Notice of Application for State Water Quality Certification

Public Notice (PN) Date: June 9, 2026                         PN Reference Number: POA-2026-00044 v1.0
PN Expiration Date: July 9, 2026                                  Waterway: Bering Sea

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-2026-00044 v1.0 or on or before the public notice expiration date listed above.

Applicant: Stebbins Community Association, Doreen Tom, P.O. Box 149, Stebbins, AK 99671, (907) 934-2482; sca.housingdepartment@gmail.com

Project Name: Antonia Subdivision

Dates of the proposed activity are planned to begin and end: 06/15/2026 to 10/15/2026

Location: The proposed activity is located within Section S2 T23S R19W, T. T23S R19W, R. 023.0S - 019.0W, Kateel River Meridian, in Nome Census Area, Alaska.  Project Site (Latitude, Longitude): 63.524816, -162.28505.

Purpose: The Antonia Subdivision project is a planned single-family housing subdivision located in the village of Stebbins, Alaska. The proposed work would be the construction of 10 compacted gravel pads for home sites with an access road from the adjacent subdivision.

Description of Proposed Work: The primary goal of this construction project is to offer immediate shelter and long-term stability to community members whose homes were destroyed or damaged by the Typhoon Merbok Flood.  The cabins will be designed to blend functionality, affordability, and environmental sensitivity, aligning with the vision of creating a supportive and cohesive community for those in need.

This project will involve constructing a subdivision road to access the lots off of the access road; creating 10 compacted gravel pads for this project and future projects; constructing 4 new 3-bedroom homes; and installing 2 cabins, which are to be moved to the community from Bethel. This project will be located adjacent to existing housing.

Stebbins does not have community water or sewer, but the homes will be plumbed for any future installations of community systems. All units will be connected to the community power grid. Running utility power lines to the lots is part of the scope of this project and the site is already served by an access road from the main townsite. The proposed project would discharge 6.15 Cubic Yards of Fill and impact approximately 6.05 acres of wetlands.

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 selected site is located adjacent to existing housing within the village footprint, and is partially served by an established access road, minimizing the need for additional roads through undisturbed areas. Alternative locations were considered; however, the chosen site represents the least environmentally damaging practicable alternative due to its proximity to existing infrastructure and previously disturbed areas. The project design further limits impacts by confining construction to a defined footprint, including a subdivision road, ten compacted gravel pads, and associated residential structures. By siting improvements within or near previously impacted areas, the project avoids direct impacts to aquatic resources to the maximum extent practicable while still meeting the purpose of providing housing for low-to-moderate income, NAHASDA-eligible residents.
2. Minimization: For those impacts to waters of the United States that could not be practicably avoided, the applicant has incorporated the following measures to minimize adverse effects on the aquatic environment

   - Limit the construction footprint to only what is necessary for roads, pads, and structures, with clearly flagged boundaries to prevent encroachment into adjacent aquatic resources or wetlands.

   - Design the subdivision road and gravel pads to maintain natural drainage patterns, including the use of culverts or low-impact drainage features to prevent hydrologic disruption.

   - Utilize clean, properly sourced fill material and avoid sidecasting into wetlands or other waters.

   - Implement spill prevention and control measures for fuels and equipment to protect water quality.

3. Mitigation: Applicant states that compensatory mitigation is not proposed because the project impacts are no more than minimal.

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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