STATE OF ALASKA
DECLARATION OF DISASTER EMERGENCY

WHEREAS, on June 15, 2025, severe breakup flooding and ice jams caused widespread flood-related damage to the Dalton Highway corridor, specifically Milepost (MP) 315- 404; and,

WHEREAS, the extreme flooding resulted in multiple washouts and infrastructure failures, severing Alaska's critical supply route to the North Slope oil fields, stranding freight, disrupting fuel and equipment deliveries, and threatening significant economic and operational impacts; and,

WHEREAS, the most severe damage includes a major washout at MP 315 causing an 80-foot-long, 30-foot-deep breach of the highway; overtopping and erosion at MP 345.5; and additional damage and erosion control needs at MP 350.6, MP 386, and MP 403- 404; and,

WHEREAS, the severity and magnitude of the damage exceed the capacity of routine emergency maintenance by the Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities (DOT&PF) and require extraordinary emergency response efforts; and,

WHEREAS, immediate regulatory relief is necessary to expedite permits, conduct in-water work, secure Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) waivers for fuel, rock, culvert, and equipment deliveries, and allow DOT&PF to pursue Federal Highway Administration Emergency Relief (FHWA ER) funding to offset response and recovery costs.

THEREFORE, on this 17th day of June 2025, under the authority granted by Alaska Statutes 26.23.020(c), I hereby declare that a condition of disaster emergency exists for the Dalton Highway corridor, Milepost 315-404, and this condition is of sufficient severity and magnitude to warrant a disaster declaration to facilitate response and recovery efforts.

FURTHER, I authorize the DOT&PF to take all necessary actions to mitigate the impacts of this disaster, including requesting regulatory relief from FMCSA to secure waivers for motor carriers operating in the affected areas.

FURTHER, for the duration of this proclamation and under authority of AS 26.23.020, including subsections (g)(l) and (7), I order the suspension of those provisions of Alaska Statutes and regulations relating to any requirement for the DOT&PF to (a) obtain a lease from another State agency prior to entry upon the land; (b) obtain a permit, including land use permits or right of way permits, from another State agency prior to entry upon land; (c) obtain Water Use Permits or rights, including temporary rights, from another State agency prior to utilizing such resources; (d) obtain Fish Habitat Permits or Special Area Permits from another State agency; (e) obtain Wastewater Disposal Permits from another State agency; (f) obtain Section 106 Reviews pursuant to the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 from another State agency; provided that the foregoing suspensions do not apply to any specific provision the suspension of which would create a violation of federal law or a violation of a requirement for the provision of federal emergency funding, and the foregoing suspensions may be supplemented by my further order to the Director of the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management and the Commissioner of the DOT&PF.

BY:
Mike Dunleavy 
Governor