U.S. Awards $249 Million for Port MacKenzie Rail Link
The U.S. Department of Transportation has committed $249 million to complete the final stages of the Port MacKenzie Rail Extension in Alaska. The federal grant, announced on October 19, 2026, covers approximately 80 percent of the total $311 million project cost. State and local partners are contributing the remaining $62 million to finish the 32-mile rail line connecting Port MacKenzie to the Alaska Railroad Corporation main line.
The U.S. Department of Transportation has committed $249 million to complete the final stages of the Port MacKenzie Rail Extension in Alaska. The federal grant, announced on October 19, 2026, covers approximately 80 percent of the total $311 million project cost. State and local partners are contributing the remaining $62 million to finish the 32-mile rail line connecting Port MacKenzie to the Alaska Railroad Corporation main line.
Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy announced the funding at Port MacKenzie, joined by Nova Minerals CEO Christopher Gerteisen, U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan, and U.S. Representative Nick Begich. The announcement also included U.S. House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Bruce Westerman and Matsu Borough Mayor Edna Devries. The new infrastructure is designed to support the development and transport of critical minerals within the region.
Nova Minerals Corp (NYSE American: NVA | ASX: NVA) stated that a direct rail siding at Port MacKenzie will allow shipments of antimony ore and concentrate feedstock to move from the Alaskan interior to the company’s planned processing and refining hub. The facility is situated directly along the extension rail line. Gerteisen noted that the port serves as an export-import gateway for Alaska minerals and resources, facilitating efficient distribution across the state.
The company’s antimony facility is part of a broader strategy to establish a domestic supply chain for the critical mineral. Nova Minerals holds a $43.4 million award from the U.S. Department of War to develop this supply chain, with production targeted for 2027. The Estelle Gold and Critical Minerals Project, located in Alaska, includes defined multi-million-ounce gold resources and over 20 prospects along a 35-kilometre mineralized trend.
Senator Sullivan described the investment as a step toward unlocking Alaska’s mineral resource potential, emphasizing the need for infrastructure to develop resources responsibly and get them to market. Representative Begich and other officials highlighted the strategic location of Alaska and the importance of securing domestic supply chains for national security.
This funding is part of a series of infrastructure investments in the Mat Su region. Previous commitments include $7.8 million for barge haul-out and loading operations at the port, $34 million for port expansion, and progress on the West Susitna Access Road Project. These upgrades are intended to support near-term development of resource projects, including Nova Minerals’ Estelle site. The company positions itself as an anchor industry within the commercial industrial zone of the Port district.