Dunleavy signs first bill, sending millions to Alaska earthquake reconstruction effort

JUNEAU — Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy on Friday signed his first bill into law: A $150.3 million aid package for earthquake recovery and wildfire fighting. The money will pay for rebuilding roads, reconstruction of public facilities, and aid to individuals in response to the Nov. 30 earthquake.

Nine million dollars had already been allocated; the new bill increases that by $141.3 million. The measure passed the House and Senate unanimously. Lawmakers moved quickly to pass the legislation after they were told the state’s disaster relief fund would run out of money at the start of April.

According to figures provided by the governor’s office, the bill includes $73.5 million ($65 million federal and $8.5 million state) for the Alaska Department of Transportation; $58.9 million ($37 million federal and $21.9 million state) for the disaster relief fund; $7.9 million in state dollars to the Department of Natural Resources to fight wildfires; and $1 million in state money to the Department of Labor for disaster unemployment assistance benefit payments.

The DOT funding will pay for permanent repairs to highways and state-owned buildings damaged during the earthquake. The money that goes into the disaster relief fund will be used for a variety of purposes, said Jeremy Zidek, a spokesman for the Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.

Read more: https://www.adn.com/politics/2019/04/08/dunleavy-signs-first-bill-sending-millions-to-alaska-earthquake-reconstruction-effort/