January 29, 2026, by Tamara Filipović | Seward Folly Staff

Senator Sullivan (far left), Coast Guard Captain Culpepper (far right) w/ City Officials

Photo Credit: Office of U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan

THE VISIT

On Monday, January 19, Senator Dan Sullivan came to Seward for a day-long visit to see progress on initiatives he has been working on over the past six years and to share his vision for Seward moving forward. His tour included several meetings with local leaders and organizations, including the following:

• Lowell Point community meeting about the Lowell Creek diversion tunnel and road improvements
• SeaLife Center meeting about funding and water intake addition
• City of Seward/US Coast Guard/JAG – USCG Expansion meeting with City leaders, including Kat Sorensen, Tony Sieminski, as well as JAG Alaska’s Tim Jagielski, and Coast Guard Captain Christopher Culpepper
• Providence Seward Medical and Care Center (PSMCC) meeting about the Rural Health Initiative

Senator Sullivan also sat down for an interview with the Seward Folly, followed by a meet and greet at the American Legion Seward Post #5. He ended the day with an event at the Resurrection Bay Baptist Church. 

Senator Sullivan attends a local gathering at the Resurrection Bay Baptist Church

Photo Credit: Dan Sullivan Campaign Account on Facebook

SULLIVAN’S VISION

“What was a great part about today is that on a lot of these things we’re working directly with the city, we’re working directly with the state. We gotta integrate. And we’re working with the private sector too.” 

During our interview, the senator spent most of the time sharing all he has done to achieve the vision he had set out for Seward back in 2019 and the way it can expand into the future with the Big Beautiful Bill (a.k.a., Budget Reconciliation Bill or the latest title – Working Families Tax Cuts Act). His original vision for Seward, which he wrote an op-ed about in 2019 in the now-defunct Seward Journal, built off of what he saw (and still sees) as Alaska’s strategic strengths for the United States military, namely the Coast Guard, as well as natural resource development and tourism opportunities for the overall economic health of the state and beyond. 

Sullivan praised his record on achieving his vision for Seward through the following accomplishments:

• helping secure a Fast Response Cutter (FRC) to be home ported here, along with the necessary funds for building the pier and housing,
• helping to secure federal funds for the Lowell Creek Diversion Tunnel,
• encouraging shipbuilding throughout the state and in Seward, 
• pushing various Acts through the Congress that protect fisheries, encourage ocean cleanup, support tourism, and secure funding for the Alaska SeaLife Center. 

Moving forward, he touted the ways in which the Big Beautiful Bill and the Unleashing Alaska’s Extraordinary Resource Potential Executive Order (January 2025) provide numerous opportunities to continue building on his original vision for Seward, though it wasn’t clear how he was going to remain involved in pushing these forward. His ideas include: 

• Seward is a contender for serving as a homeport for one of the new medium-sized icebreakers, which would bring some 200 Coast Guard uniformed personnel to town, along with their families.
• Seward is able to quickly move forward with its hydropower infrastructure needs. 
• Seward’s health clinics will be able to receive some of the $1.4 billion over the next 5 years. 

WHAT HIS VISION REALLY MEANS FOR SEWARD

A Coast Guard Homeport

“One of the things this [Big Beautiful] Bill did – and I had a lot to do with it since I chair the committee – is it made the biggest investment in the Coast Guard in American history.” 

As a Marine veteran and chair of both the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support and the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Coast Guard, Maritime, and Fisheries, Senator Sullivan is deeply committed to ensuring Alaska is well-resourced to support national security. It is therefore unsurprising that his vision for the state — and for communities like Seward — is strongly shaped by how they can contribute to those security objectives, particularly through an expanded role for the Coast Guard.

Fast Response Cutter (FRC)

“The FRC is already built, and it got here [Alaska], but there is no pier yet [in Seward], because they’ve been taking too long. So, that FRC is sitting in Kodiak, waiting to come here.” 

According to Sullivan, he was instrumental in getting Seward to be considered as a Major Ship Platform in Alaska, so that it would become a homeport for one of the Coast Guard’s Fast Response Cutters (FRC). This includes securing $50 million for the pier development to house the FRC in Seward, as well as $16 million for housing development for the 30 Coast Guard uniformed personnel (20 on ship, 10 on shore) and their families.  

Sullivan praised local leadership on their collaboration to get this process pushed through, but acknowledged that there have been delays: “The community is doing a great job of working with us – the City Manager, the Mayor. The FRC is already built, and it got here [Alaska], but there is no pier yet [in Seward], because they’ve been taking too long. So, that FRC is sitting in Kodiak, waiting to come here.”

The Coast Guard, including Captain Culpepper, who visited Seward with Sullivan, confirmed a new timeline that has the FRC arriving in Seward in 2029.

Sullivan said that he would like to see it arrive sooner: “I’m always pushing these guys to go faster. I’m pressing them on that.”

Coast Guard FRC Homeport and Housing Plans for Seward

Photo Credit: Office of U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan

Sullivan also recorded a video with Seward’s City Manager, Kat Sorensen, talking about the FRC coming to Seward, what the opportunities are moving forward, and what the city is doing to support these efforts. 

City Manager Kat Sorensen with Dan Sullivan on Afognak Beach

Photo Credit: Office of U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan

Icebreaker

“I actually thought that Seward was going to get the USCGC Storis, but they didn’t. Maybe because of schools, hospitals.”

He also shared how the Big Beautiful Bill can continue to help Seward in this context. There is potential that the Coast Guard will select Seward as one of its homeports for a medium-sized icebreaker. He is pushing for the Coast Guard to house them in Alaska waters, rather than in places like Seattle (the three polar security cutters planned to be built under the new Bill are the heavies, and all will be homeported there).

“I’ve been very aggressive in saying [to the new Coast Guard Commandant]… ‘You gotta put the ice breakers where the ice is and where the enemy is.’” 

Still, it’s not clear what exactly he will or can do, beyond advocacy, to make the Coast Guard bring one to Seward.

“I don’t know where you guys were rated [in the Coast Guard report]. They’re looking at Ketchikan, Anchorage, and Kodiak. It might not be just one more, it might be three more. We’re building a bunch of them: three heavies, four, maybe more mediums, and a lot of these smaller ones.”

He argues that Seward is a strong candidate because it sits on the road system, has JAG to provide ship maintenance, and benefits from AVTEC’s Icebreaker Simulator for training. At the same time, he briefly acknowledged the challenges facing Seward, remarking, “I actually thought that Seward was going to get the USCGC Storis, but they didn’t. Maybe because of schools, hospitals.”

Small Response Vessel

“So, what I think in terms of that idea, I don’t know.”

There has not been a Coast Guard presence in Seward’s waters since the USCGC Mustang was decommissioned in April 2025. Seward Folly asked the senator if there was any way for Seward to receive a Small Response Vessel run by the Coast Guard to operate in Seward during the busy three-month summer season. This vessel would conduct search and rescue efforts, as well as ensure boats are operating according to safety regulations.

While the senator said he thought it was a great idea, he didn’t commit to anything or ask any follow-up questions. Instead, he reiterated how much money is coming to Seward through the Big Beautiful Bill.

“So, what I think in terms of that idea, I don’t know. But I do know that this [Big Beautiful Bill]—this is gonna be great for us. It’s a ton of money, and a lot of it, by virtue of who we are as a state, is going to be coming [our way],” the senator said.

Lowell Creek Diversion Tunnel

“The [financing] share on big infrastructure projects is usually 70/30. So, the state and the local community pay 30. We got it moved for Alaska Infrastructure Projects to 90/10.”

The senator spoke briefly about his successes with securing the $185 million of federal funding for the Lowell Creek Diversion Project. He shared that he had met earlier in the day with Lowell Point community members to discuss it, and that he is very proud that he and his team were able to secure a 90/10 funding package for the tunnel. This means that 90% of the cost will be covered by the Federal budget and only 10% locally. 

Senator Sullivan meeting with the Lowell Point community members

Photo Credit: Office of U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan

Hydropower

“I think it’s great that we want to get more hydro here. Seward has the ability.”

In response to a question about what the senator can do to help ensure Seward can move forward with hydropower plans to meet its energy needs, the senator was visibly enthusiastic: “I think it’s great that we want to get more hydro here. Seward has the ability. We’re going to need it, if we get an icebreaker here.”

The senator also shared that he has encouraged Seward’s City Manager, Kat Sorensen, to use the “Unleashing Alaska’s Resource Potential” Executive Order when she reaches out to the FRC to get the necessary permits for our hydro projects.

“This thing is great for us, because we can go to every Federal Agency saying, ‘Get going.’… So, I told Kat, go to FRC, give them this.”

He added that he has met with the FRC Chairman on this topic, showed him the E.O. and said, “When we have hydro projects in Alaska coming, you better permit them fast. Like, real fast. That’s not just me saying. That’s your boss, Trump, saying it.” 

The Environment

“The SeaLife Center has gotten a lot of grants dealing with ocean debris, sustainable oceans, and fisheries [because of the Save Our Seas Act].”

The senator also spoke about his work to support fisheries, ocean health, and tourism, which he refers to as “one big package.” He cited various Acts he has led, supported, or is currently pushing through the Congress to encourage ocean cleanup, salmon run research, laws against Russian and Chinese seafood and trawling, as well as efforts to reduce bycatch. The Save Our Seas Act, in particular, which focused on ocean cleanup, proved especially beneficial for the Alaska SeaLife Center operations.

The senator shared, “The SeaLife Center has gotten a lot of grants dealing with ocean debris, sustainable oceans, and fisheries. It’s kind of a nice interconnection to the economy, because we know how big that center is to the economy. We’re in a better spot fiscally with those guys.”

SIDESTEPPING CRITICAL LOCAL CONCERNS

According to Sullivan, everything that Seward could want and more is provided by the Big Beautiful Bill. While he praised the collaborative spirit of Seward, shared what he considers his wins for Seward’s economy, tourism, and military infrastructure, he only superficially touched on critical local issues like the housing and education crisis, health care needs, and National Park and Forest Service cuts. 

Housing, Education, and Health Care Needs

“We went to the hospital today, and the clinic. They got needs. They are going to have even more needs if we grow the population here… with the Coast Guard coming.”

Local housing and health concerns surfaced repeatedly in the interview in connection with the Coast Guard, but were never explored in depth. At one point, Sullivan suggested that one reason Seward may have lost out on the icebreaker USCGC Storis was that Juneau offered better schools and hospitals.

“We went to the hospital today, and the clinic. They got needs. They are going to have even more needs if we grow the population here… with the Coast Guard coming… The health care side is really important… these meetings today – there are needs here, right? But when you have a fund that’s for $1.4 billion over five years, we have a lot of opportunity. So, a lot of excitement there.” 

But, aside from reiterating all the money coming to Alaska through the Rural Health Transformation Fund over the next five years, he didn’t explain how and when that money will reach Seward’s clinics. Or how the transition will affect communities like ours. 

Kenai Fjords National Park and Chugach National Forest Service Cuts

“Maybe I’m missing something in Seward, but I think the state of Alaska had a really strong tourism [season].”

Photo Credit: Marc Swanson

In response to a question about the issues facing the Kenai Fjords National Park and Chugach National Forest services and staff cuts, including tourism, Sullivan paused, then started to talk about how there weren’t any negative effects on tourism across Alaska’s parks due to the cuts.

“Look, one of the things I’ve been very focused on is tourism… So, there are all these kinds of stories that were coming out last spring… I mean, the impact on tourism in the national parks. I mean, we were monitoring that very closely. I mean, we didn’t see that. Right, there were the ideas that ‘Hey, if you were gonna lose some National Park Service employees, that was gonna impact the tourism sector.’ And, I don’t know, maybe I’m missing something in Seward, but I think the state of Alaska had a really strong tourism [season],” the senator explained.

Elaina Spraker, Senator Sullivan’s Regional Director for the Kenai Peninsula, stepped in to respond as Sullivan gathered his notes and prepared to leave for his next appointment. Spraker explained that she maintains a close working relationship with both Don Striker, acting regional director for NPS Alaska, and Jennifer Youngblood, Chugach National Forest Supervisor, and that, as far as what she has heard from them, there is no problem. 

“I have an extremely close working relationship with Don Striker — he’s the director of Alaska Parks. I talk to him all the time. They’re fat. They’ve just been ‘plussed up’; they’re well-funded. It hasn’t derailed their mission,” she said. “The Forest Service was a little different. I had a three-hour meeting with Jane Youngblood, and I’m in constant conversation with her all the time. The Forest Service tried to streamline — there was a lot of redundancy, they thought.”

Both Sullivan’s and Spraker’s comments, however, contrast with what local National Park Service and Forest Service employees have reported, describing a continuing need to “do more with less” due to cuts in staff and resources. The Seward Folly has been covering these challenges since June 2025 (see full list of articles here).

Meanwhile, earlier this month, Congress rejected President Trump’s proposed budget cuts to both the National Park Service (by 37 percent) and the Forest Service (by 22 percent), opting instead to maintain current funding levels. Senator Sullivan aligned with this congressional stance by voting ‘yea‘. President Trump signed the updated Appropriations Act (H.R. 6938) into law on January 23, setting fiscal year 2026 funding for key federal agencies.

Looking Ahead

At the start of the interview, Senator Sullivan expressed enthusiasm that many of the goals he outlined in his 2019 Op-Ed for the Seward Journal have already been realized. Though he couldn’t make any promises, he hinted at even more exciting developments on the horizon.

“I don’t want to be too forward-leaning on it, because it might not come true,” he cautioned.

For example, the arrival of the FRC, funding for the Lowell Creek Tunnel, and grant support for the Alaska SeaLife Center have all come to fruition, while the senator’s new vision of bringing the icebreaker here — and the potential benefits of the Big Beautiful Bill on health care, infrastructure, and energy — remain to be seen.