WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Lisa Murkowski’s innovative provision to allow for development partnerships to finance an Arctic Deep Draft Port passed the Senate today and is headed to the President’s desk for a signature. 

The port infrastructure language was a component of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) bill, which also includes Murkowski priorities to support rural and subsistence harbors throughout the state and transfer land from the federal government to the City of Seward that will allow the city to invest in the community’s waterfront area.

“With dollars tough to come for federal investments in infrastructure, my Arctic Deep Draft Port amendment opens the doors to the Corps of Engineers working with non-federal public entities to find the necessary resources to move forward with a key component of our state and nation’s Arctic infrastructure needs,” said Murkowski.  “This one small provision could open the door to incredibly meaningful progress in the region that will benefit our state.”