Help for small boat harbors: state matching grant program improves facilities.

• Author: Anderson, Tasha
• Position: TRANSPORTATION

In 2006 the Alaska Legislature passed legislation establishing a 50/50 matching grant program: the Harbor Facility Grant Program (AS 29.60.800 et seq.). Mike Lukshin, State Ports and Harbors Engineer for the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities, presented information about the Harbor Facility Grants Program at the 2015 Alaska Association of Harbormasters and Port Administrators Conference.

The purpose of the program is to assist with projects at municipality or regional housing authority owned small boat harbor facilities. Lukshin said that essentially any project that takes place within a harbor's breakwaters is eligible to be considered for funding, including floats, pulley systems, boat launch ramps, etc.; however, the program does not cover preventative maintenance.

Project Criteria

The maximum amount that can be awarded to a project per year is $5 million, and the 50/50 matching is a requirement, meaning that for a $5 million grant to be awarded, $5 million must be raised through alternative sources. While possibilities for funding can include federal aid sources, grant funds, harbor rates, etc., Lukshin said that generally money from other state funds or programs can't be used as a match. Additionally, the match must be dollar for dollar, and cannot include in-kind work, services, or goods.

Once a project is submitted it is scored based off of standard scoring criteria which include considerations such as safety and emergency factors, whether or not there are other options that reduce or eliminate the need for the project, operational importance, importance of the facility, and whether the project can be labeled as Tier I or Tier II.

According to the program's application, "The first tier has priority and consists of major maintenance and repair of a harbor facility that was previously owned by the state and now is municipally or regional housing authority owned ... The second tier consists of all other municipally or regional housing authority owned harbor facilities, including construction of a new harbor facility."

Once a facility has applied for and received a Tier I grant, from then on it can only compete for Tier II grants, though harbors are eligible for several Tier II grants.

Funding Allocation

The Alaska Legislature determines what amount of money will be allocated to the Harbor Facility Grant Program each year. Lukshin said that the deadline to submit applications is generally before the Governor...