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Notice of Application for State Water Quality Certification – POA-2025-00475 v1.0 Dollar Lake, Alsop Canal - Dyson Floatplane Channel & Driveway

What is this notice about?

Jeff Dyson has asked the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to certify that his planned floatplane canal and driveways near Dollar Lake in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough will meet state water quality rules. The project would dig a channel and place gravel fill in about one acre of wetlands to connect a private airstrip to a lake. The public can comment or ask for a public hearing until November 6, 2026.

Why was this notice issued?

Under Section 401 of the federal Clean Water Act (CWA), anyone applying for a federal permit for an activity that might discharge into waters of the United States must also get certification from DEC that the discharge will meet the CWA and Alaska Water Quality Standards (18 AAC 70). DEC received a certification request on 9/24/2026 tied to a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permit application (reference POA-2025-00475 v1.0) to place dredged and/or fill material into waters of the United States, including wetlands.

What action is being taken?

DEC will review the application and decide whether the project will comply with water quality requirements. DEC may certify the project, certify it with conditions, deny certification, or waive certification. The project would build an approximately 700-foot-long by 20-foot-wide channel with a 120-foot by 120-foot staging pond, two parallel gravel driveways (714 feet and 646 feet long, each 12 feet wide at the top), and a 40-foot by 40-foot gravel launch/takeout ramp. About 4,000 cubic yards of material would be dug out of 0.33 acres of shrub wetlands and lake habitat, and about 20,000 cubic yards of fill would be placed in 0.66 acres of shrub wetlands. The applicant proposes buying credits from an approved wetland mitigation bank to make up for permanent wetland loss. Work is planned from 10/01/2026 to 10/31/2027 in Section 26, T. 15N, R. 24W, Seward Meridian (Latitude, Longitude: 61.357546, -149.95023).

Who is involved: Applicant: Jeff Dyson, 20083 Alsop Rd, Wasilla, AK 99623, (907) 250-9983, jeffdyson34@gmail.com. Agent: HDL Engineering Consultants, LLC, Owen Means, 3335 Arctic Blvd. Suite 100, Anchorage, AK 99503, (907) 564-2143, omeans@hdlalaska.com. Federal permit: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

How can the public respond?

Respond by Fri, Nov 6, 2026 This deadline has passed.

“On or before the public notice expiration date: November 6, 2026 (no time stated)”

Ways to respond

What to include

Comments or requests for a public hearing must be about water quality. When emailing, put the Public Notice Reference Number POA-2025-00475 v1.0 in the subject line. Project drawings and the notice are at https://dec.alaska.gov/water/wastewater/. To ask about or request copies of the application documents, email dec-401cert@alaska.gov or call 907-269-6285. People with disabilities who need accommodations should contact ADA Coordinator Kristin Mabry, kristin.mabry@alaska.gov, 1-907-334-0884, or TDD Relay Service 1-800-770-8973/TTY or dial 711, at least 3 days before the notice closes.

Contact

Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, 401 Water Quality Certification
dec-401cert@alaska.gov
907-269-6285

Will there be public meetings?

The notice does not announce any public meeting or hearing.

Key dates

  • Sep 24, 2026: DEC received the water quality certification request
  • Oct 1, 2026: Planned start of proposed work
  • Oct 7, 2026: Public notice published
  • Nov 6, 2026: Public comment and hearing request deadline (notice expiration date)
  • Oct 31, 2027: Planned end of proposed work

Original notice text

Notice of Application for State Water Quality Certification Public Notice (PN) Date: October 7, 2026 PN Reference Number: POA-2025-00475 v1.0 PN Expiration Date: November 6, 2026 Waterway: Dollar Lake Any applicant for a federal license or permit to conduct an activity that might result in a discharge into waters of the United States, in accordance with Section 401 of the Clean Water Act (CWA), must also apply for and obtain certification from the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation that the discharge will comply with the CWA and the Alaska Water Quality Standards (18 AAC 70). The scope of certification is limited to the water quality-related impacts of the activity subject to the Federal license or permit (40 CFR 121.3, 18 AAC 15.180). Notice is hereby given that a request for a CWA §401 Water Quality Certification of a Department of the Army Permit application, Corps of Engineers’ PN Reference Number indicated above, has been received[1] for the discharge of dredged and/or fill materials into waters of the United States (WOTUS), including wetlands, as described below, and shown on the project figures/drawings. The public notice and related project figures/drawings are accessible from the DEC website at https://dec.alaska.gov/water/wastewater/. To comment on the project or request a public hearing with respect to water quality, submit comments via (preferred method) DEC website https://dec.alaska.gov/commish/public-notices/ or email to the DEC email address: DEC-401Cert@alaska.gov with the subject line referencing Public Notice Reference Number: POA-2025-00475 v1.0 or on or before the public notice expiration date listed above. Applicant: Owner/Applicant, Jeff Dyson, 20083 Alsop Rd, Wasilla, AK 99623, (907) 250-9983; jeffdyson34@gmail.com Agent: HDL Engineering Consultants, LLC, Owen Means, 3335 Arctic Blvd. Suite 100, Anchorage, AK 99503; (907) 564-2143; omeans@hdlalaska.com. Project Name: Alsop Canal - Dyson Floatplane Channel & Driveway Dates of the proposed activity are planned to begin and end: 10/01/2026 to 10/31/2027 Location: The proposed activity is located within Section 26, T. 15N, R. 24W, Seward Meridian, in Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska. Project Site (Latitude, Longitude): 61.357546, -149.95023. Purpose: The proposed project would develop a private floatplane facility serving aviation users in the southern portion of the Matanuska-Susitna Borough (MSB). According to the 2017 MSB Regional Aviation System Plan (RASP), there is currently an unmet demand for floatplane facilities in the southern portion of the MSB. The RASP identified several locations of public-use facilities. The proposed project was not included in the list of potential public-use facilities, but would provide similar services to other existing private facilities such as Wolf Lake. Description of Proposed Work: The applicant proposes to construct a canal connecting an existing gravel airstrip at 20083 Alsop Road in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough to an unnamed lake for floatplanes based at the airstrip to access the unnamed lake for takeoffs and landings. The canal would feature an approximately 700-foot-long by 20-foot-wide excavated channel with a 120-foot-long by 120-foot-wide permanent staging pond; two (2) parallel gravel driveways, with the west driveway measuring 714-foot-long by 12-foot-wide at the top surface and the east driveway measuring 646-foot-long by 12-foot-wide at the top surface; and a 40-foot-long by 40-foot-wide launch/takeout ramp constructed of gravel and borrow material obtained from the applicant’s upland property. Approximately 4,000 cubic yards of material would be excavated to a depth of two (2) feet from 0.33 acres of palustrine scrub-shrub wetlands and lacustrine deepwater habitat to construct the channel. The excavated material would be used for landscaping on the applicant’s upland property and shared with the neighbor for private use. Excess excavated material may be disposed of in the applicant’s material source area. Approximately 20,000 cubic yards of fill material would be placed into 0.66 acres of palustrine scrub-shrub wetlands to construct the embankments for the driveways. Applicant Proposed Mitigation: The applicant proposes the following mitigation measures to avoid, minimize, and compensate for impacts to waters of the United States from activities involving discharges of dredged or fill material. • Avoidance: The applicant attempted to secure floatplane access via uplands on the neighboring property to the east. However, access was not granted by the property owner. • Minimization: Minimization includes limiting the length and width of the proposed driveways to the minimum needed to safely operate machinery and equipment to conduct initial and ongoing maintenance dredging of the channel. • Mitigation: The application proposes to purchase credits from an approved wetland mitigation bank in the local service area to compensate for unavoidable permanent wetland loss to satisfy compensatory mitigation requirements of the Section 404 permit. After reviewing the application, the Department will evaluate whether the activity will comply with applicable water quality requirements (any limitation, standard, or other requirement under sections 301, 302, 306, and 307 of the CWA, any Federal and state laws or regulations implementing those sections, and any other water quality-related requirement of state law). The Department may certify (or certify with conditions) with reasonable assurance the activity and any discharge that might result will comply with water quality requirements. The Department also may deny or waive certification. The permit application and associated documents are available for review. To inquire about or request copies of the documents, contact dec-401cert@alaska.gov or call 907-269-6285. Disability Reasonable Accommodation Notice: The State of Alaska, Department of Environmental Conservation, complies with Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990. If you are a person with a disability who may need special accommodation in order to participate in this public process, please contact ADA Coordinator Kristin Mabry, kristin.mabry@alaska.gov, 1-907-334-0884; or TDD Relay Service 1-800-770-8973/TTY or dial 711 at least 3 days prior to the expiration/closure date of this public notice to ensure that any necessary accommodations can be provided. ------------------------- cc: (with encl.) Owen Means, HDL Olivia Ortiz, USACE Sarah Myers, ADF&G USFWS Field Office Anchorage Matthew LaCroix, EPA AK Operations ak_fisheries@fws.gov regpagemaster@usace.army.mil [1] Reference submission number: HQR-DYBP-3D5VR; Received: 9/24/2026 1:34:35 PM

This summary was written by an AI model (Claude) from the official notice text. This is general information, not legal advice. Always confirm deadlines and instructions in the official notice. Legal disclaimer.