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-2022-00166, Hess 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/.
Any person desiring to comment on the project with respect to water quality, may submit comments electronically via the DEC public notice site (preferred method) at https://water.alaskadec.commentinput.com/?id=gah5M
Alternatively you may direct written comments or requests for public hearing via email or mail to the address listed above by the Public Notice (PN) expiration date. All comments submitted via mail or email should include the PN reference number listed above in the subject heading. Mailed comments must be postmarked on or before the expiration date of the public notice.
Applicant: Brett Nelson, Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (ADOT&PF) Northern Region, 2301 Peger Road, Fairbanks, AK 99709, brett.nelson@alaska.gov
Project Name: POA-2022-00166 Hess Creek ADOT Dalton Highway MP 18-37 Reconstruction
Location: The project site is located within the following Sections, Townships, Ranges, and Meridians; and USGS Quad Maps:
Project Location
| Township | Range | Section(s) | Meridian | USGS Quad Map |
| 9N | 7W | 4, 7, 8, 9, 17 | Fairbanks | Livengood C-5 |
| 10N | 7W | 18, 19, 30, 31, 32,33 | Fairbanks | Livengood C-5 |
| 10N | 8W | 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10,11, 13, 14, 15, 24 | Fairbanks | Livengood C-5 |
| 11N | 8W | 31 | Fairbanks | Livengood C-5 |
| 11N | 9W | 25, 26, 35, 36 | Fairbanks | Livengood C-5 |
| 11N | 9W | 25, 26 | Fairbanks | Livengood C-5 |
The beginning of the project is located at Dalton Highway Mile Post (MP) 18 at approximately Latitude 65.601411° N., Longitude 149.066394° W.; the end of the project is located at Dalton Highway MP 37 at approximately Latitude 65.759015° N., Longitude 149.375873° W. The project site can be reached by taking the Elliot Highway north out of Fairbanks, Alaska for approximately 82 miles to the start of the Dalton Highway and continuing along the Dalton Highway for approximately 18 miles, approximately 100 miles north of Fairbanks, Alaska.
Purpose: The applicant’s stated purpose is to reconstruct the Dalton Highway between MP 18 and MP 37 to improve highway safety and performance, bring the roadway up to current design standards, reduce annual maintenance costs, and improve drainage and fish passage where applicable. For the replacement of Hess Creek Bridge, the applicant’s stated purpose is to widen the bridge to accommodate passing commercial trucks operating at speeds of approximately 50 miles per hour.
Project Description: The proposed repairs and upgrades consist of 83.38 acres of permanent impacts from the discharge of approximately 672,201 cubic yards of fill and 23.84 acres of temporary impacts from the discharge of 5,418 cubic yards of fill into waters of the U.S., including wetlands, consisting of the following components as described in Tables 2, 3, and 4.
Project Components
| Project Component | Permanent Impact | Temporary Impact |
| Road widening and realignment; install new culverts and replace existing culverts (described in Table 3 below); at MP 33 unusable ice-rich material would be placed adjacent to the excavated roadway with a containment berm | 72.82 acres
(668,854 cubic yards fill) | N/A |
| Material Site 65-3-013-2 (MP 19 Quarry) | 9.76 acres
(Excavation volume unknown; depends on contractor’s use of site) | N/A |
| Hess Creek Bridge replacement | 0.80 acre
(3,347 cubic yards fill) | N/A |
| Hess Creek Bridge detour and half-width construction to maintain driving lane during construction | N/A | 0.40 acre
(4,027 cubic yards fill) |
| Two temporary stream diversions, one each at Hot Dog Creek (MP 29.48) and Hot Cat Creek (MP 33.74) | N/A | 0.18 acres
(2.2 cubic yards fill) |
| Widening to accommodate half width construction to maintain driving lane during construction | N/A | 0.25 acre
(1,389 cubic yards fill) |
| Temporary construction work zone, approximately 10 feet beyond the toe of slope for the length of the road corridor project | N/A | 23.01 acres |
| Total: | 83.38 acres | 23.84 acres |
Culvert Specifications
| Original Size | New Size | Quantity |
| 24-inch | 36-inch | 67 |
| 24-inch | 48-inch | 5 |
| 30-inch | 36-inch | 2 |
| 36-inch | 48-inch | 10 |
| 36-inch | 60-inch | 1 |
| 42-inch | 48-inch | 8 |
| 48-inch | 72-inch | 1 |
| 60-inch | 96-inch | 1 |
| 72-inch | 156-inch | 1 Fish Passage Culvert |
| No size listed as these would be new culverts | 36-inch | 7 (New) |
Note: 96 culverts would be upgraded as described in Table with the addition of 7 new culverts.
Permanent Fill Quantities
| Fill Type | Volume |
| Air Convection Embankment (ACE fill) | 23 cubic yards |
| Embankment | 429,278 cubic yards |
| Unusable Excavation | 238,858 cubic yards |
| Waterway Bedfill | 1,281 cubic yards |
| Riprap I | 330 cubic yards |
| Riprap III | 2,431 cubic yards |
| TOTAL | 672,201 cubic yards |
Additional work associated with the proposed project includes the use of three materials sites located in uplands and excavation of 66,350 cubic yards of material within wetlands. Work is proposed from October 2022 to October 2024.
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 Jason Burnett at 907-269-7660 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.