NOAA proposes 1,660 marine mammal takes for Juneau fuel dock rebuild

A Juneau fuel dock rebuild could authorize up to 1,660 proposed "takes" of marine mammals in Gastineau Channel, meaning harassment rather than killing. Of those, 852 fall under Level A harassment, the category covering injury or permanent hearing damage, most of them harbor seals. NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service expects no serious injury or death, and mostly mild behavioral reactions including temporary avoidance during pile driving.

NMFS is taking public comment on a proposed incidental harassment authorization, the permit for disturbing marine mammals, for PetroMarine Services at the Juneau Rock Dump Terminal. Comments are due 30 days after Sept. 10 publication in the Federal Register, by email to [email protected].

Harbor seals account for the bulk of proposed takes at 1,458, with 846 at Level A. NMFS also proposes 162 takes of Steller sea lions, including 3 at Level A; 11 harbor porpoises, including 3 at Level A; 21 killer whales; and 8 humpback whales. The last two groups fall under Level B harassment only. That figure tracks the 47 of 81 work days with impact driving.

The project would rebuild a pile-supported T-dock and fuel float and improve fuel lines. The work includes removing 50 timber piles, impact-driving 14 steel pipe piles for mooring and breasting dolphins, the pilings boats tie against, and placing roughly 2,200 cubic yards of armor rock against slope erosion. Work should run about 81 days starting Jan. 1, 2027.

PetroMarine does not propose a bubble curtain to muffle impact driving, citing economic and technical impracticability. Mitigation relies on soft-start procedures, clearance and shutdown zones, and at least two protected species observers during all pile driving.

The project area is not in or near designated critical habitat, and the nearest Steller sea lion haulout is 45 kilometers away. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game has designated the project area a non-subsistence area, and NMFS preliminarily found no unmitigable adverse impact on subsistence uses. In a separate Juneau-area consultation, the Douglas Indian Association said it did not see impacts that may affect its subsistence use.

Other Juneau-area projects have received federal marine mammal authorizations for pile driving, including the Aak'w Landing cruise dock, the Auke Bay East Ferry Terminal and Coeur Alaska's Kensington Dock in Berners Bay.

The authorization, if issued, would be effective for up to one year.