Federal infrastructure money includes major boost for Coast Guard Base Kodiak

Kodiak’s Coast Guard Base is getting a major influx of federal infrastructure money. The Coast Guard received $429 million from the bipartisan infrastructure bill signed by President Biden last fall. Speaking during ComFish’s legislative forum Thursday in Kodiak, Sen. Lisa Murkowski said most of that money is coming to Kodiak.

“Out of the $429 million that we provided for the agency, nearly half of it – nearly half of it – about $210 million is going to come to Base Kodiak,” she said.

The Coast Guard released its spending plan for the federal funds on March 17. According to the plan, $130 million will be used to replace the base’s outdated fuel pier. Murkowski said another $80 million will go toward improving amenities for families stationed on the island. 

“$40 million for new housing for Coast Guard families there and another $40 million for a new child development center, which I know is very, very welcome,” said Murkowski.

Elsewhere in Alaska, Coast Guard Base Ketchikan will get $4 million in funding under the infrastructure bill for a 65-ton crane to service cutters and patrol boats.

Kodiak Island is also set to receive $12.79 million from the omnibus spending bill signed by the president this month; $7 million will go toward a new fire station for the city of Kodiak. Those funds were set aside by the late congressman Don Young. 

Old Harbor will also receive $1.5 million for a new tsunami evacuation and community center through the spending package, and $3.25 million will go toward replacing a wastewater pump station on the island. The Alaska Research Consortium will receive $987,000 to develop a refrigeration certificate training program for Alaska seafood processors, and $50,000 will go to the Kodiak Area Native Association to boost research on harmful algal blooms.