Notice of Application for State Water Quality Certification

Public Notice (PN) Date: September 23, 2025         PN Reference Number: POA-2024-00445 v1.0
PN Expiration Date: October 23, 2025                                               Waterway: Lake Hood

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-2024-00445 v1.0 or on or before the public notice expiration date listed above.

Applicant: Fejes Guide Service, Samuel Fejes, PO Box 111394, Anchorage, AK 99511, (907) 229-5060; fejesguideservice@gmail.com

Agent: 3-Tier Alaska, Connor Barr, 3305 Arctic Blvd, Suite 102, Anchorage, AK 99503; (907) 522-4337; connor@3tieralaska.com.

Project Name: Alaska Division of Aviation (ADA) 32370 Development, Lake Hood Airstrip

Dates of the proposed activity are planned to begin and end: 09/15/2025 to 09/15/2027

Location: The proposed activity is located within Section 27, T. 13N, R. 4W, Seward Meridian, in Municipality of Anchorage, Alaska.  Project Site (Latitude, Longitude): 61.183594, -149.95934.

Purpose: This ADA lease lot is located within the boundaries of the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (TSAIA). Beyond the widespread North and South Airparks of the TSAIA airport itself, the TSAIA property boundary also includes the Lake Hood Seaplane Base and Lake Hood Airport. This ADA lease lot is located in undeveloped land to the east of the Lake Hood Airport. The Lake Hood Seaplane Base land use plan (published in 2017) designates the general area east of the Lake Hood Airport as 'aircraft aeronautical' and 'future airport development'. On May 26, 2023, the State of Alaska, Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOT&PF) published an Invitation to Bid on this ADA lease lot. The DOT&PF proposed authorized uses for the lease lot included "construction, maintenance, and operation of a general aviation, aircraft hangar complex; maintenance and parking of aircraft; aircraft tiedowns and tiedown rentals; air charter, air taxi, or flightseeing services; construction, maintenance, and operation of office space associated with [these uses]; [and] associated vehicle parking." for the purpose of encouraging new development to meet very high demand for new aircraft facilities within the TSAIA property boundaries.

The purpose of the proposed development is to provide Lake Hood Airport with new aircraft facilities that conform to the Lake Hood Seaplane Base land use plan and the DOT&PF's list of proposed authorized uses. The proposed development is needed to alleviate the very high demand for new aircraft facilities within TSAIA and specifically around the Lake Hood Airport.

REASON FOR DISCHARGE: Approximately 4.3 acres of the 5.1-acre lease lot are comprised of jurisdictional wetlands. The proposed development will permanently impact 3.28 acres of jurisdictional wetlands within, and immediately adjacent to, the lease lot during construction of the proposed paved taxiway, pad apron, and hangars. Despite the minimization measures discussed in Box 23, discharge of permanent fill to wetlands is unavoidable as the lease lot is located almost entirely within the southern portion of a large wetland system that discharges to Jones Lake and ultimately Hood Creek and Cook Inlet further to the north.

Description of Proposed Work: The applicant, Mr. Fejes, intends to develop the 5.1-acre ADA lease lot to support construction of a paved taxiway/access road/pad apron (2.91 acres) and four duplex-style aircraft hangars [1.1 acres]. Each hangar would be 12,000 sq ft in area. Vehicle access to the pad apron and proposed hangars would be via a proposed access road extending north from Lakeshore Drive and through the Lake Hood Airstrip RSA. Aircraft access to the proposed aircraft hangars would be via the proposed taxiway extending northeast from an existing gravel drive. Additional construction would include linear utilities installation (i.e., sewer and water) within a 0.23-acre corridor between the eastern lease lot boundary and Aero Avenue. A perimeter drainage swale would also be constructed within a narrow 1-acre area to receive and convey storm water away from the hangars and paved areas into an existing storm water system at 40th Avenue.

Total permanent fill (paved taxiway/access road, hangars, and pad apron) would impact 3.85 acres. Total temporary impacts (linear utility construction and perimeter drainage swale) would impact 1.23 acres. Total permanent impacts to identified jurisdictional wetlands would be 3.28 acres (142,932 sq ft). Total temporary impacts to identified jurisdictional wetlands would be 1.23 acres.

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: The applicant shifted the location of the access road and taxiway to avoid all disturbance to jurisdictional wetlands within the southernmost corner of the lease lot.
2. Minimization: The applicant completed a 0.25-acre reduction in permanent wetland impacts by shifting hangar locations to the south towards non-wetland/uplands and rounding the paved apron at two specific locations at the northern property boundary where fixed-wing aircraft and passenger vehicle traffic is not anticipated.
3. Mitigation: The applicant plans to mitigate impacts to jurisdictional wetlands within the perimeter swale by reestablishing peat to the final grade, which will, in time, reestablish native hydrophytic vegetation similar to the surrounding area. Additionally, native material will be utilized in areas subject to temporary disturbance during the construction of proposed subgrade utilities.

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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