There is big news on the Skagway waterfront. The municipality received a grant that will pay for most of the rockslide mitigation work above the railroad dock. And the town received all necessary permits to move forward with work on the ore dock. 

 

Two big announcements are grabbing attention this week in Skagway. The Municipality has been awarded a $19.9 million dollar grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for rockslide mitigation above the railroad dock, AND all permits for the Ore Dock rebuilding project have been issued. Andrew Cremata is Skagway’s mayor.

Cremata: “Success is always welcome, this is huge for Skagway, this is huge for the cruise industry.”

A year ago, a rock slide above one of the town’s cruise ship docks forced Cremata to declare a state of emergency, limit dockings, and forgo much tourism revenue. 

Cremata says the municipality has spent four million dollars this year on rockslide mitigation and monitoring. Crews strung nets across the hazardous zone, but the fix is temporary. Cremata says the grant brings a more permanent solution in sight, but he says the project will be complex. 

Cremata: “It’s not just bringing down a rock, one of the key parts of the project is protecting the infrastructure below the rock. There is a dock down there that we need to protect, there is our small boat harbor, there are fuel tanks, public restrooms, so hundreds of millions of dollars in infrastructure that need to be protected. So it’s a little bit more of a delicate job than simply blasting a rock.”

Delicate, and very costly. The nearly $20 million grant will cover three quarters of the cost. Cremata says the municipality is working on finding the remainder. 

Cremata: “Along with the possible earmark style grant through the federal government for five million that we could be getting plus the $1.1 million that we are getting, we can move forward with the process of planning this large project.”

The FEMA website indicates that the money will go towards everything from rock excavation and hauling, to traffic control, and environmental protection. 

Skagway Borough Manager Brad Ryan gives a more detailed description.

Ryan: “The basis of that work is to pin back where the mountains is unraveling behind the primary slide there, so that’s drilling some long holes up there, and putting some long sections of rebar in there, grout and pin it back so it’s stabilized. And then we start removing rock that’s up there that’s going to slide, and that’s about 30 000  yards of material, and then putting attenuation measures that would prevent minor rockslides from coming down and being a problem.”

Ryan says the aim is to allow foot traffic on the dock again, instead of the costly shuttling of crowds by bus and boats to avoid the danger zone.

Cremata says obtaining the grant is the reward of a substantial lobbying effort the municipality engaged in. Back in October, he and the town’s lobbyist took a trip to Washington DC.

Cremata: “I remember going to Senator Sullivan’s office,and  talking to his staff, and showing them a video, and they thought it was just one rock slide, they didn’t realize that this had been an ongoing issue last year and had threatened life, limb and property. So familiarizing them with the magnitude of this issue and what it was going to take to solve it was very important.”

Cremata says the cruise ship industry lobbied as well. He says there are a few more hoops to jump through, but that the grant has essentially been awarded.

The second big news for Skagway is the issuing of all the permits needed to complete work at the ore dock, according to manager Ryan.

Ryan: “So we got our Corps Of Engineer permit, and our IHA permit that allow us to work in the water, monitor marine mammals for safety while driving piles, so yeah, we are good to get this project moving.” 

Pacific Pile and Marine has been awarded the contract. Ryan says the company is busy procuring steel. Tug boats are bringing piles up, and a new 500’ cruise ship float has recently left Bellingham. 

Ryan says plans for a marine services platform are currently on hold, as the municipality is negotiating with Yukon officials who have shown interest in financing it.

 Cremata gives much of the credit for the week’s milestones to borough employees who he says have made them possible.

Cremata: “Elected officials often get a pat on the back, and we love that, but really the hard work is done by the manager, by the port director, and  by the deputy manager, and all of their incredible staff, so as far as I’m concerned, they are the heroes that are making all this possible.”

Manager Ryan says work on the ore dock is expected to be done by May, and work on the rockslide could take years.