Rep. Peltola Requesting Funds For Homer Port Restoration Work

Homer is one of Alaska’s most beloved port cities – home of the popular Homer Winter King Salmon Tournament and an expanded halibut derby that will stretch through the summer season this year. But as the port area is in need of repairs to its floats, federal funding could be on the way to speed up restoration work. Here’s the Homer News with more:

The Army Corps released their fiscal year 2024 work plan allocating $800,000 of funds for the second year of the Homer Navigational Improvement General Investigation, according to a May 16 press release from the City of Homer.

Additionally, U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola placed the harbor’s critical float replacement project, a component of the harbor expansion, into the Alaska Community Project Funding requests for FY 2025.

Here’s the official press release from the City of Homer:

Homer Harbor Expansion General Investigation receives federal continuation funding in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers FY 2024 Work Plan

May 16, 2024.

On March 9, 2024, President Biden signed into law the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024, Public Law 118-42, providing the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Civil Works Program with $8.681 billion in appropriations.

On May 13, 2024 the USACE released its Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) Work Plan, detailing how those funds will be utilized. According to a May 13 USACE News Release, the FY24 Work Plan allocates funding for “284 projects and studies across 50 states, four territories, and for multiple Tribes.”

We are pleased to report that the Homer Harbor Navigational Improvement General Investigation ranks among them, receiving $800,000 to support the second year of study activities. The FY24 USACE Work Plan can be accessed here.

This funding, combined with the study’s inclusion in the proposed FY25 Presidential budget, positions the federal share of the General Investigation study on a reliable path forward.

While the FY24 Work Plan funds are not immediately available to the USACE Alaska District, once received, the full USACE Project Development Team will reconvene to work on the study. In the interim, study activities over the summer will proceed at a reduced, but meaningful pace as planned. With remaining FY23 funds, the USACE is conducting environmental fieldwork, and the City will be conducting geophysical investigations as work-in-kind.

The City of Homer greatly appreciates the multi-level partnership support for the study and securing the FY24 Work Plan funds. We acknowledge Senator Lisa Murkowski for helping to secure funds to initiate the General Investigation, all members of Alaska’s Congressional Delegation, regional stakeholders and Homer’s citizens for their meaningful engagement with the study, our State legislators and leadership for support for State matching funds, as well as USACE leadership and the Alaska-District Project Development Team. We are working together towards sustainable solutions to meet the escalating demands of maritime transportation across the region. We look forward to the next steps in this essential study.
For more information about the Homer Harbor Navigational Improvements General Investigation and

get involved go to https://homerharborexpansion.com/.