Federal regulators give Seward cruise dock contractor another year to finish pile driving

The National Marine Fisheries Service has renewed a permit that lets underwater noise from Turnagain Marine Construction's work on Seward's new cruise ship dock reach whales, porpoises, sea lions and seals in Resurrection Bay. Kimberly Damon-Randall, director of the agency's Office of Protected Resources, signed the renewal Sept. 25. It runs through Sept. 20, 2027, according to the agency's renewal action page.

Alaska News reported the proposed renewal Sept. 3. That proposal would have expired Sept. 1, 2027.

The replacement dock at the head of Resurrection Bay will serve cruise ships in the visitor season and limited freight and utilities in the off-season. The company sought the renewal because the work would not be finished before the original permit expired Sept. 20.

Its renewal request reported 1,680 existing piles removed and 64 permanent piles installed by June 23. The company estimated 12 construction days remained to install and remove eight temporary 36-inch steel piles and install eight permanent 48-inch piles.

The permit covers noise loud enough to injure an animal's hearing, which the law calls Level A, and noise that could change behavior such as feeding, breathing or nursing, called Level B. It applies to gray, fin, humpback and killer whales, Dall's and harbor porpoise, Steller sea lions and harbor seals. Harbor seals have the most authorized Level B takes, 144, followed by Steller sea lions at 96.

The agency found the work will have a negligible impact on the affected stocks and said its mitigation, monitoring and reporting rules match the original permit. Agency-approved observers must watch the water. Crews must start impact hammering at reduced energy, stop pile driving if an animal enters shutdown zones that reach up to 2,000 meters and halt all construction if one comes within 10 meters.

The agency dropped the bubble curtain requirement, a noise-dampening measure, saying the company already installed every pile that needed one.

The lone public commenter asked for underwater sound measurements during the remaining 48-inch work. The agency said it did not require that monitoring, citing budget constraints. Asked to protect the AT1 transient killer whale stock, about seven animals, NMFS said observers sighted only 10 killer whales over roughly 200 construction days and that it does not expect AT1 whales in the area during the remaining work.