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-2021-00211, Smith Creek 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/.
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.
Any person desiring to comment on the project with respect to water quality, may submit comments electronically via the DEC public notice site at https://water.alaskadec.commentinput.com/?id=KBFid by the above Public Notice expiration date.
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.
Applicant: Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities, 2301 Peger Road Fairbanks AK 99709, Brett Nelson, Environmental Manager, Northern Region, 907-451-2238, brett.nelson@alaska.gov.
Project Name: Smith Creek DOT&PF Deering Airport
Location: The proposed activity is located within Sections T8N, R20W, S 24, 25, 36; T8N, R19W, S 19, 30; and T7N, R20W, S 2, 10, 11, 16, 20 in Deering, AK, 99736; Latitude 66.069299 N., Longitude -162.766261° W.; in Deering, Alaska.
Purpose: The applicant’s stated purpose is to provide the community of Deering with safe and efficient airport access and address Deering Airport deficiencies that would bring the airport to current standards and meet criteria identified in the Alaska Statewide Transportation Plan, the Alaska Aviation System Plan, and current Federal Aviation Administration design standards. The new road will provide all season access to the Deering Airport.
Project Description: Resurface the existing runway, rehabilitate runway embankments, replace the airport lighting, improve airport drainage, and construct a new access road to the airport with a bridge over Smith Creek. Fill material (sand and gravel) will be excavated from up to five material sites in the Inmachuk River. The new access road to the Deering Airport requires fill placement into approximately 8.1 acres of jurisdictional wetlands. To stabilize thawing permafrost around the runway new fill material will be placed on existing runway embankments and into adjacent wetlands. Airport fill will total approximately 10.4 acres in wetlands. The rip rap protecting the bridge embankments will impact 0.2 acres of Waters of the United States (WOUS). A total of 18.8 acres of WOUS will be filled.
Project Borrow Sites – Excavation:
| Material Site | WOUS Acres Impacted | Impact Type |
| Inmachuk River Bar #2, Mine | 6.1 | Excavation |
| Gravel Site 8, Mine | 2.1 | Excavation |
| RMS #2, Mine | 1.6 | Excavation |
| 2020_09, Mine | 5.3 | Excavation |
| 9-Mile Pit, Mine | 4.6 | Excavation |
| Total Excavation | 19.7 | Excavation |
| Inmachuk River Bar #1; Staging Area | 2.8 | Temporary Stockpiling of Supplies |
| Total Temporary Stockpile | 2.8 | Temporary Stockpiling of Supplies |
| Total Material Site Acres* | 22.5 | Excavation and Temporary Stockpile |
Type of Material Discharged
| Project Component | WOUS Acres Impacted | Impacted Habitat | Cubic Yards Fill in WOUS | Fill Type |
| Airport Embankments | 10.4 | PEM1, PSS1/EM1, PUB | 115,500 & 5,250 | River Gravels Borrow & Crushed Aggregate |
| Access Road | 8.1 | PEM1, PSS1/EM1, PUB | 115,500 & 5,250 | River Gravels Borrow & Crushed Aggregate |
| Bridge | 0.08 / 0.15 | R1UB / PEM1 | 950 | Rip rap |
| Temporary Work Areas | 4.8 | PEM1, PSS1/EM1, PUB, R1UB | 0 | none |
| Total Permanent Impacts and Fill | 18.8 | PEM1, PSS1/EM1, PUB, R1UB | 121,700 | River Gravel Borrow, Crushed Aggregate, and Rip Rap |
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 at http://dec.alaska.gov/water/wastewater/. 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.