Notice of Application for State Water Quality Certification

Public Notice (PN) Date: October 29, 2024    PN Reference Number: POA-1985-00696 v1.0
PN Expiration Date: November 28, 2024                                        Waterway: Port Frederick

Any applicant for a federal license or permit to conduct an activity that might result in a discharge into waters of the United States, in accordance with Section 401 of the Clean Water Act (CWA), must also apply for and obtain certification from the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation that the discharge will comply with the CWA and the Alaska Water Quality Standards (18 AAC 70). The scope of certification is limited to the water quality-related impacts from the activity subject to the Federal license or permit (40 CFR 121.3, 18 AAC 15.180).

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[1] for the discharge of dredged and/or fill materials into waters of the United States (WOTUS), 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 https://dec.alaska.gov/water/wastewater/.

To comment on the project or request for a public hearing with respect to water quality, submit comments via email to the DEC email address: DEC-401Cert@alaska.gov with the subject line referencing Public Notice Reference Number: POA-1985-00696 v1.0 or via DEC website https://dec.alaska.gov/commish/public-notices/ on or before the public notice expiration date listed above.

Applicant: City of Hoonah, Dennis Gray Jr, PO Box 360, Hoonah, AK 99829, (907) 945-3663; dgray@cityofhoonah.org

Project Name: Hoonah Marine Industrial Center Cargo Dock Project

Dates of the proposed activity is planned to begin and end: 08/15/2025 to 08/14/2026

Location: The proposed activity is located within Section 28, T. 43S, R. 61E, Copper River Meridian, in Hoonah Angoon Census Area, Alaska.  Project Site (Latitude, Longitude): 58.115972, -135.45405.

Purpose: The purpose of the project is to construct a new cargo dock in Hoonah to enable barges to land, unload, and load during all weather conditions. The project is needed to allow for the safe, reliable, and economical transport of freight to and from Hoonah.

Description of Proposed Work: The City of Hoonah proposes to construct a sheet pile bulkhead cargo dock at the city-owned Hoonah Marine Industrial Center (HMIC) in Hoonah, Alaska. The HMIC is a phased approach to enhance the Hoonah waterfront and to provide infrastructure to support maritime industries in Hoonah. The proposed cargo dock is one component of the HMIC.

To construct a bulkhead cargo dock consisting of approximately 330 linear feet of sheet pile adjacent to and within the footprint of the existing gravel barge landing. Approximately 542 sheet piles would make up an “open cell” structure and 21,160 square feet (23,220 cubic yards [cy]) of armor rock, shot rock, surfacing course, and concrete fill would be placed to make up the cargo dock. The proposed project would also include the installation of a barge Roll-on/Roll-off (RoRo) ramp on the cargo dock deck, five fender piles, and three breasting dolphins (one southeast of the proposed dock and two northwest of the proposed dock). Construction would begin in fall 2025 and continue for approximately four to five months. No blasting is proposed as part of this project.

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.

1. Avoidance: Complete avoidance of waters of the United States is not possible in order to meet the project purpose and need. The project would be located within Port Frederick along a previously disturbed shoreline.
2. Minimization: The proposed project uses the most compact design practicable to minimize impacts to waters of the U.S. while meeting the project purpose and need.

• Fill would be placed inside sheet pile walls to minimize turbidity.
• A silt curtain will be employed during tension anchoring activities to contain drill spoils as much as possible to allow them to settle to the sea floor in the immediate area rather than increasing turbidity over a wider area.
• Temporary piles will be removed slowly to allow sediment to slough off near the mudline.
  1. Mitigation: The total in-water fill for the proposed project would be minimal (approximately 0.4 acres below HTL) in comparison to the available waters in Port Frederick. The project footprint is within a previously developed area. The City of Hoonah will develop further mitigation measures if required by ADEC.

• Spill response equipment will be kept on-site during construction and operation.

After reviewing the application, the Department will evaluate whether the activity will comply with applicable water quality requirements (any limitation, standard, or other requirement under sections 301, 302, 306, and 307 of the CWA, any Federal and state laws or regulations implementing those sections, and any other water quality-related requirement of state law). The Department may certify (or certify with conditions) with reasonable assurance the activity and any discharge that might result will comply with water quality requirements. 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 907-269-6096.

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 Megan Kohler at 907-269-4198 or TDD Relay Service 1-800-770-8973/TTY or dial 711 prior to the expiration date of this public notice to ensure that any necessary accommodations can be provided.