A new cruise terminal could rise in a humpback whale feeding ground near Juneau

Federal regulators want public input before crews start building a new cruise ship terminal on Douglas Island, across the channel from downtown Juneau — inside a stretch of water the government itself recognizes as important humpback whale feeding habitat.

The National Marine Fisheries Service is proposing to let Turnagain Marine Construction "harass" up to 10 species of marine mammals during two years of in-water work on the island's western shore, about nine miles from town. Harassment is the regulatory word for disturbing animals with noise — here, the pounding of 465 pilings to support two berths for large cruise ships. For nine of those species, the agency says the noise could reach the level of potential hearing injury, though it expects no deaths or serious harm.

The catch is the location. The site sits in Stephens Passage and Lynn Canal, a federally designated humpback feeding area from April through October. Most whales there belong to a Hawaii population that isn't protected under the Endangered Species Act — but the threatened Mexico population passes through too.

The terminal is pitched as relief for downtown Juneau's cruise crush, giving big ships a place to berth away from the crowded waterfront. To limit harm, Turnagain would use bubble curtains, gradual "soft starts," and shutdown zones when animals come near. The company ran similar pile-driving jobs around Alaska in 2023, 2024, and 2025, and regulators say it met every requirement.

The notice publishes June 29, opening a 30-day public comment window.