On August 8, 2020, Michael Walsh, Commerce Department Chief of Staff and Dana Gartzke, Performing the Delegated Duties of the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development, traveled to Ketchikan, Alaska, to announce $1.65 million in CARES Act funding boosting economic development programs critical to helping Alaska respond to COVID-19. While there they met with the Alaska Troll Fishing Industry, local leadership, and toured the Hump Island Oyster Company.

“The Trump Administration is eager to allocate these essential CARES Act funds and deliver on our promise to help American communities recover from the impact of COVID-19,” said Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross. “I am proud of the perseverance and strength shown by our communities coast to coast throughout this pandemic, and these funds will help provide Alaska with resources to make a swift and lasting economic comeback.”

“The Department of Commerce senior leadership is proud to partner with the State of Alaska, and the borough of Ketchikan to rebuild the pier facility,” Walsh told a round-table event that occurred with Alaska Sen. Dan Sullivan; Dana Gartzke, head of the federal Economic Development Administration; Sen. Bert Stedman, R-Sitka; Coast Guard representatives, local mayors, municipal staff and other participants on Saturday at the Ted Ferry Civic Center.

“Our mission has always been to foster long-term economic development, to enhance community infrastructure and resiliency, and address business dislocations and disruptions that communities are facing,” Gartzke said. “… As our nation begins to recover for this historic challenge and our businesses begin to safely reopen, the roles that each of these grantees play here today is going to be really key to that success.”

Also, on Saturday, Mr. Walsh, said that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is implementing phase one of a project to renovate NOAA’s facility at 1010 Stedman St. to accommodate the ship, and has awarded a contract for a federal environment assessment.