Posted on March 25, 2024
Today, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pacific Ocean Division offered a permit to IPOP, LLC to dredge and dispose of material in U.S. waters near Nome, Alaska.
IPOP’s revised plan, which constitutes the Least Environmentally Damaging Practicable Alternative (LEDPA), reduces impacts by approximately 33 acres compared to their previous proposal. The permit includes a special condition requiring IPOP to monitor environmental resources throughout the project and for two years post-completion. Additionally, adaptive management measures must be implemented to ensure rapid regrowth of aquatic vegetation.
This decision overturns the permit denial made by the Alaska District on September 8, 2022.
During the application review, Brig. Gen. Kirk Gibbs, Division Engineer, considered input from stakeholders and laws governing the Clean Water Act Regulatory Program.
“The Corps is committed to protecting the Nation’s aquatic resources while allowing reasonable development,” said Gibbs. “Given the facts and information available, I determined that the revised project is permittable and not contrary to the public interest.”
Gibbs concluded that while the estuary would likely recover from most impacts, monitoring and mitigation measures are necessary to safeguard fish, wildlife, and water quality and ensure estuary recovery.
The project site is located approximately 25 miles east of Nome, Alaska, within the Bonanza Channel estuary. The permitted activities include dredging, reclamation of dredged materials, and disposal of excess materials within jurisdictional waters.
The USACE Regulatory Program balances favorable impacts against detrimental ones, reflecting national concerns for resource protection and utilization.
POD evaluated the proposed project under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act and Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act. USACE’s jurisdiction includes regulating the discharge of dredge and fill materials (Section 404) and protecting navigable waterways (Section 10).
Alaska District will administer the permit.
For information about the USACE regulatory process, visit https://www.pod.usace.army.mil/Missions/Regulatory.
Queries regarding the permit decision may be directed to POD Public Affairs Office at pod-pao@usace.army.mil.
