Dillingham Independent Bryce Edgmon represents Unalaska as part of the 37th District in the Alaska House of Representatives. He serves as co-chair of the House Finance Committee. He spoke with KUCB's Andy Lusk on Feb. 9 about a variety of local issues, including education funding, Unalaska's status as an Arctic port, the Makushin geothermal project, and recent executive orders from Gov. Mike Dunleavy.
This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
transcription
Andy Rusk: I wanted to hear first-hand what your priorities are for 2024 and what you, as a reporter, should be looking at when trying to understand the situation in this country.
Bryce Edgmon: Very interesting, this session. Educational funding is probably the biggest issue at hand. Education funding, which typically accounts for about a quarter of the total national budget, is a negotiated product. This year, a different kind of tactic has emerged. The governor worked with the House Republican majority to incorporate controversial education elements into one bill. That was just a hot button issue for his first two to two and a half weeks here. I am clearly a proponent of providing as much education funding as we can afford, and that small schools really need all the funding possible given the high costs in remote areas. I am aware of this.
Lusk: My understanding is that they are working to reopen Nikolsky School. Do I have that right?
Edgemon: I think it's been a few years, but I'm really excited. The minimum threshold for state aid is 10 students. This is a prevalent problem in many communities, especially up and down the chain. That's the challenge at Akutan. I hear that Adak School has been permanently closed due to the lack of students in the area. False Pass, Cold Bay and Nelson Lagoon are having a very hard time keeping families and children in their communities.
Rask: Yes. We know these communities will face significant challenges in retaining their populations, especially students, as companies like Trident sell many of their processing plants. What are some current ways to address that problem?
Edgmon: Well, I talk to people at Trident from time to time, but not regularly. But it's a topic of discussion. They're a private company, so they're doing what's best for the community. For example, I understand their conversations with the Akutan community about the possibility of reusing Akutan facilities when a new factory is built in Unalaska. Things like the closure of older facilities in Bristol Bay are certainly having an impact. We're talking about it, we're aware of it, and I think they're responding as best they can, but as such, there's nothing we can do in the Legislature about it.
Rask: Another thing I wanted to hear from you is the status of Unalaska and Nome as arctic ports. What does that mean to you?
Edgemon: I always respect Unalaska because it's in my district. This goes back several years to the leadership structure many years ago when I first started representing the district. Unalaska's value, of course, is that it is a year-round deep-water, ice-free port. The ease of access, the proximity to the Great Circle trade routes, and the fact that there is a lot of traffic in and around the community. It has the ability to supply fuel to large ships. All of this can be done without them doing what they are trying to do to the gnomes. It's deep-sea dredging, essentially reconfiguring a harbor that wasn't designed for large ships such as Coast Guard cutters, small cruise ships, and even some warships. At least a billion dollar song.
Rusk: The last thing I would like you to consider is the status of the Makushin geothermal project.
Edgmon: I hope that when the time comes, there will be enough energy for the state to fund and feed the seafood plants and all the other things that are happening locally into a very robust local economy.
Rask: So is there anything you wanted to talk about today or anything I might have missed on these topics?
Edgemon: There's definitely a lot to talk about. One thing I would like to point out is that the governor has issued a number of executive orders this legislative session, which are actually almost like legal tender. The bill will become law if Congress does not act within 60 days after the session begins (January 16).
One of the bills we're all looking at is the governor having the power to appoint all nine members of the Maritime Highway Operating Commission. I believe this was born out of a bill introduced in 2022 by Congressman Stutes from Kodiak. I was introduced and passed the exam. As a result, the Marine Highway Commission will essentially be conducting a new review of the Marine Highway System, with two members to be appointed by the Speaker of the House, two by the President of the Senate, and the rest by the Governor. Governor Dunleavy, I think it's best to let him explain why, but he wants to be able to appoint all nine members himself, and as you can imagine, the Legislature… It is to counter the resistance of I think he might be interesting to Unalaska locals.
