61°17′N 149°54′W / 61.28°N 149.9°W / 61.28; -149.9
77-548: The Knik Arm Bridge is a dormant proposal for a 1.74-mile (2.80 km) bridge across Cook Inlet 's Knik Arm to link the two fastest growing parts of Alaska – Anchorage and the Matanuska-Susitna Borough . The project consists of a 1.74-mile (2.80 km) bridge with 18 miles (29 km) of connector roads, including on and off ramps, and a $ 50 million cut and cover tunnel under Government Hill . Cost estimates are between $ 700 and $ 800 million. Proponents say
154-624: A megathrust earthquake occurred when over 600 miles of the Aleutian fault ruptured, uplifting the Kenai Mountains 60 feet (20 meters) in under 5 minutes. With a magnitude of 9.2, the earthquake was the fourth largest ever recorded. It devastated Anchorage where much of downtown dropped several stories, and the mountains surrounding the Turnagain Arm subsided 8 feet (2.4 meters), submerging the towns of Portage and Girdwood, as well as long stretches of
231-527: A "reserve fund" to be paid with State General Funds to cover estimated deficits for the first three years. Additionally, House Bill 158 and Senate Bill 80, also introduced in 2011 by Neuman and Menard, specifies that KABATA bonds would now be "obligations of the state". None of these four bills advanced beyond referral to committee . KABATA CFO Kevin Hemenway told the Legislature's transportation committees that if
308-831: A National Highway System route. In March 2010, with new members, the AMATS Policy Committee reversed their previous decision and re-instated the bridge project into the short term transportation plan. In December 2010, the FHWA issued a "Record of Decision" accepting the project's Environmental Impact Statement, after more than seven years and approximately $ 53 million were spent on studies, preliminary designs, public relations and cost estimating. KABATA has stated that they have asked their toll and revenue consultant, Wilbur Smith Associates, to re-visit their revenue and toll forecasts to reflect conditions that have changed since 2005. These changed conditions included revised population estimates for
385-776: A biological opinion of 'no jeopardy' from the National Marine Fisheries Service . Interconnecting with existing Anchorage freeways and other arteries presents an additional challenge. Original funding for the Knik Arm Bridge was provided by an earmark written by Don Young . The same bill funded the so-called "Bridge to Nowhere". The Knik Arm Bridge and Toll Authority (KABATA) came under scrutiny in September 2006 when reports surfaced that its lead staff had received 20% to 30% raises at an executive session in August, raising to
462-543: A centrist platform, mixing traditionally conservative and liberal positions. Walker opposed the construction of the Pebble Mine and acknowledged the existence of climate change and the need to adopt energy policies to help mitigate its harmful effects, but supported increasing oil and gas pipeline capacities and new drilling for petroleum in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge . He also supported gun rights,
539-556: A corner of the Pacific Plate subducts under the North American Plate , uplifted the ocean floor and compressed it, causing the crust to thicken and scrunch . Tectonic forces lifted the mountains and peninsula out of the water, forming a valley that was cut off from the ocean to the north and the west. The rest of Alaska's mountains were formed in the same manner, in cyclic events, and the mountain ranges become progressively older
616-460: A couple of rivers. Cook sailed up Turnagain Arm in his ship, HMS Resolution , finding it impossible to navigate against the strong currents and mudflats, and got stuck on a sandbar when he tried to get back out, having to wait for the tide to come in and free his ship. He never actually confirmed it led to a river, which led to a decade of massive speculation until George Vancouver returned to finish
693-645: A degree of state sovereignty for Alaska, and the Medicaid expansion made possible by the Affordable Care Act . On September 2, 2014, Walker held a press conference with Byron Mallott , the Democratic nominee for governor, announcing that they would merge their campaigns, with Mallott replacing Fleener as Walker's running mate. Mallott's Democratic running mate, attorney and State Senator Hollis French , also stepped aside, leaving no official Democratic candidate in
770-602: A gas pipeline in Alaska. Walker challenged incumbent governor Sean Parnell as well as Gerald L. Heikes, Merica Hlatcu, Sam Little, and Ralph Samuels in the Republican Party primary election on August 24, 2010 . Walker finished second, with 33.95% of the vote, while Parnell won the nomination with 49.49%. The general election was held on November 2, 2010 and Parnell defeated his Democratic opponent, Ethan Berkowitz . In 2013, Walker announced his intention to run in
847-604: A large domed community, included both an aerial tramway and monorail to span the Knik Arm. In 2003, the Alaska Legislature created the Knik Arm Bridge And Toll Authority (KABATA) to develop a method of construction, financing, design, operation and maintenance of the bridge. By 2010, KABATA had completed the final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and had obtained a "build" Record of Decision from
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#1732858132261924-407: A legislative ethics bill. The bill prevented a stronger ballot measure , which would have prohibited foreign corporations from donating to statewide campaign candidates, from appearing on the fall ballot. In September 2018, the office of Anchorage District Attorney Richard K. Allen entered into a controversial plea bargain in the case of a former FAA air traffic controller who allegedly kidnapped
1001-417: A mean of 30 feet (9.1 m), and the fourth highest in the world, behind Bay of Fundy (38 ft, 11.7 m), Ungava Bay (32 ft 0 in, 9.75 m), and Bristol Channel (31 ft, 9.6 m). The ocean's natural 12-hour 25-minute tidal cycle is close to Turnagain Arm's natural resonance frequency, which then reinforces the tide similar to water sloshing in a bathtub. Tidal fluctuations in
1078-528: A native Alaskan woman, choked her until she passed out and then masturbated over her. In response to citizen outrage at the reduced sentence, Walker issued a statement saying that the sentence was insufficient and that he would propose legislation making unwanted contact with semen a sex crime . Lieutenant Governor Byron Mallott resigned on October 16, 2018, citing "inappropriate comments" that he and Walker did not detail. A new lieutenant governor, Alaska Health and Social Services Commissioner Valerie Davidson ,
1155-442: A project reserve fund and clarify that the project is an infrastructure project backed by the state. These changes were necessitated by the 2008 national financial crisis . It would allow the state to repay the private investors when toll revenue is building up in early years after opening. Alaska House Bill 159 and Senate Bill 79, introduced in 2011 respectively by Representative Neuman and Senator Menard, set aside $ 150 million into
1232-571: A revelation of inappropriate comments, Mallott resigned on October 16. He was replaced by State Health and Social Services Commissioner Valerie Davidson , who was sworn in the same day. Though Davidson replaced Mallott as Walker's running mate, Mallott remained on the ballot. On October 19, facing low polling numbers, Walker suspended his campaign and endorsed the Democratic candidate, Mark Begich . Begich lost by 7.03% to Republican nominee Mike Dunleavy . Despite his withdrawal, Walker received 2.03% of
1309-518: A statewide income tax as well as reducing annual payments to qualified state residents from the Alaska Permanent Fund . His June 2016 partial veto of legislation pertaining to the APF resulted in annual payments to state residents being cut by more than half. The New Yorker later wrote that this "deeply unpopular" move "doomed" Walker's chances of reelection. In July 2018, Walker signed into law
1386-417: A typical salary of $ 130,000 per year. KABATA produced a 14-minute video which cost $ 57,490 including airtime. Former Governor Sarah Palin has been criticized for supporting the project, with one attorney for an environmentalist group suggesting she only supports it because it serves the area that she comes from. John McCain , Palin's running mate in the 2008 presidential election, opposed the bridge, calling
1463-562: A visit with Russian fur trader Gerasim Izmailov in Unalaska , and combined these maps with those of his expedition to create the first Mercator projection of the North Pacific. The inlet was named after Cook in 1794 by George Vancouver , who had served under Cook in 1778. Turnagain Arm was named by Cook, "turnagain" being a moniker he had used before, at his annoyance at having to turn around after exploring another dead end. Upon reaching
1540-564: Is an American attorney and politician who served as the 11th governor of Alaska , from 2014 to 2018. He was the second Alaska-born governor, after William A. Egan . Walker was born in Fairbanks to Frances (Park) and businessman Ed Walker ; he was raised in Delta Junction and Valdez, Alaska . He obtained a J.D. degree from Seattle University and served as mayor , city councilor , and city attorney for Valdez, and as general counsel for
1617-422: Is exposed, making marine navigation difficult. Historically, ships and boats designed for the area had a relatively flat bottom with a modest centerboard and absence of a large keel because the boats would occasionally become beached at low tide either on purpose or by accident. This design allowed the craft to support its weight on land without sustaining any serious damage to its structure. An example of this design
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#17328581322611694-680: Is listed as critically endangered in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. This was perhaps due to local hunt, although an article in the Anchorage Daily News questioned this conclusion. Killer whales commonly feed on belugas in the Cook Inlet, driving them to the upper part of the inlet where they often seek refuge in the shallower waters of the arms. In 2000, the US National Marine Fisheries Service listed
1771-569: Is primarily used to fuel commercial fertilizer production and a liquified natural gas (LNG) plant and to Anchorage where the gas is consumed largely for domestic uses. Alaska has approximately half the known coal reserves in the U.S. For decades, there has been a proposal to build a large coal mine (the Chuitna Coal Mine ) on the west side of Cook Inlet near the Chuitna River , and the native village of Tyonek, Alaska . American Rivers placed
1848-459: Is the Nomad, a much photographed fishing boat once owned by Joe Reddington which has sat on a mudflat near Knik for several decades. These mudflats can also be dangerous to walk on, exhibiting quicksand -like characteristics, and have claimed the life of at least four people who have wandered out on them, usually tourists, with many more being rescued every year. Cruise ships dock at Seward on
1925-481: The 2014 gubernatorial election as a Republican. Later that year, he decided to run as a nonpartisan candidate instead, taking the advice and encouragement he had received prior to his 2010 campaign from former Alaska governor Wally Hickel . Walker selected Craig Fleener, a former Deputy Commissioner of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game , to run for lieutenant governor on his ticket. He campaigned on
2002-763: The Alaska Gasline Port Authority . Walker ran for governor of Alaska in the Republican Party primary election in 2010 , losing to incumbent Sean Parnell . Walker ran as an independent in the 2014 election , merging his campaign with that of Democratic nominee Byron Mallott , who became Walker's running mate. Both candidates' prior respective running mates withdrew from the race and the Walker/Mallott ticket defeated Parnell and his running mate, former Anchorage mayor Dan Sullivan . Walker ran for reelection in 2018 , but facing low polling numbers and Lieutenant Governor Mallott's resignation, he dropped out of
2079-602: The Alaska National Guard , for which Parnell served as Commander in Chief. Following Election Day , the race was considered too close to call. On November 7, Walker and Mallott held a 3,165-vote lead. On November 14, after Walker and Mallott extended their lead to 4,634 votes, media outlets called the race. Two days later, Parnell conceded. Walker sought reelection in 2018. He initially ran with incumbent lieutenant governor Byron Mallott as his running mate, but after
2156-559: The Alaska Railroad along the eastern shores of Turnagain Arm and Knik Arm of Cook Inlet around 1915. The natives of the Eklutna village are the descendants of the residents of eight native villages around upper Cook Inlet. During the 1964 Alaska earthquake , areas around the head of Turnagain Arm near Girdwood and Portage dropped as much as 8 feet (2.4 m) by subsidence and subsequent tidal action. Both hamlets were destroyed. Girdwood
2233-595: The Aleutian Islands and Koniag natives from Kodiak , to hunt for sea otters and other marine mammal species for trade with China via Russia's then-exclusive inland port of trade at Kiakhta . Other Europeans to visit Cook Inlet include the 1778 expedition of James Cook , its namesake, who sailed into it while searching for the Northwest Passage . Cook received maps of Alaska, the Aleutians, and Kamchatka during
2310-477: The Chuitna River on its list of America's Ten Most Endangered Rivers of 2007, based on the threat of this mine. Turnagain Arm is one of only about 60 bodies of water worldwide to exhibit a tidal bore . The bore may be more than six feet (1.8 m) high and travel at 15 miles per hour (24 km/h) on high spring tides and opposing winds. Turnagain Arm sees the largest tidal range in United States, with
2387-571: The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). Many Government Hill residents oppose the plan since many of the options presented would bisect the neighborhood and raze parts of it. Some opponents argue that the bridge is a " pork-barrel project " because it was tied to the Gravina Island Bridge in its $ 450 million plus funding legislation. There is also concern it could threaten a population of beluga whales despite receiving
Knik Arm Bridge - Misplaced Pages Continue
2464-612: The Glenn Highway , which continues along a strip of land between Chugach State Park and the military bases north of Anchorage. The Knik Arm Bridge and connecting roads would provide a secondary north/south roadway to Wasilla. There is concern, however, that the only paved connecting road on the Matanuska/Susitna Borough side of the bridge, which is the Knik Goose Bay Road, is presently overcapacity and listed as one of
2541-562: The Gulf of Alaska or Whittier in Prince William Sound and transport passengers via bus or train to Anchorage. However, over 95% of freight entering Alaska comes through the Port of Anchorage , which is served by major container ship companies and other carriers. The Cook Inlet beluga whale is a genetically distinct and geographically isolated stock. The population fell to 278 in 2005 and it
2618-479: The Gulf of Alaska to Anchorage in south-central Alaska . Cook Inlet branches into the Knik Arm and Turnagain Arm at its northern end, almost surrounding Anchorage. On its southern end, it merges with Shelikof Strait , Stevenson Entrance, Kennedy Entrance and Chugach Passage. The Cook Inlet and both its arms are bodies of brackish water , containing a turbid mix of ocean salt-water and freshwater runoff from
2695-569: The Knik River , the Little Susitna River , the Susitna and Matanuska rivers , Eagle River , Ship Creek , Resurrection Creek , Portage Creek, Kenai River , and many others. The watershed includes the drainage areas of Denali (formerly named Mount McKinley) and is the collection point for the runoff from many surrounding glaciers, leading to the high turbidity and large silt deposits. Within
2772-569: The University of Puget Sound School of Law (now Seattle University School of Law) in 1983. Walker worked in his family's construction business as a carpenter, laborer, and teamster on the Trans-Alaska Pipeline , which helped him pay for his education. From 1977 to 1979, Walker served on the Valdez city council . He later was elected mayor of Valdez, serving from 1979 through 1980. At 27, he
2849-633: The Aleutian Fault, is found in the nearby Aleutian Trench in the Gulf of Alaska, where a corner of the Pacific Plate is forced underneath Alaska at a 45-degree angle. Thus, most of the uplift force occurs along a line from Kodiak Island and up the Kenai Mountains to the Chugach mountains. The inlet lies in a region where the crust is wrinkled under this force and the tectonic forces push the ground downward. In 1964,
2926-414: The Cook Inlet beluga whale population as depleted and began development of a conservation plan. On October 22, 2008 the Cook Inlet beluga whale was put onto the endangered species list. Cook Inlet activities include commercial fishing, oil and gas development, release of treated sewage , noise from aircraft and ships, shipping traffic, and tourism. However, it is not known what impact these activities had on
3003-579: The Cook Inlet watershed. Cook inlet, along with the Kenai Peninsula, the Kenai Mountains, the Chugach Mountains, and Kodiak Island , formed approximately 65 million years ago, just after the extinction of the dinosaurs. Like most of Alaska's mountains, they consist mainly of sedimentary rock and metamorphic rock that were deposited on the ocean floor during the Cretaceous period . This area, where
3080-561: The Government Hill neighborhood and negatively impact the endangered Cook Inlet beluga whales . The idea of a bridge or causeway across Knik Arm was first envisioned in 1923 by Alaska Railroad engineers looking for a more efficient route to Alaska's interior. In 1955, a group of Anchorage businessmen studied it again, arriving at a cost estimate of $ 25 million ($ 280 million today). The 1968 Seward's Success proposal, an $ 800 million ($ 7 billion today) multi-phased megaproject encompassing
3157-613: The Gravina and Knik Arm Bridge funds to Louisiana to repair bridge damage in Hurricane Katrina . In his speech on the senate floor, Stevens threatened to quit Congress if the funds were removed from his state. Republicans in Congress dropped the specific allocation for the two bridges, allowing Alaska to apply the funding to current transportation projects. Governor Frank Murkowski planned to fully fund both bridges: "I am proposing we spend
Knik Arm Bridge - Misplaced Pages Continue
3234-520: The Kenai rely on income generated from fisheries in the Cook Inlet. The west side of the Inlet is not connected to any major road systems and is typically accessed by boat or plane, including the village of Tyonek, Alaska , some oil camps, and many seasonal fishing camps. The Cook Inlet Basin contains large oil and gas deposits including several offshore fields. As of 2005 there were 16 platforms in Cook Inlet,
3311-483: The Matanuska-Susitna Borough by the University of Alaska Anchorage 's Institute for Social and Economic Research (ISER), of which the estimates were found to be as much as 50% lower than forecasts used in the project's EIS showing that the toll bridge was "financially feasible". Alaska State Senator Linda Menard and House Representative Mark Neuman introduced a set of companion bills in 2011 to establish
3388-455: The Republican majorities were not enough to override a gubernatorial veto . With the Republican legislature opposed to Walker's attempts to expand Medicaid , Walker decided to use his executive authority to do so. In 2015, due to low oil prices, Alaska anticipated a $ 4 billion budget deficit. Budget cuts and raised taxes were proposed to reduce it. In December 2015, Walker proposed reinstating
3465-581: The Seward Highway. Because it lies along a subduction zone , the Cook Inlet region contains active volcanoes, including Augustine Volcano and Mount Redoubt , and is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire . Hot magma and steam from the subducting ocean floor build up within these volcanoes, which tend to erupt in fairly regular cycles with very explosive force, often spewing volcanic ash tens of thousands of feet (several kilometers) high. Volcanic eruptions in
3542-548: The beluga whale population. The Coastal Marine Institute at the University of Alaska Fairbanks 's School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences working with the U.S. Department of the Interior's Minerals Management Service (MMS), began a three-year project in 2003 focusing on the water circulation in Cook Inlet. Cook Inletkeeper , a member of the Waterkeeper Alliance , began in 1994 when a group of Alaskans became concerned about
3619-497: The bill funding it and the Gravina Island Bridge a "monstrosity," that was "terrifying in its fiscal consequences". In 2011, the city of Anchorage filed a lawsuit to force the federal government to drop its green light for the controversial Knik Arm bridge project, arguing that it would hurt the Port of Anchorage. Some critics have expressed a belief that the toll revenue estimates provided to rationalize construction are unrealistic. As
3696-553: The bridge total about 10 miles (16 km) from Downtown Anchorage, about the same commuting distance as other available land in Anchorage. The residents of the Matanuska-Susitna Valley currently have only a single road to get to and from Anchorage and points south and Anchorage residents only have a single route to all points north. The Parks Highway which runs through Willow, Alaska , Houston, Alaska and Wasilla , joins
3773-579: The crossing would provide access to much-needed residential, commercial and industrial land; create jobs; reduce the cost of transportation to Interior Alaska and the North Slope ; lessen carbon emissions and provide an alternative transportation route out of Anchorage. Opponents, however, say that: the crossing would create unnecessary urban sprawl in the Anchorage area; would be more expensive and less used than projected; would divert limited transportation funding away from more critical projects; would disrupt
3850-691: The election. Before their announcement the merger was met with resistance from the Alaska Republican Party , but it was ruled valid by the Alaska Supreme Court . Walker led in polls taken weeks before the November 4 general election. Parnell was widely criticized for his support of billions in unpopular tax reductions for the petrochemical industry and the development of a scandal featuring five years of alleged cover-ups of rampant sexual abuse, cronyism, corruption and whistleblower suppression in
3927-475: The four most dangerous roads in the state. The commuting distance for the vast majority of all existing residents of the Matanuska/Susitna Valley would not be lessened by taking the Knik Arm Bridge, a factor that Bridge critics say make KABATA's current revenue forecasts from the proposed bridge tolls to be overstated. In October 2005, Alaska Senator Ted Stevens opposed diverting Alaska's funding for
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#17328581322614004-526: The further north they lie. Thus, the Cook Inlet and its surrounding land masses are rather young compared to those of the Alaska Range , which formed around 126 million years ago, or the Brooks Range which formed around 256 million years ago. The valley left by this continental compaction remains open to the Gulf of Alaska to the south, forming the inlet as it exists today. The surrounding mountains were host
4081-540: The head of Cook Inlet, Cook was of the opinion that both Knik Arm and Turnagain Arm were the mouths of rivers and not the opening to the Northwest Passage. Under orders by the British Crown to ignore any such rivers and inlets, he had initially planned to pass it by, but at the insistence of John Gore and many others of his crew, he reluctantly agreed to explore the area. Cook anchored at Ship Creek and encountered
4158-432: The inlet and its orientation with respect to the lunar orbit causes the tide to come in and go out very rapidly. As the inlet narrows, the speed of the water increases, creating very powerful currents with speeds of up to 6 knots (7 miles per hour). While lined with large areas of silt and mudflats , the central and upper inlet is filled with narrow troughs that may be 150 to 300 feet (50 to 100 meters) deep. These, along with
4235-504: The interior of the state, arrived sometime between 500 and 1600 AD. In the 18th century, Russian fur hunters ( promyshlenniki ) were among the first European visitors. The Lebedev Lastochkin Company leader Stepan Zaikov established a post at the mouth of the Kenai River, Fort Nikolaevskaia , in 1786. These fur trappers used Siberian Native and Alaska Native people, particularly Aleuts from
4312-503: The large ice sheets and glaciers during the Pleistocene epoch (the Ice Ages, around 2 million to 11,000 years ago) which scoured the land and formed vast plains and moraines surrounding much of the upper inlet from glacial till that was deposited. Cook Inlet exists in a subsidence zone which contains many faults , and is frequently prone to earthquake activity. The primary fault,
4389-433: The local Natives for the first time when two men approached in kayaks, invited them to come ashore. Under Cook's orders, William Bligh , of HMS Bounty fame, organized a party to travel up Knik Arm. Bligh served as Cook's Sailing Master on this, his 3rd and final voyage, the aim of which was discovery of the Northwest Passage . After meeting with some local Dena'ina, Bligh returned to report Knik Arm indeed led only to
4466-436: The main body of Cook Inlet, while not as extreme as the shallow and narrow Turnagain Arm, regularly reach 25 feet (7.6 m) or more and exhibit currents in excess of 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) at full tidal flow. The inlet and its arms have been proposed as a potentially attractive site for the generation of tidal power . Turnagain Arm and Knik Arm are known for large areas of silt . At low tide, much of this
4543-516: The map. Having been in a bad mood since first agreeing to explore the area, and as a result of this frustration, the second body of water was given the disingenuous name "Turn Again". Early maps label Turnagain Arm as the "Turnagain River". The SS Farallon was a wooden Alaskan Steamship Company liner that struck Black Reef in the Cook Inlet on January 5, 1910. All thirty-eight men on board survived, and were rescued twenty-nine days later. Few white people visited upper Cook Inlet until construction of
4620-414: The maximum allowed." In 2009, Anchorage Metro Area Transportation Solutions (AMATS) decided to postpone the project and remove it from Anchorage's short term transportation plan until 2018. The cities of Houston and Wasilla responded with a lawsuit under the premise that AMATS did not have the authority to delay the project, highlighting that the affected segment of the local road system is designated as
4697-404: The oldest of which is the XTO A platform first installed by Shell in 1964, and newest of which is the Osprey platform installed by Forest Oil in 2000. Most of the platforms are operated by Union Oil, which was acquired by Chevron in 2005. There are also numerous oil and gas pipelines running around and under the Cook Inlet. The main destinations of the gas pipelines are to Kenai where the gas
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#17328581322614774-399: The project has been laden with concerns for most of its lifespan, its ultimate demise has long been expected. Funding for the project was repeatedly removed from the state budget by former Governor Bill Walker . Supporters of the bridge believe that the bridge would allow the growing population of the region to expand into the Point MacKenzie area. The approach road and connectors, along with
4851-434: The project's reserve fund dropped far enough, "it would be subject to appropriation for replenishment". In 2013, a legislative audit found that KABATA had overestimated potential revenue from tolls, leading to a decision to place the organization under the direct control of the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation and essentially stripping KABATA of any independent authority. The decision was also expected to significantly slow
4928-400: The project, with AHFC explicitly rejecting any sort of timetable for completion. The day after KABATA was merged into AHFC, Alaska House Bill 23 (introduced in January 2013) was signed into law, obligating $ 1.14 billion in state funds for the project. On December 15, 2014, Governor Bill Walker announced a revised capital budget, cutting $ 45 million for the project from the capital budget that
5005-467: The race on October 19, 2018, and endorsed Democrat Mark Begich . Walker ran in the 2022 election as an independent, but lost to Republican incumbent Mike Dunleavy and Democratic candidate Les Gara . Walker was born in Fairbanks, Alaska , and raised in the small, rural interior city of Delta Junction and the port of Valdez on Prince William Sound . He was the fourth child of Alaskan pioneers Frances (Park) and Ed Walker . During World War II, Ed
5082-479: The rapid ecological changes in the inlet. The group formally incorporated the following year using settlement proceeds from a Clean Water Act lawsuit against Cook Inlet oil and gas producers. Their stated mission is to "protect Alaska's Cook Inlet watershed and the life it sustains," with a focus on clean water, healthy habitat, local economies, and energy. They are based in Homer . Bill Walker (U.S. politician) William Martin Walker (born April 16, 1951)
5159-401: The region have been associated with earthquakes and tsunamis , and debris avalanches have resulted in tsunamis also. There was an earthquake of the magnitude of 7.1 on December 31, 1901 generated by an eruption that caused several tsunamis. In 2009 a lahar from Mt. Redoubt threatened the Drift River oil terminal . Cook Inlet has the fourth largest tidal range in the world. The shape of
5236-451: The temperatures in the Cook Inlet region fairly moderate compared to the extremes found in other parts of the state. The inlet was first explored and settled by Alutiiq people, tribes of coastal-dwelling Pacific Eskimos , beginning around 6000 years ago. The Chugach arrived around the first century and were the last of the Alutiiq people to settle in the area, but abandoned it after tribes of Dena'ina people , an Athabaskan people from
5313-400: The tide comes in all at once. Large bores are less frequent, and are typically formed during a new or full moon, especially when the moon is at perigee . Unlike areas around the Bering Sea where weather is largely affected by sea ice, the waters of the inlet are warmed by the Alaska Current in the Gulf of Alaska, part of the North-Pacific Subpolar Gyre , which affects the climate and keeps
5390-413: The tides, provide a challenge to ships navigating through the waters. The strong tides create powerful rip tides and bore tides which are sometimes among the largest in the world. Tidal bores occur within the inlet, and especially Turnagain Arm, almost daily, but are usually too small to notice. Large bores tend to occur after extreme tidal lows, appearing as a wall of water sometimes over 10 feet high as
5467-437: The various rivers and streams. The narrow channel of the inlet funnels the tides creating very fast-moving currents, rip tides , and occasional bore tides . Cook Inlet watershed is the most populated watershed in Alaska. The watershed covers about 100,000 km (39,000 sq mi) of southern Alaska, east of the Aleutian Range , south and east of the Alaska Range , receiving water from its tributaries , which include
5544-488: The vote. On August 17, 2021, Walker announced his candidacy in the 2022 gubernatorial election as an independent. As his running mate he named Heidi Drygas, who served as his commissioner of the Department of Labor and Workforce Development from 2014 to 2018. He lost the election to Republican incumbent Mike Dunleavy . Walker took the oath of office on December 1, 2014. He faced a Republican-controlled legislature , but
5621-424: The watershed there are several national parks and the active volcano Mount Redoubt , along with three other historically active volcanoes . Cook Inlet provides navigable access to the port of Anchorage at the northern end, and to the smaller Homer port further south. Before the growth of Anchorage, Knik was the destination for most marine traffic in upper Cook Inlet. Approximately 400,000 people live within
5698-483: Was Valdez's youngest mayor. Walker and his wife, Donna, owned a law firm; he became a prominent oil and gas attorney. The firm represented the city of Valdez and the Alaska Gasline Port Authority. Walker "represented the city of Valdez in lawsuits that charged [oil] companies with lowballing the property tax valuation of the industry-owned Trans-Alaska pipeline system". He also attempted to build
5775-553: Was an Alaskan Scout with Castner's Cutthroats in the Aleutian Islands and Frances worked on the Alaska-Canadian Highway . During the 1964 Alaska earthquake , which severely damaged Valdez, the family lost most of their personal and business possessions. At the age of 12, Walker became a janitor to help his family. Walker graduated from Valdez High School in 1969. He received his B.S. in business management from Lewis & Clark College in 1973 and his J.D. from
5852-491: Was created by the previous administration under Governor Sean Parnell . In 2018, the Alaska Legislature included funding to restart the now-dormant project, but the funding was again vetoed by Governor Walker. With no funding, the project is effectively dormant for the foreseeable future. Cook Inlet Cook Inlet ( Tanaina : Tikahtnu ; Sugpiaq : Cungaaciq ) stretches 180 miles (290 km) from
5929-721: Was later relocated inland and Portage was abandoned. About 20 miles (32 km) of the Seward Highway sank below the high-water mark of Turnagain Arm; the highway and its bridges were raised and rebuilt in 1964–66. Most of Alaska's population is in the Cook Inlet area, with highest concentration in Anchorage . Along the East side of the Cook Inlet, the Kenai Peninsula is host to many smaller fishing communities, such as Kenai , Soldotna , Ninilchick, Anchor Point and Homer . Many residents of
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