The Department of Transportation is assessing options for Juneau access following the Judge Sedwick decision.  The judge ruled that the State of Alaska had not properly considered existing ferry infrastructure in the project’s scoping work.  On Friday I met with lead counsel on the project for the Department of Law.  The options that were laid out include pursuing an appeal; requesting reconsideration of the decision; or beginning the Environmental Impact Statement process again to include existing ferry infrastructure. 

I asked if a supplemental EIS could focus just on the ferry question – a considerably less time consuming process.  The department is still considering which option they will pursue. I was told that the existing EIS data would have to be redone to include the ferry information.  I am tracking this issue very closely.  I feel that it is critical to keep the momentum going, or we risk loss of the federal funding that has already been set aside for the Lynn Canal.