Notice2026-01108
Denali Commission Fiscal Year 2026 Draft Work Plan
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
January 22, 2026
Issuing agencies
Denali Commission
Abstract
The President's 2026 Budget requested no new funding for the Denali Commission in 2026 and proposed to use all available resources to conduct an orderly closeout of the Commission. Congress has begun work on bills that do provide funding for the Commission's FY 2026 operations and the FY 2026 Work Plan represents the Commission's contingency plan if such a bill is enacted. The Denali Commission (Commission) is an independent Federal agency based on an innovative federal-state partnership designed to provide critical utilities, infrastructure and support for economic development and training in Alaska by delivering federal services in the most cost-effective manner possible. The Commission is required to develop an annual work plan for future spending which will be published in the Federal Register, providing an opportunity for a 30-day period of public review and written comment. This Federal Register notice serves to announce the 30-day opportunity for public comment on the Denali Commission Draft Work Plan for Federal Fiscal Year 2026 (FY 2026).
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 14 (Thursday, January 22, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 14 (Thursday, January 22, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2767-2768]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-01108]
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DENALI COMMISSION
Denali Commission Fiscal Year 2026 Draft Work Plan
AGENCY: Denali Commission.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The President's 2026 Budget requested no new funding for the
Denali Commission in 2026 and proposed to use all available resources
to conduct an orderly closeout of the Commission. Congress has begun
work on bills that do provide funding for the Commission's FY 2026
operations and the FY 2026 Work Plan represents the Commission's
contingency plan if such a bill is enacted. The Denali Commission
(Commission) is an independent Federal agency based on an innovative
federal-state partnership designed to provide critical utilities,
infrastructure and support for economic development and training in
Alaska by delivering federal services in the most cost-effective manner
possible. The Commission is required to develop an annual work plan for
future spending which will be published in the Federal Register,
providing an opportunity for a 30-day period of public review and
written comment. This Federal Register notice serves to announce the
30-day opportunity for public comment on the Denali Commission Draft
Work Plan for Federal Fiscal Year 2026 (FY 2026).
DATES: Comments and related material to be received by February 23,
2026.
ADDRESSES: Submit comments to the Denali Commission, Attention: John
Whittington, 550 W 7th Avenue, Suite 1230, Anchorage, AK 99501.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Whittington, Denali Commission,
550 W 7th Avenue, Suite 1230, Anchorage, AK 99501. Telephone: (907)
271-1414. Email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#0b617c63627f7f62656c7f64654b6f6e656a6762256c647d"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="3a504d52534e4e53545d4e55547a5e5f545b5653145d554c">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background: The Denali Commission's mission is to partner with
tribal, federal, state, and local governments and collaborate with all
Alaskans to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of government
services, to build and ensure the operation and maintenance of Alaska's
basic infrastructure, and to develop a well-trained labor force
employed in a diversified and sustainable economy.
By creating the Commission, Congress mandated that all parties
involved partner together to find new and innovative solutions to the
unique infrastructure and economic development challenges in America's
most remote communities. Pursuant to the Denali Commission Act, the
Commission determines its own basic operating principles and funding
criteria on an annual federal fiscal year (October 1 to September 30)
basis. The Commission outlines these priorities and funding
recommendations in an annual work plan. The FY 2026 Work Plan was
developed in the following manner.
<bullet> A workgroup comprised of Denali Commissioners and
Commission staff developed a preliminary draft work plan.
<bullet> The preliminary draft work plan was published on
<a href="http://Denali.gov">Denali.gov</a> for review by the public in advance of public testimony.
<bullet> A public hearing was held to record public comments and
recommendations on the preliminary draft work plan.
<bullet> Written comments on the preliminary draft work plan were
also accepted.
<bullet> All public hearing comments and written comments were
provided to Commissioners for their review and consideration.
<bullet> Commissioners discussed the preliminary draft work plan in
a public meeting and then voted on the work plan during the meeting.
<bullet> The Commissioners forwarded their recommended work plan to
the Federal Co-Chair, who then prepared the draft work plan for
publication in the Federal Register providing a 30-day period for
public review and written comment. During this time, the draft work
plan will also be disseminated to Commission program partners
including, but not limited to, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), the
Economic Development Administration (EDA), Department of Agriculture--
Rural Utilities Service (USDA/RUS), and the State of Alaska.
<bullet> At the conclusion of the Federal Register Public comment
period Commission staff provides the Federal Co-Chair with a summary of
public comments and recommendations, if any, on the draft work plan.
<bullet> If no revisions are made to the draft, the Federal Co-
Chair provides notice of approval of the work plan to the
Commissioners, and forwards the work plan to the Secretary of Commerce
for approval; or, if there are revisions the Federal Co-Chair provides
notice of modifications to the Commissioners for their consideration
and approval, and upon receipt of approval from Commissioners, forwards
the work plan to the Secretary of Commerce for approval.
<bullet> The Secretary of Commerce approves the work plan.
<bullet> The Federal Co-Chair then approves grants and contracts
based upon the approved work plan.
FY 2026 Appropriations Summary
The Commission has historically received federal funding from
several sources. The three primary sources at this time include the
Energy & Water Appropriation Bill (``base'' or ``discretionary''
funds), transfers from the Department of Transportation (DOT) and an
annual allocation from the Trans-Alaska Pipeline Liability (TAPL) fund.
The proposed FY 2026 Work Plan assumes the Commission will receive
$18,000,000 of base funds, a $3,500,000 TAPL allocation and $17,800,000
in transfers from DOT based on discussions with the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB). The total base funding shown in the Work
Plan also includes an amount typically available from project closeouts
and other de-obligations that occur in any given year. Administrative
costs will be taken from the $18,000,000 in base funds, reducing that
amount to $15,000,000 which will be available for program activities.
Absent any new specific direction or limitations provided by Congress
in the current Energy & Water Appropriations Bill, these funding
sources are governed by the following general principles, either by
statute or by language in the Work Plan itself:
<bullet> Funds from the Energy & Water Appropriation are eligible
for use in all programs.
<bullet> TAPL funds can only be used for bulk fuel related projects
and activities.
<bullet> DOT transfers can only be used for surface and water
transportation projects.
<bullet> Appropriated funds may be reduced due to Congressional
action, rescissions by OMB, and other federal agency actions.
<bullet> All Energy & Water and TAPL investment amounts identified
in the work plan, are ``up to'' amounts, and may be reassigned to other
programs included in the current year work plan, if they are not fully
expended in a program component area or a specific project.
[[Page 2768]]
<bullet> Energy & Water and TAPL funds set aside for administrative
expenses that subsequently become available, may be used for program
activities included in the current year work plan.
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\1\ If the final appropriation is less than $18 million the
Federal Co-Chair shall reduce investments to balance the FY 2026
Work Plan. This column reflects H.R. 6938, which passed the House on
1/8/2026 and contains $18 million in appropriations for the Denali
Commission. This amount reflects administrative costs reducing the
$18 million in appropriations.
\2\ This column reflects projected FY 2026 TAPL interest
allocation plus anticipated recoveries as reflected in the
committee-passed House and Senate bills.
\3\ This column reflects S. 2465, which was reported out of the
Senate Committee on Appropriations 7/24/2025 and contains $20
million in DOT funding for the Commission.
\4\ Dollar amounts may change based on the final enacted FY 2026
appropriations bills.
Denali Commission FY2026 Funding Summary
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Source Available for program activities
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Energy & Water Funds:
FY 2026 Energy & Water $15,000,000
Appropriation \1\..............
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Subtotal.................... 15,000,000
TAPL Funds:
FY 2026 Annual Allocation \2\... 3,500,000
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Subtotal.................... 3,500,000
DOT Transfers:
FY 2026 Allocation \3\.......... 17,800,000
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Subtotal.................... 17,800,000
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Grand Total \4\......... 36,300,000
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Base TAPL DOT Total
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Energy Systems:
Power and Bulk Fuel Systems; Hybrid and Redundant $5,000,000 $3,500,000 ........... $8,500,000
Systems; Electricity and Heat; Energy Efficiency, and
Small-Scale Nuclear....................................
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Subtotal............................................ 5,000,000 3,500,000 ........... 8,500,000
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Transportation:
Roads, Boardwalks, Ports, Waterway Facilities, and ........... ........... 17,800,000 ...........
Intermodal Connections.................................
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Subtotal............................................ ........... ........... 17,800,000 ...........
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Communications & Emergency Preparedness and Recovery:
Adaptation to new technologies, cold climate, remote 2,000,000 ........... ........... ...........
rural pilot projects, access to create economies,
technology transfers...................................
Risk Mitigation and risk Management; Projects that 6,000,000 ........... ........... ...........
address risks to life-safety, human health, and the
environment............................................
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Subtotal............................................ 8,000,000 ........... ........... ...........
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Other Infrastructure:
Discretionary amount to focus on activities that emerge 2,000,000 ........... ........... ...........
through the above program priorities...................
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Subtotal............................................ 2,000,000 ........... ........... ...........
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Totals.......................................... 15,000,000 3,500,000 17,800,000 36,300,000
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John Whittington,
General Counsel.
[FR Doc. 2026-01108 Filed 1-21-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3300-01-P
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