AIDEA Applies for West Susitna Access Environmental Review

The West Susitna Access Project was identified as a priority in the State of Alaska’s 2014 Road to Resources report. In 2019, AIDEA and the Matanuska-Susitna Borough agreed to provide a framework for a phased feasibility analysis. The Alaska Legislature appropriated $8.5 million in project funding in 2021 for AIDEA to carry out the third and final phase of a feasibility analysis, which included hiring a contractor to assist with applying to the Corps of Engineers to begin the environmental impact study.

In April of this year, the Mat-Su Borough completed a stakeholder engagement process after assembly members asked for additional public outreach. That effort involved direct mail, virtual meetings, digital advertising, social media posts, and other communications tactics. The Corps of Engineers approval process triggers additional opportunity for community input, which is also part of the Alaska Department of Natural Resources best interest finding process, required as a pre-condition for granting a right of way over state lands.

The Corps of Engineers will evaluate AIDEA’s permit application and initiate the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) compliance process when they deem appropriate. The Corps of Engineers will decide how and when the NEPA process begins. Typically, it involves gathering input from stakeholders, conducting detailed analysis (issuing notices), and accepting and responding to public comments, among other actions.

“Alaska is a resource state, and the constitution requires us to evaluate how to maximize the use of our resources to benefit all Alaskans. If built, the proposed West Susitna Road Project would mean much more than extracting the state-owned minerals essential for a modern economy, and the family-wage jobs it creates for Alaskans,” says Governor Mike Dunleavy. “It would also mean new recreational opportunities for Alaskans and thousands of additional acres of land available for agriculture to help our state be more food secure. The feasibility analysis AIDEA is about to undertake will provide the state and stakeholders with the information needed to make informed decisions about whether or not to proceed with the proposed road project.”