JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON -- JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON – Representatives from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Alaska District will host a hybrid virtual community information meeting Wednesday, May 17 from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. Alaska Standard Time in Nome and via WebEx for anyone interested in learning about the Port of Nome Modification Project.
The purpose of this event is to provide a general project status update on the ongoing design phase. USACE will provide a presentation followed by a question-and-answer session.
In partnership with the City of Nome, the district has begun designing modifications to the Port of Nome, locally known as Nome Harbor, to alleviate existing vessel restrictions that are imposed by insufficient channel depths and harbor area. The final construction aims to provide larger vessels improved access to Nome’s existing harbor by enlarging the outer basin and creating a new deep-water basin with a depth of minus 40 feet. Dredging would be required to deepen and maintain both basins and associated navigation channels.
Currently, ship transportation is limited by existing depths in the outer basin of minus 22 feet. This depth is inadequate to safely accommodate vessels of drafts greater than about 18 feet. A robust and efficient transportation hub at Nome is foundational to the long-term viability of surrounding communities in the region.
The Port of Nome is a regional hub located on the Seward Peninsula and adjacent to Norton Sound, which is centrally located along the western coast of Alaska. Nome has no access to major Alaska road systems and is approximately 545 miles northwest of Anchorage, Alaska.
USACE is executing this project under the Section 2006 authority of the Water Resources Development Act of 2007: Remote and Subsistence Harbors. It has gained broad support from local, state and federal entities. In March 2020, the district published the Port of Nome Feasibility Study. The report is available at: https://www.poa.usace.army.mil/Library/Reports-and-Studies/. At the top of the left column under “Documents Available for Review,” expand the “Civil Works” tab.
To view the May 2020 Port of Nome Chief’s Report News Release, visit: https://www.poa.usace.army.mil/Media/News-Releases/Article/2202590/corps-seeks-federal-authorization-for-port-expansion-project-in-nome/.
Please see the attached instructions for more information and how to join the virtual public outreach workshop.
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Community Information Meeting
Port of Nome Modifications Project
May 17, 2023 at 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. (AKST)
In Person
The public meeting will be held both in person and hosted virtually through WebEx. For those who reside in Nome and the surrounding area, please join us at:
Mini Convention Center
102 River St.
Nome, Alaska
Instructions for participating virtually:
It is not necessary to enable a web camera for this meeting. Depending on attendance, it may be preferred to leave your web camera off for optimum broadband purposes. Required Devices:
- Computer, tablet or other mobile device with Wi-Fi access
- Phone
Join WebEx for both audio and visual connection
- In your internet browser, search: https://usace1.webex.com/meet/portofnome - or paste this link into your internet browser. WebEx may appear differently depending on the browser in use. If you are unable to connect through one browser, you might try a different one.
- When you are on the meeting page, fill in your name and your email address as instructed. This information is required to access WebEx, however, USACE will not collect or store this information following the WebEx meeting.
- Select the ‘Join Meeting’ button.
- Underneath the ‘Select Audio Connection’ section, select the ‘Call Me’ option.
- Type your phone number, including the area code, in the dialogue box (a green arrow in the image above points directly to this box) and then click ‘Connect Audio.’ The program will then call your phone, so please be sure to answer.
- Using phone keyboard, type “1” when directed.
You should now be connected audibly and visually to the meeting.
- All phone lines will be placed on mute by the meeting host;
- It is not necessary to enable a web camera for this meeting.
Troubleshooting
In the case that you encounter a lost or interrupted audio/telephone connection, you may either dial in directly using the information provided below.
………Audio Conference……….
Call-in #: 1 (844)-800-2712 US Toll Free
1 (669)-234-1177 US Toll
Access Code: 2768 560 0377