The funding to purchase an icebreaker privately owned was removed from Friday’s $1.7 trillion spending bill signed Friday morning by President Joe Biden. This decision delays plans to dock an icebreaker at Juneau.
The U.S. Senate approved the National Defense Authorization Act, which allowed the government to spend $150 million on the Aiviq icebreaker. This means that the purchase will not happen for now, as it was removed from the separate spending bill.
Rorie Watt, Juneau City Manager, said that the federal decision will not stop the city planning for one in future.
He said that although we need to still plan for an icebreaker and it isn’t happening as quickly as people think.
Watt suggested recently that the Juneau Assembly invest $300,000. He suggested that accommodating an icebreaker should be considered.
He said that he doesn’t believe that this fundamentally changes. I don’t believe that this fundamentally changes .”
A new icebreaker could transport 190 Coast Guard personnel and their families from Juneau to Juneau said Sen. Dan Sullivanspan styling=”font-weight 400 ;”>,, who voted against this spending bill. He stated that removing funding for icebreakers would undermine Arctic security.
Sullivan stated that the decision could hinder our country’s ability to maintain a presence in the Arctic for many years.” This is a huge disappointment for our country .”
Sen. Lisa Murkowski said that it was a temporary but frustrating setback on Friday in a conference call with reporters.
span style=”font weight: 400 I believe we will have another opportunity in the next appropriations bill going ahead, and I’m certainly going be pushing to get that done,” she stated. “The problem is, however, that there may be others interested in buying [the Aiviq]. ]”
The Aiviq was a temporary solution while the Coast Guard buys new icebreakers, according a congressional report. They are expected to be available in 2026 or 2027, according to the Coast Guard.
