Governor Unveils Path to Reopening Alaskan Economy and CARES Act Funding for Alaska Communities
April 21, 2020
Beginning Friday, April 24, 2020, the following businesses and industries may reopen, following rigorous health and safety standards:
“Through the public’s outstanding efforts to social distance and adhere to the health mandates set in place, we have witnessed a slow in the spread of COVID-19, effectively protecting the health of our families and loved ones. Compliance with the health mandates came with an economic slowdown and it is time to take a multi-phased approach to reopening our economy. Alaska’s many local businesses and industries are vital to the economic health of the state, and I am pleased that our efforts to protect the health and well-being of Alaskans are showing statistics that allow us to reopen business,” said Governor Mike Dunleavy. Dunleavy said, “Many Alaskans may be able to return to work and participating in activities they enjoy. We will provide further guidance on what this looks like in the coming days and will closely monitor this reopening to determine further actions.” Additional guidance will be available on April 22, 2020. CARES Act Funding Governor Dunleavy announced the receipt of the $1.25 billion funding from the Federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, and his plan for the distribution of these funds for direct assistance to municipalities statewise, small business relief, direct agency funding and more. The Governor is submitting his plan and associated documents to the Alaska State Legislative Budget and Audit Committee. “I look forward to putting this federal appropriation to work for Alaskan communities, businesses, and non-profits, as well as augmenting the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services ability to respond as the situation unfolds,” said Governor Dunleavy. Dunleavy said, “We’re hopeful that through this process we can help offset what this virus has done to Alaska and we fully trust our communities to meet the needs of their residents. Our goal is to get these distributions out sooner rather than later to the municipalities and different entities of Alaska who need help right now.” The proposed Total Community Assistance Plus COVID Relief for the City of Ketchikan is over $12 million and the total of funds for the Ketchikan Borough is over $10 million.
On March 27, 2020, Congress passed the federal act known as the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). This Act includes funding for a variety of State agencies for the response and mitigation of the public health crisis. It is anticipated that this will be an iterative process, with numerous additional items forthcoming as funding opportunities arise. This package includes a variety of known items that have been received by the State. Several other items such as homeless grants, housing programs, and broadband grants will be put forward as additional federal guidance becomes clear. COVID-19 Health Mandates 10, 11, 12 Governor Dunleavy, with the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS), additionally announced the extension of the following COVID-19 Health Mandates:
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Edited By Mary Kauffman, SitNews
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