To amend the Denali Commission Act of 1998 to establish the Denali transportation system in the State of Alaska.

February 4, 2003

Ms. MURKOWSKI introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

To amend the Denali Commission Act of 1998 to establish the Denali transportation system in the State of Alaska.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Denali Transportation System Act'.

SEC. 2. DENALI TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.

The Denali Commission Act of 1998 (Public Law 105-277; 42 U.S.C. 3121 note) is amended--

(1) by redesignating section 309 as section 310; and

(2) by inserting after section 308 the following:

`SEC. 309. DENALI TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.

`(a) CONSTRUCTION-

`(1) IN GENERAL- The Secretary of Transportation shall establish a program under which the Secretary may pay the costs of construction (including the costs of design) in the State of Alaska of the Denali transportation system.

`(2) DESIGN STANDARDS- Any design carried out under this section shall use technology and design standards determined by the Commission.

`(b) DESIGNATION OF SYSTEM BY COMMISSION- The Commission shall submit to the Secretary of Transportation--

`(1) designations by the Commission of the general location and termini of highways, port and dock facilities, and trails on the Denali transportation system;

`(2) priorities for construction of segments of the system; and

`(3) other criteria applicable to the program established under this section.

`(c) CONNECTING INFRASTRUCTURE- In carrying out this section, the Commission may construct marine connections (such as connecting small docks, boat ramps, and port facilities) and other transportation access infrastructure for communities that would otherwise lack access to the National Highway System.

`(d) ADDITION TO NATIONAL HIGHWAY SYSTEM- On completion, each highway on the Denali transportation system that is not already on the National Highway System shall be added to the National Highway System.

`(e) PREFERENCE TO ALASKA MATERIALS AND PRODUCTS- In the construction of the Denali transportation system under this section, the Commission may give preference--

`(1) to the use of materials and products indigenous to the State; and

`(2) with respect to construction projects in a region, to local residents and firms headquartered in that region.'.

SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

Section 310 of the Denali Commission Act of 1998 (Public Law 105-277; 42 U.S.C. 3121 note) (as redesignated by section 2(1)) is amended by striking subsection (a) and inserting the following:

`(a) IN GENERAL- There are authorized to be appropriated to the Commission--

`(1) to carry out the duties of the Commission under this title (other than section 309), and in accordance with the work plan approved under section 304, such sums as are necessary for fiscal year 2003; and

`(2) to carry out section 309 $450,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2004 through 2009.'.

END