Fairbanks chamber backs Mat-Su rail plan

The Greater Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce has endorsed a plan by the Matanuska-Susitna Borough and Alaska Railroad to extend track to industrial land near Anchorage.

The Point MacKenzie site on the north shore of Cook Inlet is a deepwater port that could handle exports of coal, limestone and other natural resources.

The chamber resolution Nov. 9 said the economic activity would boost jobs and corporate taxes in the Fairbanks and Mat-Su boroughs.

The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reports the chamber resolution asks state leaders to help the project get built by 2013. It could cost as much as $250 million.

“Basically we’re talking about some sort of state or federal funding,” said John Duffy, manager for the Matanuska-Susitna Borough.

Port MacKenzie also is the site of Fairbanks Natural Gas’ liquefaction plant.

The municipality of Anchorage operates a major port on Cook Inlet, and the railroad extension would line up the two ports to split cargo.

—The Associated Press