Notice of Application for State Water Quality Certification

Public Notice (PN) Date: January 14, 2026              PN Reference Number: POA-2021-00531 v1.0
PN Expiration Date: February 13, 2026                                    Waterway: Salmon Creek

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-2021-00531 v1.0 or on or before the public notice expiration date listed above.

Applicant: Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium, Michael Pountney, 222 Tongass Drive, Sitka, AK 99835, (907) 966-8413; michaelp@searhc.org

Agent: PND Engineers, Inc., Baila Matthaey, 1506 W. 36th Avenue, Anchorage, AK 99503; (907) 646-2762; bmatthaey@pndengineers.com.

Project Name: Salmon Falls Housing

Dates of the proposed activity are planned to begin and end: 04/01/2026 to 02/28/2027

Location: The proposed activity is located within Section 9, T. 41S, R. 67E, Copper River Meridian, in the City and Borough of Juneau, Alaska. 7B0901100000. Project Site (Latitude, Longitude): 58.331930, -134.46510.

Purpose: The applicant’s stated purpose is to construct temporary housing for out-of-town patients and medical providers. Juneau has a housing and lodging shortage, and the project would provide housing for patients traveling from remote locations to Juneau for medical care, as well as relief for the current housing market. Additionally, visiting specialists and medical providers who work on the campus would be provided a space to stay and expand specialty medical care for Juneau.

Description of Proposed Work: The Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium (SEARHC) is proposing to discharge 1,525 cubic yards of fill material into 0.58 acres of wetlands on the vacant hillside of its medical campus in Juneau, Alaska. The purpose of the proposed discharge is to construct necessary supporting infrastructure, including a 12-unit housing facility, an associated parking lot, and a 26-foot-wide access road designed to connect the new housing to the main campus facilities. The project's entire footprint, including uplands, encompasses 0.89 acres, requiring mechanized land clearing, vegetation removal, and grubbing. Construction within wetland areas would involve excavating the surficial muskeg and underlying soil and bedrock down to the designated building pad grade, which has been established based on the maximum allowable grade for the access road. A 50-foot stream buffer along Salmon Falls Creek, situated on the northwest side of the lot, would remain undisturbed by construction activities. The construction efforts have been designed to ensure that there will be no impact on existing medical operations or patient care.

Additional Information: The applicant explored the following alternatives for the proposed facility:

• The pre-cleared pad is located south of the proposed project area. This site has already been designated for another housing construction project for SEARHC.
• Reducing the overall footprint by constructing a multistory facility. This was determined to be financially impactful. The inclusion of an elevator increased the project cost by 15-20%.

Project Schedule: Site work would commence immediately upon receiving the necessary permits, which is anticipated to be in the spring of 2026. Excavation and backfill would take 3-4 months. Construction of the building would commence in late summer and be complete late winter 2027.

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: SEARHC has already performed site work on all areas of the property that are not WOTUS. However, the available area is insufficient for the housing needs of SEARHC's patients and providers. While WOTUS cannot be avoided, BMPs will be implemented to reduce impacts. During the planning process for the proposed project, the site was selected due to a lack of available alternatives. While the site selection had to factor in topography and creek setbacks, the road design was positioned in a way to avoid the wetlands as much as possible. A section of the parking lot was also angled to avoid the wetlands. The creek setback and nearby wetlands without planned development will be staked off prior to construction commencement to protect sensitive areas. All staging of equipment will be done in the uplands.
2. Minimization: The property is large but presents challenges for development due to the presence of Salmon Creek, very steep topography, and lack of practical access. The portion of this property identified as WOTUS is the last remaining piece on this parcel that is reasonably developable. Other areas of the site that are not WOTUS have already been developed. The limits have been confined to areas that are reasonable to develop. WOTUS areas within the property still remain on steeper parts and within the Salmon Creek setback. Incorporation of BMPs listed will avoid and minimize impacts to WOTUS to the extent possible.

   The applicant stated that the proposed amount of fill to be discharged was designed to be limited to the minimal amount possible to meet the project's purpose. Fill would be from a permitted and licensed source and consist of clean blasted rock with relatively few fines. This would reduce impacts, including turbidity and/or sedimentation.

3. Mitigation: Impacts to WOTUS will be mitigated through the implementation of proposed BMPs. Only clean fill will be used from a permitted source. Sensitive areas will be clearly delineated beforehand with staking techniques. Vehicles and construction equipment will be kept up to date on maintenance and checked for leaks before entering the property. 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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