The Prince William Sound Economic Development District has asked residents for help crafting a new development strategy for the region.
The PWSEDD’s online survey, found at www.pwsedd.org/pws-ceds-update-project, asks respondents to identify Prince William Sound’s strongest assets and to describe their top priorities for economic development in the region. Input for the survey will inform a Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy to be published by the PWSEDD later this year. This plan will help the PWSEDD determine which projects to support, which grants to apply for, and which partnerships to prioritize building, Executive Director Kristin Carpenter said.
“This process… is what’s going to guide investment in Prince William Sound for the next five years,” Carpenter said. “This is what’s going to give us direction.”
The plan may encompass development areas ranging from ferry service and aquaculture to broadband capacity and energy infrastructure. A draft plan is expected to be ready by the end of June.
Organizers hope to draw responses from at least 100 people around Prince William Sound. The survey had gathered 50 responses as of Wednesday, Feb. 24. The survey will close March 19.
“The more input we have, the more responsive we can be,” Carpenter said.
