[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 89 (Monday, May 9, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27627-27628]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-09861]


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DENALI COMMISSION


Denali Commission Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) 
Draft Work Plan

AGENCY: Denali Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Denali Commission (Commission) is an independent Federal 
agency based on an innovative federal-state partnership designed to 
provide critical utilities, infrastructure and support for economic 
development and training in Alaska by delivering federal services in 
the most cost-effective manner possible. This Federal Register notice 
serves to announce the 30-day opportunity for public comment on the 
Denali Commission IIJA Draft Work Plan.

DATES: Comments and related material to be received by, June 9, 2022.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments to the Denali Commission, Attention: Elinda 
Hetemi, 510 L Street, Suite 410, Anchorage, AK 99501.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Elinda Hetemi, Denali Commission, 510 
L Street, Suite 410, Anchorage, AK 99501. Telephone: (907) 271-3415. 
Email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#3a5f525f4e5f57537a5e5f545b5653145d554c"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="0b6e636e7f6e66624b6f6e656a6762256c647d">[email protected]</span></a>.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Background: The Denali Commission's mission is to partner with 
tribal, federal, state, and local governments and collaborate with all 
Alaskans to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of government 
services, to build and ensure the operation and maintenance of Alaska's 
basic infrastructure, and to develop a well-trained labor force 
employed in a diversified and sustainable economy.
    On November 15, 2021 the IIJA was signed by President Biden. In the 
IIJA the Denali Commission was allocated $75 million. The law left it 
to the Commission to determine how best to spend these funds. Through a 
series of informational meetings the Commissioners reviewed the needs 
of

[[Page 27628]]

rural Alaska and decided to allocate the IIJA funds as follows:

--FY 2022 Workplan Amounts: In the FY 2022 Workplan the Commission 
noted that if additional funds became available then $5,000,000 would 
be allocated to Village Infrastructure Protection Program (VIP); 
$250,000 to Broadband and $2,000,000 for Workforce Development. The 
Commissioners decided to allocate $7,250,000 of the $75 million IIJA 
funds to these programs consistent with the FY 2022 Workplan.
--5% of the $75 million ($3.75 million) will be allocated to cover 
administrative costs. This amount includes 0.5% of the funds being set 
aside for the Inspector General.
--The remaining $64 million will be divided into a five year spend down 
plan in the following categories with yearly amounts of $1 million for 
Energy Reliability and Security; $1 million for VIP; $1 million for 
Workforce Development; $10 million for the Infrastructure Fund and 
$550,000 set aside for Emergency situations.

    The Infrastruture Fund is a new process for the Commission. The 
Commission will use a public Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) to 
seek applications for funding projects across a wide range of program 
categories including Energy, Transportation, Healthcare and Community 
Wellness, VIP, Sanitation, Housing, Broadband, Economic Development and 
Workforce Development. Applications will be reviewed and ranked 
according to published criteria with the highest scoring applications 
receiving funding.
    The Commission used the following process to create the IIJA 
Workplan:
    <bullet> The Commissioners held several work sessions where they 
were briefed by program partners on specific program category areas to 
identify unmet needs in specific programs.
    <bullet> At a meeting of the Denali Commissioners the Commissioners 
voted to adopt the IIJA Workplan.
    <bullet> The work plan was published on Denali.gov for review by 
the public in advance of public testimony.
    <bullet> A public hearing was held to record public comments and 
recommendations on the preliminary draft work plan.
    <bullet> No public comments were received.
    <bullet> The Federal Co-Chair prepared the draft work plan for 
publication in the Federal Register providing a 30-day period for 
public review and written comment. During this time, the draft work 
plan will also be disseminated to Commission program partners 
including, but not limited to, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), the 
Economic Development Administration (EDA), Department of Agriculture--
Rural Utilities Service (USDA/RUS), and the State of Alaska.
    <bullet> At the conclusion of the Federal Register Public comment 
period Commission staff will provide the Federal Co-Chair with a 
summary of public comments and recommendations, if any, on the draft 
work plan.
    <bullet> If no revisions are made to the draft, the Federal Co-
Chair will provide notice of approval of the work plan to the 
Commissioners, and forwards the work plan to the Secretary of Commerce 
for approval; or, if there are revisions the Federal Co-Chair provides 
notice of modifications to the Commissioners for their consideration 
and approval, and upon receipt of approval from Commissioners, forwards 
the work plan to the Secretary of Commerce for approval.
    <bullet> The Secretary of Commerce approves the work plan.
    <bullet> The Federal Co-Chair then approves grants and contracts 
based upon the approved work plan.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
           FY 2022 commitments             Yearly amount   Total amount
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Village Infrastructure Protection.......  ..............      $5,000,000
Broadband...............................  ..............         250,000
Workforce Development...................  ..............       2,000,000
Five Year Spend-down Plan:
    Energy Reliability and Security.....      $1,000,000       5,000,000
    Village Infrastructure Protection...       1,000,000       5,000,000
    Workforce Development...............         250,000       1,250,000
    Infrastruture Fund..................      10,000,000      50,000,000
    Emergy Fund.........................         550,000       2,750,000
    Administrative Costs................         750,000       3,750,000
                                         -------------------------------
        Total...........................      12,800,000      75,000,000
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    Authority: Pub. L. 105-277 section 304(b)(1).

John Whittington,
General Counsel.
[FR Doc. 2022-09861 Filed 5-6-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3300-01-P


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