By Jasz Garrett
Juneau, Alaska (KINY) – The Coast Guard section of the FY 2024 Homeland Security Appropriations Act allocates $125 million to purchase the icebreaker, so that the medium icebreaker would be available for use by the USCG in Juneau.
That bill also authorized the conveyance of 2.4 acres of waterfront property from NOAA to the Coast Guard to facilitate the icebreaker homeporting in Juneau.
That transfer was completed on Feb. 7, 2024.
Sen. Sullivan also put a hold on certain USCG promotions until the Coast Guard produced a long promised study on the homeporting of an icebreaker in Alaska—which ultimately recommended Juneau as the preferred homeporting location.
This funding is a result of over four years of advocacy by Senator Sullivan and engagement over the span of two Administrations with senior leaders in the USCG, Department of Homeland Security, National Security Council, Office of Management & Budget, and his colleagues in the House of Representatives and Senate.
He provided specific authorization for the acquisition of the vessel and provided expedited procurement authority for the vessel as part of the Don Young Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2022.
“We are confident that this will lead to an icebreaker homeported in Juneau, Alaska. That will be hundreds of millions of additional dollars in infrastructure,” Sen. Sullivan said. “That will be a large crew that will permanently live in Juneau. I was just recently in Juneau. The community is coming together on this issue in ways that I’ve never seen.”
“Over the last eight years, I have overseen over a billion and half dollars towards the Polar Security Cutter Program (PSC) so that we can strategically compete in the Arctic,” Sen. Murkowski said. “Through the purchase of this Commercially Available Icebreaker, and by protecting against further cuts to the PSC Program, our icebreaker fleet is back on the right track.”
“Adding icebreaker to the Coast Guard’s fleet will allow the United States to conduct important missions, project American presence, and take a leadership position in the Arctic as it opens up,” Rep. Peltola said. “Every Alaskan knows that our state makes the United States an Arctic nation, and that Arctic issues are Alaskan issues. It’s never been more essential for the United States to be a leader in the Arctic, and this is a major step in that direction.”
In this year’s budget process, Sen. Lisa Murkowski further worked to minimize harmful cuts to the Polar Security Cutter (PSC) Program.
This program is vital to recapitalizing the USCG’s icebreaker fleet with new assets capable of bolstering essential U.S. national security interests and our presence in the Arctic and Antarctic regions.
Sen. Murkowski also secured $25 million for the Seward Fast Response Cutter homeporting project, which is part of the USCG’s effort to expand and modernize its presence across Alaska. Since FY2017, Sen. Murkowski has overseen $1.88 billion towards the PSC Program.
Leading efforts in the House, Rep. Mary Peltola worked with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to ensure Lower 48 members would support the acquisition of a new icebreaker.
The FY 2024 Homeland Security Appropriations Act is part of the just-released Further Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024, which the House and Senate will consider in the next few days.
The bill still needs to pass before the icebreaker officially moves forward.
