafted by: Special Projects Support
Introduced on: 03/07/2013
4 Adopted on: 03/07/2013
5
6 KODIAK ISLAND BOROUGH
7 RESOLUTION NO. FY2013 -28
8
9 A RESOLUTION OF THE ASSEMBLY OF THE KODIAK ISLAND BOROUGH
10 ADOPTING A FEDERAL CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM AND IDENTIFYING
11 FEDERAL PROGRAM PRIORITIES FOR FEDERAL FISCAL YEAR 2014
12
13 WHEREAS, a capital improvement program has been adopted by the Kodiak Island
14 Borough Assembly that identifies the needs of the community over the next five years; and
15
16 WHEREAS, the Kodiak Island Borough has identified one main capital improvement
17 project to submit to the Alaska Congressional Delegation for funding consideration; and
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19 WHEREAS, the Alaska Congressional Delegation has requested the views of the Kodiak
20 Island Borough on which federal programs should be considered priorities for rural Alaskan
21 communities and their residents.
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23 NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE ASSEMBLY OF THE KODIAK ISLAND
24 BOROUGH THAT:
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26 Section 1: The Kodiak Island Borough's top federal capital improvement project priority for
27 federal fiscal year 2014 is as follows:
28
29 1. Landfill Wastewater Treatment
30 Total Estimated Cost of the Project: $29,000,000
31 Funding Sources: Kodiak Island Borough revenue bonds, $24,000,000
32 State of Alaska
33 Federal Funding Request: $5,000,000
34
35 The Kodiak Island Borough's landfill is estimated to reach the limits of its permitted
36 capacity within two years. To address this problem a lateral expansion project
37 constructing new cells adjacent to the existing landfill is underway. Current Alaska
38 Department of Environmental Conservation regulations implementing the federal Clean
39 Water Act require the new cells to be fully lined to capture all leachate or fluids
40 produced by the waste. The captured leachate will be processed in a newly
41 constructed treatment facility on -site. This treatment represents an unfunded federal
42 mandate. Federal assistance to communities to comply with this federal mandate has
43 been available in the past through EPA's State and Tribal Assistance Grant Program
44 (the "STAG" Program). The Kodiak Island Borough is seeking the Alaska Delegation's
45 assistance to restore funding for the STAG program so that the KIB can compete for
46 federal matching funds for this project.
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Kodiak Island Borough, Alaska Resolution No. FY2013 -28
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48 Section 2: The Kodiak Island Borough's views and recommendations on priority federal
49 programs are as follows:
50
51 1. Payment -In- Lieu -of- Taxes: There are over 2.8 million acres removed by the Federal
52 Government from taxation within the boundaries of the Kodiak Island Borough. This is
53 and that would otherwise be available to the private sector to develop, creating jobs for
54 the residents of Kodiak and the rural Kodiak Island communities. This in turn would
55 create tax revenues for the Kodiak Island Borough. PILT was enacted by Congress to
56 help offset the loss of revenues to municipal entities caused by federal land
57 withdrawals within local government boundaries. The KIB uses these funds to provide
58 basic social services, including medical care, emergency fire and rescue services,
59 roads, and schools. The final PILT payment to boroughs and counties will be in 2013
60 without reauthorization of the program. The Kodiak Island Borough is seeking the
61 Delegation's assistance in extending the PILT Program for another five years.
62
63 2. Refuge Revenue Sharing: The National Wildlife Refuge Fund is a critical source of
64 replacement revenue to communities like ours who have the presence of a large
65 Federal wildlife refuge within their boundaries. That presence removes substantial
66 amounts of property from the local property tax base. The share we receive from the
67 Fund is based on a formula that partially compensates us for our tax losses due to the
68 existence of the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge. The Refuge is over 1.9 million acres
69 in size and therefore has permanently removed from private ownership, development
70 and taxation over half the property on the island. The current Administration
71 recommended no funding for this important program. The Kodiak Island Borough is
72 seeking the Alaska Delegation's assistance in providing level funding for this program.
73
74 3. Groundfish Surveys: The North Pacific Fishery Management Council has raised
75 concerns with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration about what
76 appears to be slippage in the winter and summer groundfish surveys for the Gulf of
77 Alaska. The diminution in these surveys will eventually come back to haunt Kodiak
78 fishermen and processors should the North Pacific Council turn precautionary in the
79 establishment of annual groundfish quotas due to insufficient stock assessment data.
80 A reduction in federal groundfish quotas for pollock, cod, and rockfish would result in
81 lost economic opportunities for Kodiak residents and lower raw fish tax receipts over
82 time. The Kodiak Island Borough recommends that the Alaska Delegation add the
83 groundfish surveys to the list of programs to be protected in the FY2013 budget
84 process.
85
86 4. Karluk Lake Enrichment Project: The Karluk Lake system on the west side of Kodiak
87 Island is the largest producer of sockeye salmon in the Kodiak area and supports a
88 large portion of the area's commercial and subsistence sockeye fisheries. Since 2007,
89 returns of adult sockeye to the Karluk system have been extremely poor, most likely
90 due to over escapement of spawning adults in earlier years. Continuing low returns will
91 not only deprive local fisheries, low spawning escapements will also reduce the supply
92 of marine derived nutrients to the lake system. Thus, the system may remain in a low
93 state of productivity indefinitely into the future.
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93 In order to bring the Karluk Lake ecosystem back to its earlier, higher level of
94 production, the Kodiak Regional Aquaculture Association (KRAA) proposes to apply
95 nutrients over the course of up to five years. This lake enrichment project follows
96 established protocols for rehabilitating sockeye salmon rearing environments.
97 However, because Kariuk Lake is within the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge and a pre -
98 statehood withdrawal, it appears that approval is required from the U.S. Fish and
99 Wildlife Service. Refuge compatibility reviews and environmental assessments by the
100 USFWS have been protracted and are not yet complete.
101 It is vitally important that the USFWS approve this lake enrichment project without
102 delay. It would additionally helpful if the local federal refuge staff were to act as a
103 cooperating agency in the project, provide logistic support, and help monitor the
104 results. The Kodiak Island Borough supports local facilitation and approval of this
105 important project that has a direct impact to the community's economic base.
106
107 5. Bypass Mail Program: The Congress is currently working on legislation to reform the
108 U.S. Postal System in an effort to stem the financial losses currently being incurred by
109 the U.S. Postal Service. A number of Members of Congress have used this legislative
110 initiative to advocate for the curtailment or elimination of the postal rate subsidies for
111 rural Alaska. Postal service is a fundamental right guaranteed to all Americans under
112 the U.S. Constitution. Universal service is a cornerstone of our current Postal System.
113 The existing Bypass Mail Program is the mechanism used by the U.S. Postal Service
114 to guarantee the benefits of universal service to Americans living in the rural areas of
115 Alaska. The elimination of Bypass Mail will discriminate against Alaskans by depriving
116 them of the uniform postal rates available to all other Americans. The KIB recommends
117 that the Alaska Delegation vigorously oppose any efforts to terminate or undermine the
118 Bypass Mail Program.
119
120 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Kodiak Island Borough administration is hereby
121 instructed to advise Congress and the appropriate agencies of the United States Federal
122 Government of the Capital Improvement Program and priorities adopted by the Kodiak
123 Island Borough Assembly.
124
125 ADOPTED BY THE ASSEMBLY OF THE KODIAK ISLAND BOROUGH
126 THIS SEVENTH DAY OF MARCH, 2013
127
128 KODIAK ISLAND BOROUGH
129
130 It b.?,
V
131 ATTEST: Jerome M. Selby, Bo gtr or
132
133
134 PI
135 Nova M. Javier, MMC, :orough Clerk
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Kodiak Island Borough, Alaska Resolution No. FY2013 -28
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