Public Comment Deadline – POA-2026-00202 v1.0 Petro Marine Fuel Terminals Improvements Project

The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has received an application for a Clean Water Act Section 401 Water Quality Certification from Petro Marine Services. The application concerns the 'Petro Marine Ketchikan Fuel Terminals Improvements Project' located in the Tongass Narrows, Ketchikan. The project aims to upgrade aging infrastructure at Terminal 1 to improve vessel berthing and fuel delivery capabilities. The proposed work involves removing existing timber and steel piles, a fuel float, and an approach dock, and replacing them with a new breasting dolphin, catwalks, and an extended main dock. The project requires the installation of various steel pipe piles, some of which will be anchored into bedrock using down-the-hole (DTH) drilling. The applicant estimates that pile installation and removal will take approximately 103 hours over a 120-day period. Petro Marine Services plans to conduct the activity between August 1, 2027, and January 1, 2028. The applicant has proposed several mitigation measures, including the use of best management practices to protect water quality and the avoidance of creosote-treated wood. No compensatory mitigation is proposed as the applicant asserts that the project will result in minimal discharge into the marine environment. The public comment period for this certification application is open until November 6, 2026. Interested parties may submit comments or request a public hearing through the DEC website or via email.