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’ PN Reference Number indicated above 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 project figures/drawings. The public notice and related project figures/drawings are accessible from the DEC website at http://dec.alaska.gov/water/wastewater/.

To comment on the project or request for a public hearing with respect to water quality, submit comments electronically via the DEC public notice site at https://water.alaskadec.commentinput.com/?id=ehBRs on or before the public notice expiration date listed above.

Applicant:
Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation,
Kris Manke
PO Box 2265
Bethel, AK 99559
907-543-6935
lennard_manke@ykhc.org

Agent:
Shannon & Wilson, Inc.
Dana Fjare,
2355 Hill Road
Fairbanks, AK 99709
907-479-0600
dana.fjare@shanwil.com

Project Name:
YKHC Lots 2 & 52A Hospital Medical Campus / Laydown Yard

Location:
The proposed activity is located within Section 17, T. 8N, R. 71W; Seward Meridian; in the Bethel Census Area, Alaska. Lot-2 apartment project site: Latitude 60.790644, Longitude -161.779555, and additional discharge location for Lot-52A, construction laydown yard, at Latitude 60.787008, Longitude -161.790765.

Purpose:
The project’s purpose is to construct apartments (Qavartarvik Customer Lodging or QCL) for temporary and resident employees of the Hospital.  In addition to the QCL, Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation (YKHC) proposes to construct a laydown yard to stockpile building materials and equipment that will be used for the project. After the completion of the Construction, the laydown yard will be converted into additional parking for the QCL.

Project Description:
YKHC recently finished a major construction project that tripled the size of the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta Regional Hospital in Bethel. As a result of the hospital expansion, YKHC intends to increase the number of hospital staff and recognizes there is a chronic lack of available housing in Bethel.

The multistory apartment building on Lot-2 will be capable of providing approximately 50 one-bedroom units for YKHC temporary duty employees and 70 two-bedroom units for full-time local YKHC employees. The activity at Lot 2 involves placing sand fill over tundra wetland in an area approximately 2.21 acres in size to prepare the site for future development as apartments.  Approximately 10,690 cubic yards of sand will be placed into Lot-2 to provide a 2.21-acre foundation for the new apartment building.

The surface topography of the Lot 2 project area indicates that drainage would be to the northwest, towards a pond near the northwest property corner. This pond is in a localized area of low topographic relief that appears to drain to the east towards the Chief Eddie Hoffman Highway. A culvert passes under Chief Eddie Hoffman Highway near the Yupiit Piciryarait Cultural Center, east from the property, and connects the wetlands north from the Highway to a relatively undeveloped wetland area south from the Highway. There is no obvious surface water connection between the wetlands south from the Highway and the Kuskokwim River. It may be that the wetlands are connected to the river through seasonal, shallow subsurface groundwater flow.

The nature of the activity at Lot 52A involves placing sand fill over tundra wetland in an area approximately 2.06 acres.  Approximately 8,408 cubic yards of sand will be discharged into Lot-52A to first create a 2.06-acre construction laydown yard.   Future development of this area will be used as a parking lot for the (QCL) and other hospital campus development projects.

The surface topography of the Lot 52A project area indicates that drainage would be to the southeast. From the southeast property corner, water appears to travel east under a small bridge and through a drainage ditch around the south and east perimeter of the QCL site, then east towards the hospital parking lot. It is not obvious if surface water from this wetland connects across the Chief Eddie Hoffman Highway and reaches the Kuskokwim River. The connection to adjacent wetland areas (if any) may be through subsurface groundwater infiltration.

These construction activities will result in the permanent loss of 4.27 acres of wetlands.  

Construction is expected to begin during the summer of 2023 with the construction of the laydown yard. Pile driving will begin in the winter of 2023, and the entire project is expected to be completed by the summer of 2025.

Applicant Proposed Mitigation:
The applicant proposes the following mitigation measures to avoid, minimize, and compensate for impacts to waters of the United States from activities involving discharges of dredged or fill material.

a. Avoidance: The City of Bethel is surrounded by wetlands and, as a result, impacts to wetlands are not avoidable for developments in this area.

b. Minimization: Only the minimum amount of surface area needed for the construction of the laydown yard and apartment building will be filled. The apartment building will be a multistory structure, which will limit surface area impacts to wetlands. Construction will take place adjacent to existing hospital facilities to take advantage of existing infrastructure. A construction laydown yard is needed because there is limited space available in Bethel for equipment and material storage. Because of the remote location of Bethel and lack of barge service in the winter, approximately seven months of building materials need to be stored onsite to allow construction to proceed. After construction is completed, the laydown yard will be used as a parking area for YKHC facilities.

c. Compensatory Mitigation: The applicant has not proposed any compensatory mitigation for the project’s wetland impacts.

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