Emergency relief for federally owned lands

On September 19, 2025, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) obligated $27.5 million to Kawerak, Inc. under the Highway Planning and Construction program (CFDA 20.205) for Emergency Relief for Federally Owned Lands. This formula grant supports transportation infrastructure improvements on federally owned lands in Nome, Alaska, serving remote Alaska Native communities across the Bering Strait, Norton Sound, and Yukon regions of western Alaska.

The funding enables Kawerak, Inc., a federally recognized tribal consortium representing 20 Alaska Native tribes, to deliver comprehensive transportation infrastructure development services including road construction, bridge rehabilitation, and transportation safety improvements. These activities align with the Highway Planning and Construction program's mandate to support construction, preservation, and improvement of highways and related transportation infrastructure in underserved tribal and rural areas. Kawerak, Inc. brings substantial experience in managing federal transportation funding, having previously received over $70 million cumulatively through FHWA formula and project grants for similar infrastructure initiatives across remote Alaska Native communities.