The City of Unalaska is inching closer to beginning construction on a more than decade-long renovation of one of its boat harbors, but it will have to get approval from the federal government first.
The city has applied for a permit through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to demolish and expand parts of the Robert Storrs Small Boat Harbor on Amaknak Island. Because the work would be done in an area that could affect navigation and would involve adding fill material in certain levels of tidal waters, the Army Corps has to approve the proposed renovations. Before giving the green light, though, the corps is requesting public comment.
The 40-year-old boat harbor sits in Expedition Inlet behind one of Unalaska’s largest seafood processing plants, UniSea, Inc. The Bobby Storrs floats serve vessels under 60 feet and currently house 71 slips.
The proposed renovations include demolition and reconstruction of two of the harbor’s floats, more moorage space and a public bathroom. They also include expansion of the shoreline for a new parking lot, new pile and float installation, as well as new utilities.
The city is contracting PND Engineers Inc., an Anchorage-based civil engineering company, to perform the renovations. According to Unalaska Planning Director Cameron Dean, the project budget has increased from original estimates of around $14 million to nearly $15.7 million, including both design and construction.
The city applied for a $5 million grant through the state’s Municipal Facility Harbor Grant Program, but the funding wasn’t granted because it wasn’t included in the state's budget, according to Dean. He said the city has reapplied for the upcoming fiscal year.
Dean said state funding for the project is the city’s top legislative priority and if it is received, it would replace some of the already appropriated city funding for the project, most of which is coming form the city's ports proprietary fund.
The upgrade has been in the works for more than a decade, and now, the Corps estimates construction to begin April of next year.
But that can’t happen until the public and federal, state and local agencies, including tribal entities, have a chance to weigh in.
John Sargent, a regulatory project manager with the Corps, said once the comment period closes, he’ll consider input and consult with various agencies.
“Typically, it takes about 120 days from the time we get a complete application to the time when we make a permit decision,” Sargent said. “And so in this one, we're well within that time period.”
According to the Corps’ public notice, the city has plans to mitigate impacts to the local habitats and animal populations.
Project plans include using a “clean” fill for utility installation that will limit sedimentation in the area. The harbor is located in critical habitat or range of various endangered and threatened species, including humpback whales, stellar sea lions, the sunflower sea star and the Steller’s eider.
Construction could affect some of those animals, and could potentially damage the essential fish habitat of numerous species, including salmon, according to the proposal.
While the Corps’ list of vulnerable species in the project area looks extensive, Sargent says the notice includes a pretty standard list for Alaska’s waters.
The Corps will consult with federal resource management agencies prior to its final assessment of the work.
The permit site also sits within the Dutch Harbor Naval Base and Fort Mears U.S. Army national historic landmark. Project managers are coordinating with the State Historic Preservation Office and federal tribes to consider any unknown cultural sites or resources that could be lost in construction.
“We sent out the public notice to the tribes as well. And so if there are any comments from the tribes, we'll consider those as well in the process,” Sargent said.
The Corps will consider any public input as well as possible impacts of construction before issuing a permit.
“It looks like a pretty standard process and we'll see what we get from the agencies and the public, and then we'll move forward,” Sargent said.
The public has until Sept. 22 to submit comments on the proposed construction, or request a public hearing.
Comments can be submitted via email or sent to the Fairbanks field office. You can find more information on the Army Corp’s website.
