News

USACE Seeks Public Comment on Akutan Harbor Study

July 6, 2023

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Alaska District prepared a new feasibility report and environmental assessment for navigational improvements at Akutan Harbor on Akun Island and is seeking public comment on the draft document.

USACE proposes to construct a harbor on the island to accommodate vessels with a length of up to 58 feet and a draft of eight feet. A 450-foot-long rubble mound breakwater would protect a 120-foot by 120-foot turning basin as well. Both the entrance channel and turning basin would be dredged to a depth of minus 15 feet. The channel would have a minimum width of 60 feet to a maximum width of 120 feet when turning around at the nose of the breakwater. Blasting would be required for the turning basin and entrance channel in this location.

The recommended plan is justified by the 2006 Section of the Water Resources Development Act of 2007, which covers remote and subsistence harbors.

The draft report is available for review until Aug. 3, 2023. It may be viewed on the Alaska District’s website at: http://www.poa.usace.army.mil/Library/Reports-and-Studies/. On that webpage, look under “Documents Available for Public Review” and expand the Civil Works link. The documents can also be found at: https://www.aleutianseast.org/news/draft-akutan-feasibility-study/

Comments may be submitted to the address below or sent via email to: akutan-harbor-nav@usace.army.mil.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Alaska District
ATTN: CEPOA-PM-C-ER (Ferguson
P.O. Box 6898
Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska 99506-0898