Public Notice (PN) Date: February 4, 2021       PN Reference Number: POA-1981-00070
PN Expiration Date: February 22, 2021            Waterway: English Bay

Any applicant for a federal license or permit to conduct an activity that might result in a discharge into navigable waters, in accordance with Section 401 of the Clean Water Act (CWA) of 1977 (PL95-217), also must apply for and obtain certification from the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation that the discharge will comply with the CWA, the Alaska Water Quality Standards, and other applicable State laws.

Notice is hereby given that a request for a CWA §401 Water Quality Certification of a Department of the Army Permit application, Corps of Engineers’ Reference Number POA-1981-00070, English Bay, has been received for the discharge of dredged and/or fill materials into waters of the United States (WOUS), including wetlands, as described below and shown on the enclosed project figures/drawings. The public notice and related project figures/drawings are also accessible from the DEC website at http://dec.alaska.gov/water/wastewater/.

Any person desiring to comment on the project with respect to water quality, may submit
comments electronically via the DEC public notice site (preferred) at http://water.alaskadec.commentinput.com/?id=PsF9V.

Alternatively, you may direct written comments or requests for public hearing via email or mail to the address listed above by the Public Notice expiration date. All comments submitted via email or mail should include the Public Notice reference number listed above in the subject heading. Mailed comments must be postmarked on or before the expiration date of the public notice.

Applicant: Native Village of Nanwalek, John Kvasnifnoff, President, PO Box 8028, Nanwalek, Alaska 99603, gwen@chugachmuit.org, 907-281-2274; Agent: ANTHC, Karen Brown, Environmental Manager, 4500 Diplomacy Drive, Suite 454, Anchorage, Alaska, kmbrown@anthc.org, 907-350-0453

Project Name: Nanwalek Water Main and Service Line Replacement

Location: The proposed activity is located within Section 35, T. 09 S., R. 16 W.; Latitude 59.3510° N., Longitude –151.9290° W. Seward Meridian; in Nanwalek, Alaska.

Purpose: The applicant’s stated purpose is to obtain fill material to use during construction of the water main and service line replacement project

Project Description: The Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC), on behalf of the Native Village of Nanwalek, is planning to replace leaking water distribution main pipelines and water service pipelines throughout the village. All the water mains are within existing utility easements within the road rights-of-ways. Water service connections and water service lines are on private and village-owned property and will be replaced if leaking. The project requires material to bed pipelines, and replace material disturbed during construction along existing roadways. The project is not for commercial use.

ANTHC plans to extract up to 8,400 cubic yards (cy) of gravelly sand material from an existing material source (ADL 231522) located below mean high water of English Bay from the beach adjacent to the Nanwalek airport runway. ANTHC expects excavations will be between 1 and 3 feet below ground surface across the 2-acre area. The site is approximately 400 feet by 220 feet (88,000 square feet). The beach access route is about 1,500 feet long.

The proposed dredging would involve the use of an excavator, two dump trucks, and a pickup truck. All dredged material would be placed directly into the bed of the dump trucks. No discharge of dredged material into a water of the U.S. would occur. All work would occur while the site is dewatered. No submerged aquatic vegetation is present within the project area. Initial dredging would occur from April through July 2021. If additional material is required, additional dredging would continue through December 2022. The dredged material would be stockpiled in uplands. Site restoration is expected to occur via tidal processes. All equipment/trucks would be removed prior to high tide and no material or equipment would be stored on the beach. 

After reviewing the application, the Department may certify there is reasonable assurance the activity, and any discharge that might result, will comply with the CWA, the Alaska Water Quality Standards, and other applicable State laws. The Department also may deny or waive certification.

The permit application and associated documents are available for review. For inquires or to request copies of the documents, contact dec-401cert@alaska.gov, or call 907-269-6285.

Disability Reasonable Accommodation Notice

The State of Alaska, Department of Environmental Conservation complies with Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990. If you are a person with a disability who may need special accommodation in order to participate in this public process, please contact ADA Coordinator Brian Blessington at 907-269-6272 or TDD Relay Service 1-800-770-8973/TTY or dial 711 within 5 days of the expiration date of this public notice to ensure that any necessary accommodations can be provided.