Alaska is beginning to feel the strain as the federal government shutdown enters its first week, with rural transportation, wildlife operations, and federal offices facing disruptions across the state.
Federal offices on the Kenai Peninsula and beyond have closed their doors, halting public services at places like the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge and Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service has suspended most permitting activities, while hundreds of employees have been furloughed.
Meanwhile, essential federal workers, including air traffic controllers, TSA officers, and active-duty military members, continue working without pay. The U.S. Department of Transportation has warned that the Essential Air Service (EAS) program, which subsidizes flights to dozens of Alaska villages, could run out of funds as early as this week. Without congressional action, many remote communities could lose critical air connections used for mail, food, and medical supplies.
Governor Mike Dunleavy said state agencies are preparing contingency plans to keep essential services like SNAP and Medicaid operating if the shutdown persists. “We are ready to protect Alaskans and ensure continuity of core programs,” the governor’s office said in a statement Monday.
The U.S. Postal Service remains unaffected, but several national parks and recreation sites are scaling back operations, leaving facilities unstaffed and maintenance delayed.
Over 11,000 federal employees in Alaska are impacted by the shutdown, according to state officials, many of them in Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Juneau.
For now, Alaska’s skies remain open and state services operational, but uncertainty continues to grow as Washington remains deadlocked on a spending deal.
News Source: Anchorage Daily News
