Notice of Application for State Water Quality Certification

Public Notice (PN) Date: June 11, 2025                        PN Reference Number: POA-2020-00066 v2.0
PN Expiration Date: June 26, 2025                                                   Waterway: Simpson Lagoon

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 of 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 a public hearing with respect to water quality, submit comments via (preferred method) DEC website https://dec.alaska.gov/commish/public-notices/ or email to the DEC email address: DEC-401Cert@alaska.gov with the subject line referencing Public Notice Reference Number: POA-2020-00066 v2.0 or on or before the public notice expiration date listed above.

Applicant: ConocoPhillips Alaska Inc., Jason Charton, 700 G St, Anchorage, AK 99501, (907) 263-4682; jason.t.charton@cop.com

Project Name: Beaufort Sea ConocoPhillips Alaska Oliktok Dock Barge Access – Seawater Treatment Plant Annual dredging and screeding

Dates of the proposed activity are planned to begin and end: 06/18/2025 to 06/18/2030

Location: The proposed activity is located within Section 5, T. 13N, R. R9E, Umiat Meridian, in North Slope Borough, Alaska.  Project Site (Latitude, Longitude): 70.510999, -149.86427.

Purpose: The purpose of the project is to provide barge access to the Oliktok Dock and to allow for continued water flow of seawater to ConocoPhillips Alaska, Inc.’s saltwater treatment plant (STP) facility to provide water to the Kuparuk and Alpine oil fields. The intake bays at STP must remain clear to maintain proper function. For large vessels to access Oliktok Dock, maintenance dredging and screeding must occur in the identified area.

Description of Proposed Work: The proposed project would involve annual screeding of approximately 2.5 acres and annual dredging of approximately 5.84 acres between May 1 and October 31 in the Simpson Lagoon to provide vessel access to the Oliktok Dock and to maintain continued seawater flow at the Seawater Treatment Plant intake bays. A maximum of up to 10,000 cubic yards of material would be dredged and disposed of at 5 upland locations above the high tide line for erosion control.

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: ConocoPhilips Alaska, Inc. (CPAI) selected the dredging and screeding areas based on the anticipated need for removal of accumulated sediments. There are no practicable alternatives to the project, given that the intake bays at STP must remain clear to maintain proper function and for large vessels to access Oliktok Dock, maintenance dredging and screeding must occur in the area identified.Furthermore, similar activities have been conducted at STP for the past 35 years. Dredging and screeding activities are temporary and discrete. There is potential for minor and temporary water quality impacts from increased turbidity on waters near dredging and screeding activities in the Beaufort Sea. However, the proposed activities will occur in an area where wave action and other natural processes already contribute to increased turbidity.
2. Minimization: Dredging and screeding will only be conducted to the extent necessary to ensure the function of systems within the STP and access to the Oliktok Dock. CPAI will minimize impacts to waters of the U.S. by placing dredged material in upland areas above the mean high waterline. Sediments removed during dredging activities will only be deposited in approved upland sites and placed to avoid erosion.
3. Mitigation: Compensatory mitigation is not proposed.

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. To inquire about or 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 Megan MacPherson at 907-269-7553, Megan.MacPherson@alaska.gov or TDD Relay Service 1-800-770-8973/TTY or dial 711 at least 3 days prior to the expiration/closure date of this public notice to ensure that any necessary accommodations can be provided.

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