- Details
- By Levi Rickert
In February, the U.S. Department of Transportation rejected Alaska’s four-year statewide transportation improvement program, or STIP. Alaska was the only state in the union that had its STIP rejected.
After Alaska’s STIP was rejected last month, state officials, including Rep. Mary Sattler Peltola (D-AK), went to work to ensure that the Transportation Department funding dollars were not lost. She began a series of conversations with U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Pete Buttigieg and the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOT&PF) to accomplish the task.
On Wednesday, it was announced that the U.S. Federal Highway Administration (FWHA) had partially approved its four-year spending plan, putting the agency on track to deliver $5 billion in transportation investments for Alaska roads, ferries, bridges, bike lanes, and safety improvement projects.
Wednesday’s partial approval came after the agency rejected the state’s first submission, citing 24 pages of flaws with the $5.6 billion plan.
Peltola said that given Alaska’s roads face harsh elements and require constant construction and maintenance, it is critical that the STIP gets fast approval.
“Today, I was happy to get a text from Pete sharing that the Federal Highway Administration had partially approved Alaska’s STIP to keep some of Alaska’s biggest projects on track. I’ll keep working to get as many highway dollars to Alaska as I can,” Peltola said.
After Wednesday’s announcement of the partial funding for Alaska’s STIP, Transportation Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Arlando Teller (Navajo) spoke to Native News Online on the importance of the funding.
“This investment is essential for tackling the exceptional transportation difficulties encountered by Alaska and Native Alaskan Villages on a regular basis,” Teller said.
According to the Transportation Department’s guidelines, had the plan been fully rejected a second time, it would have had a lasting impact on Alaska’s summer construction window with ripple effects across the state.
More Stories Like This
Native News Weekly (August 25, 2024): D.C. BriefsNative News Weekly (August 4, 2024): D.C. Briefs
Feds Release Media Guidelines for Reporting on MMIP Cases
Native Bidaské with Robert Maxim on the Recently Released Brookings Report on Indian Boarding Schools
Navajo Council Speaker Crystalyne Curley Visits Navajo Veteran’s homesite
Can we take a minute to talk about tribal sovereignty?
Sovereignty isn't just a concept – it's the foundation of Native nations' right to govern, protect our lands, and preserve our cultures. Every story we publish strengthens tribal sovereignty.
Unlike mainstream media, we center Indigenous voices and report directly from Native communities. When we cover land rights, water protection, or tribal governance, we're not just sharing news – we're documenting our living history and defending our future.
Our journalism is powered by readers, not shareholders. If you believe in the importance of Native-led media in protecting tribal sovereignty, consider supporting our work today.
Right now, your support goes twice as far. Thanks to a generous $35,000 matching fund, every dollar you give during December 2024 will be doubled to protect sovereignty and amplify Native voices.
No paywalls. No corporate owners. Just independent, Indigenous journalism.
