Posted on October 2, 2026
The proposed Homer Harbor expansion would require removing up to 1.5 million cubic yards of material from Kachemak Bay under plans now undergoing state water quality review.
Application documents detail construction of a 37-acre mooring basin east of the existing facility, designed to accommodate 304 vessels. The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation opened a comment period Sept. 24 on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ application for water quality certification, and residents have until Oct. 26 to submit feedback or request a public hearing.
Overcrowding at the existing harbor forces some vessels to tie up as many as five deep, according to the Corps. The agency says those conditions complicate navigation and increase safety risks. Its preferred design, known as Alternative 2, would provide additional moorage for larger commercial vessels and boats on the current waitlist.
Building the new facility would require dredging approximately 68 acres of Kachemak Bay.
Current engineering estimates call for removing approximately 1.31 million cubic yards of material, but the Corps is requesting authorization for a larger amount to accommodate possible design adjustments.
Excavated sediment would then be transported to a proposed 28-acre disposal site outside the Kachemak Bay Critical Habitat Area near the Spit, where fish and wildlife habitat receives special protection.
Plans also include an approximately 4,500-foot breakwater. Engineers propose placing smaller quarry rock beneath the structure to help prevent it from settling into the soft marine sediment.
Water quality is the focus of the state’s current review, as the DEC must determine whether the proposed dredging and placement of fill would comply with applicable standards under Section 401 of the Clean Water Act.
Construction would disturb marine sediment near habitat used by fish and wildlife, making the location of dredging and disposal activities part of the permitting process. The proposal also places portions of the new harbor near the Kachemak Bay Critical Habitat Area, which was established to protect important marine habitat.
According to the application, the corps has adjusted the proposed harbor’s alignment to avoid directly disturbing high-density eelgrass beds and limit encroachment into the protected area. The agency describes the remaining overlap as negligible, a finding subject to regulatory review.
The application also outlines measures intended to limit construction-related effects, including sediment controls during dredging and procedures to prevent spills. Wildlife observers would monitor activities, with additional restrictions imposed where required by regulators.
DEC’s review gives residents another opportunity to examine those proposals and raise questions about how the work could affect surrounding waters.
Homer City Council endorsed Alternative 2 as the project’s tentatively selected plan April 13. At the time, the project carried an estimated $492 million price tag, including approximately $132 million in anticipated local costs.
That endorsement allowed the feasibility study to advance without committing municipal construction funds.
Any future local contribution would require separate council authorization after completion of the Corps’ final report.
Proposed construction dates run from March 2030 through November 2034. That schedule remains preliminary, with further regulatory approvals and funding decisions required before work can begin.
Following its review, DEC may grant water quality certification, attach additional conditions or deny the application. The current comment period does not constitute final approval for the expansion.
Comments can be submitted through the state’s public comment portal, or emailed to DEC-401Cert@alaska.gov. Submissions should reference ER-PN-26-02 v1.0.
