By Margaret Bauman & Camille Botello
U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, legislative officials and private funders are scheduled to spend this weekend in Cordova for a private summit discussing funding needs for innovative community projects.
Murkowski invited the Prince William Sound Science Center (PWSSC) to put together a showcase of local projects addressing community needs. The meetings the senator will attend are invite-only, and closed to the public.
“The event serves as a familiarization tour for funders and agency officials to learn more about Cordova’s innovation ecosystem, the attributes of our community’s resilience, the ways we’re poised to move forward … and the support the community needs to do so,” said Katrina Hoffman, PWSSC president and CEO.
She added the overarching theme of the summit is economic development. Those invited include local business leaders, seafood industry representatives, including those with Cordova District Fishermen United, and Alaska Native business leaders.
The agenda for the weekend includes panels on infrastructure, fisheries and research, energy and marine carbon dioxide removal, field tours to give participants a window into port development, research capabilities and community engagement at PWSSC, energy innovation, habitat and regenerative tourism.
Presenters will discuss the area’s regional innovation ecosystem, plans for the future of marine carbon dioxide removal, the current infrastructure of coastal America, Cordova’s advanced rural telecommunications, and resilient fisheries and research in the Cordova area.
The summit will be similar to the one Cordova hosted in 2024, where Murkowski commended conference attendees for their work on new technologies to support resilience for coastal communities.
Cordova Mayor Kristin Smith said the event serves as not only a showcase of local programs and funding to pursue, but also projects that “could potentially be replicated in other Alaska communities.”
The senator is scheduled to be in Cordova from May 1-3.
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