In 2014, Senator Murkowski conceived the original idea of Backhaul Alaska in the Bethel Airport. In her welcome video to the May 2019 Uniform Backhaul Training, she reminisces about that day, how far the program has come, and the need for rural waste backhaul.  She ends with a heartfelt thank you to the many communities, companies, organizations, and agencies who are part of Backhaul Alaska.