Alaska to join Florida in suing CDC

ALASKA Governor Mike Dunleavy (pictured) is considering joining Florida in suing the federal government of the United States over the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention’s (CDC) cruise ship ban.

Appearing on Fox News, Dunleavy said he would consider joining Florida in legal action, as he explained the plight of Alaska, which is facing a second year in a row without any cruise ship tourism.

“If we don’t get, I think, a positive dialogue here this week, that’s a real possibility because again, the decision will be crushing to Alaska,” he said.

“We’re going to lose millions of dollars in local revenue for our communities, especially along the coast.

“Unemployment rates will remain stubbornly high when we can actually lower them through this process.”

Dunleavy said over the course of the lost cruise seasons in 2020 and 2021, Alaska would haemorrhage US$3.3 billion.

“That’s in a state with about a US$56 billion GDP, so it’s going to be significant,” he added.

Dunleavy also pointed to the fact Alaska is among the best in the United States in terms of vaccination rates and low case counts, and wants the federal government to let the states work with the cruise lines.

Alaska’s legislators have been some of the most vocal in their support for cruises lines to resume operations, with a Congressional delegation from the state sending a letter to the White House COVID-19 Response Team Coordinator, encouraging more transparency and timeliness in their efforts to develop guidance for the resumption of operations for the cruise industry.

FL Gov Ron DeSantis announced last month his state has filed a lawsuit against the CDC, and the Department of Health & Human Services, demanding cruise ship tourism be returned immediately (CW 29 Mar).