Public Comment Period: POA-2026-00371 v1.0 Water Quality Certification

The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has issued a public notice regarding an application from the Alyeska Pipeline Service Company for a Clean Water Act Section 401 Water Quality Certification. The project, designated as POA-2026-00371 v1.0, involves the protection of the Trans Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) near Mileposts 77-84 along the Sagavanirktok River. The proposed work aims to mitigate erosion risks by augmenting existing spur dikes and staging gravel and riprap stockpiles. The project involves significant earthwork, including the mining of approximately 20,000 cubic yards of alluvial gravel from river bars and the discharge of up to 390,650 cubic yards of material into waters of the United States to construct stabilization structures. The total impact area is estimated at 135 acres. The applicant plans to conduct these operations in late fall when river levels are low and the ground is frozen or dry to minimize environmental impact. Alyeska has proposed several best management practices (BMPs) to protect water quality, including mining only during low-water conditions, maintaining specific setbacks from the riverbank and active water levels, and using temporary isolation berms. The applicant argues that compensatory mitigation is unnecessary because the project avoids and minimizes direct impacts to wetlands. The public comment period for this certification request is open until November 6, 2026.