Opportunity Knocks in Alaska 

a group of USDA, State and local officials toured the Port MacKenzie operations last week in Alaska. (from left) Dean Brown, State of Alaska; Dean Stewart, USDA Rural Development; Terry Nininger, NPI LLC; Greg Bell, Mat-Su RC&D; Gerald Willis and Al White, NRCS; and Andy Mason, USDA Forest Service

NRCS special assistant to the Chief, Gerald Willis traveled to Alaska last week to learn about the natural resource development opportunities provided by the  the newly operational Port MacKenzie. The group of USDA and State representatives learned about the wood chip logging, manufacturing, and transporting processes of the new port.  The tour was conducted by the Matanuska Susitna Borough and NPI LLC, a wood chipping and exporting company that partnered with the Alaksa borough to construct and operate the port’s conveyer system.

Learn more about NRCS in Alaska

The group also learned about the port's potential  for exporting Alaska coal and gravel. The group then went aboard the 780-foot Korean wood chip vessel Keoyang Majesty — loaded with more 24,000 tons of Alaska woodchips — to view the chip loading process first hand. 
Your contact is Cassandra Stalzer, NRCS public affairs specialist, at 907-761-7749.