Deadhorse airport upgrade will fill nearly 79 acres of wetlands with no mitigation

A construction package underway at Deadhorse Airport — the aviation gateway for North Slope oil, gas and pipeline workers — will fill 78.6 acres of wetlands and other federally regulated waters, and the state has proposed no compensatory mitigation for the loss.

In its water quality certification application, the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities said it planned no mitigation for the filled wetlands, citing the absence of mitigation banks or in-lieu-fee programs in the area. The project places roughly 722,700 cubic yards of gravel and builds a 20,000-foot wildlife perimeter fence around the airfield.

The work is aimed at safety, drainage and wildlife-conflict problems: it fills infield ponds next to the runway and apron, replaces failing culverts, improves drainage along Deadhorse Drive, and adds the perimeter fence and a service road. The Federal Aviation Administration issued a finding of no significant impact in 2023 and funds the work through the Airport Improvement Program.

Construction is progressing through the short Arctic building season, with paving and culvert work underway and infield areas being filled. Project records list conflicting completion targets — the environmental document anticipated work running into fall 2026, while the bid notice sets a completion date of Oct. 31, 2027.