PUBLIC NOTICE
Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC)
Wastewater Discharge Authorization Program/§401 Certification
555 Cordova Street, Anchorage, AK 99501-2617
Phone: 907-269-6285 | Email: DEC-401Cert@alaska.gov

Notice of Application for State Water Quality Certification

Public Notice (PN) Date: September 18, 2025          PN Reference Number: POA-2025-00373 v1.0
PN Expiration Date: October 20, 2025                                                 Waterway: Expedition Inlet

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-2025-00373 v1.0 or on or before the public notice expiration date listed above.

Applicant: City of Unalaska, Department of Public Works, Scott Brown, P.O. Box 610, Unalaska, AK 99685, (907) 581-1260; sbrown@unalaska.gov

Agent: PND Engineers, Inc., Lisa Lee, 1506 West 36th Ave, Anchorage, AK 99503; (907) 561-1011; llee@pndengineers.com.

Project Name: Robert Storrs Harbor Floats, A & B Replacement

Dates of the proposed activity are planned to begin and end: 04/01/2026 to 04/01/2027

Location: The proposed activity is located within Section 03, T. 073S, R. 118W, Seward Meridian, in Aleutians West Census Area, Alaska. Project Site (Latitude, Longitude): 53.877960, -166.55355.

Purpose: The City of Unalaska seeks to perform a series of improvements on the Robert Storrs Harbor, including demolition of existing moorage structures, installation of new HDPE floats, access upgrades, utility upgrades, and upland parking improvements in an effort to improve accessibility and public safety and to continue to provide public service and vessel mooring for local recreational vessels.

Description of Proposed Work: The proposed improvements include the demolition of the existing A & B Floats, expansion of the shoreline to construct a new parking facility, new pile and float installation, and installation of new utilities.

DEMOLITION: Project site work would begin with the demolition of existing A & B Floats. All existing concrete head walk floats, main walk floats, and finger floats would be removed. The existing steel gangway and concrete abutment would also be removed. Existing harbor floats are moored with steel piles and removed with a vibratory hammer. Demolition materials would be recycled or disposed of as necessary in accordance with all applicable regulations, or will be salvaged/reused by the local community.

UPLANDS PARKING FACILITY: A new parking facility will be constructed in the uplands to accommodate users. Approximately 0.13 acre of shot rock fill (2,400 cubic yards), armor rock (450 cubic yards), and base course rock (8 cubic yards) would be placed below the high tide line to create the embankment for the expanded parking lot facility. Along the fill slopes, geotextile fabric and armor rock would be placed to protect the uplands parking facility and keep the shot rock fill in place. All rock fill for the project is expected to be sourced from one of several hard rock quarry sources located on Unalaska Island. The exact quarry source would not be known until a contractor has been awarded the project. Upon completion, 37 parking spaces would be available to harbor users along with a loading zone, dumpster location, and a 20-foot by 20-foot restroom area. Stormwater improvements consisting of storm drain catch basins with oil water separators and associated piping would be installed in accordance with Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation standards to control stormwater within the expanded uplands. The uplands parking area would be graded to facilitate stormwater drainage towards the catch basins installed in various locations throughout the site. Potable water would also be installed. Between the parking area and the armor rock wall, an 8-foot-wide concrete sea walk, equipped with curbs and gutters, would be installed for pedestrian access.

FLOAT INSTALLATION: New floats covering about 0.30 acres of harbor would be mobilized to the site on a barge and offloaded directly into the water. The float surfaces would be metal grating over fiberglass supported by foam-filled high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipe pontoons. Individual float modules would be connected into manageable sections for installation. To ensure floats are installed accurately, the contractor would install temporary template piles to moor the floats in the proper position and remove them using vibratory methods. Following float installation, the contractor would install all float appurtenances, including water and electrical utilities, as well as a new Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)- compliant 80-foot (570 square foot) aluminum gangway.

PILE INSTALLATION: Once floats are in position, permanent float piles will be driven with a vibratory hammer to the greatest extent possible to achieve the specified minimum embedment.

DRILLING & ROCK SOCKETS: Due to the suspected presence of near-surface bedrock within the project site, some permanent float piles may require drilled rock sockets if the minimum specified pile embedment is not obtained. If determined to be necessary, sockets a minimum of 8 feet deep would be drilled into bedrock through the pile shaft to the width of the associated pile via down-the-hole (DTH) drilling methods. Before DTH drilling, an impact hammer would be used to secure the pile tip into the bedrock.

UTILITIES: Following the installation of the new harbor floats, the installation of water, fire suppression, and electrical utilities would be completed. Both the fire suppression piping (4-inch) and potable water piping (3-inch) would be mounted directly to the floats. Fire and water standpipes would be installed throughout the new harbor. Fire extinguishers and life ring cabinets will also be installed at regular intervals along the new harbor floats. 50 linear feet of 3-foot-high density polyethylene pipe would be trenched below the high tide line. Additional trenching would occur in the uplands above the high tide line. An electrical system consisting of luminaires and power pedestals will be installed to provide adequate lighting and power for harbor vessels.

DEMOBILIZATION: Project equipment would be demobilized at the port of origin. Unused materials would be recycled or disposed of as necessary in accordance with all applicable regulations, or would be salvaged/reused by the local community.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: U.S. Endangered Species Act Incidental take statements from National Marine Fisheries Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Marine Mammal Protection Act Incidental harassment authorizations from National Marine Fisheries Service, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

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: Impacts to waters of the United States (WOTUS) could not be entirely avoided for this project because the nature of the project is dependent on maritime access.
2. Minimization: The project was designed to have the least amount of fill possible to meet its purpose. Fill being placed for the installation of utilities will be clean fill with relatively few fines, which will limit sedimentation. The contractors will comply with local, state, and federal water quality standards. The incorporation of the proposed BMPs and mitigation measures will minimize impacts to WOTUS to the extent possible. The BMPs can be found in the project description which is included in the USACE permit application.
3. Mitigation: The project will result in a small loss of WOTUS; however, the renovation of the existing float dock does not impact any unique habitats, and the project is being constructed in a previously disturbed area. The project is intended to extend the life of the existing facility which is important to the community of Unalaska. As such, no compensatory mitigation is 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 Kristin Mabry, kristin.mabry@alaska.gov, 1-907-334-0884; 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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