A new barge docking facility for unloading gravel is being proposed at the Williams Petroleum Terminal near the Port of Anchorage.
Summit Alaska Inc. has applied for a permit with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to build the facility to off-load gravel shipped across Knik Arm from the company's pit at Point MacKenzie.
Since 1996, the company has unloaded gravel at a dock between the Williams Petroleum Terminal and Ship Creek. A permit was not renewed at that dock because of increased activity by Alaska West Express, Spenard Builders Supply Inc., Northland Marine Services and others.
Plans call for moving an existing 300-foot-long conveyor and floating gravel hopper to the proposed location. Pipe piling and mooring dolphins would be installed to support half the length of the conveyor system. The conveyor would transport gravel from barges to be stockpiled at a three-acre site subleased by Williams Alaska Petroleum and owned by the Alaska Railroad Corp.
Summit Alaska says it will post an observer to keep a lookout for beluga whales during pile-driving operations. The company says it will stop driving piles if a beluga whale is spotted within 2,000 feet of the operation.
About 7,500 cubic yards of fill and concrete rubble will be placed on about a third of an acre of tidelands to create a road dike to the site. Another 800 cubic yards of stone or concrete riprap would be placed along the dike perimeter.
The conveyor system would be supported equally by the dolphins, pipe piling and the dike, according to Summit's permit application.
The hopper and a portion of the conveyor will be removed during the winter months to avoid ice damage, according to the company's permit application.
About 2,000 cubic yards of mud and rock from a 100-foot by 300-foot area would be dredged at the end of the conveyor system for barge berthing, according to the company.
The company also has requested permission to maintain water depths at the new site by dredging about 2,500 cubic yards of material annually.
Summit Alaska wants to begin construction in March and have the project completed by May, according to federal permit application.
Public comments on the proposed work will be accepted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers until Jan. 11.
