19 Fall 2025 Proceedings things, responsible for depot level maintenance (DLM). These are large repair efforts and can be as complex as a full overhaul or replacement of degraded systems. The Facilities Design and Construction Center (FDCC) oversees the procurement, construction, improvement, recapitalization, and development of new buildings, piers, and other assets. DLM projects, CEU Juneau’s bread and butter, can vary in size, from roof repairs on barracks buildings, to major maintenance on piers. What all the DLM projects have in common is a goal to support continued opera- tions. While maintenance on a pier may not be exciting to some, it’s critical to extending the operational life of the asset. Other DLM projects, like the recent work on the Rescue 21 Alaska communications sites, have a much more obvious impact. Over the past few years, CEU Juneau replaced the aging power generation systems on 22 remote Rescue 21 sites that provide mariners in Alaskan waters an emer- gency communications system. Following the installa- tion of the new more reliable power generation systems, there was an immediate 20% decrease in “near miss” search and rescue cases in Alaska, according to internal unit records. While the Coast Guard has six regional CEUs exe- cuting DLM projects across the country, CEU Juneau’s designers and construction managers deal with a unique combination of challenges in Alaska. First, in addition to addressing the primary reason the project was initiated, designers need to consider wind, snowfall, freeze and thaw cycles, salt air and humidity, and tidal and seis- mic concerns to ensure repairs will remain functional for their expected service life. Most of coastal Alaska is within the International Building Code’s zones D and E, requiring extra seismic design considerations due to earthquake risks. There are also unique locations like Valdez, which averages well over 300 inches of snow per year. These factors must be taken into consideration when designing a project. Alaska’s remote nature leads to more concerns. Most Coast Guard units are not on the road system, so nearly all materials must be transported via barge, driving up delivery time and costs. Some Coast Guard sites don’t even have barge access and require a helicopter airlift to deliver personnel and material. These remote sites also have a small seasonal weather window where safe access by helicopter is possible, leading to more planning chal- lenges, and increased costs. Finally, finding qualified personnel is also a chal- lenge. The construction industry is facing a signifi- cant talent shortage, with more than 250,000 positions unfilled nationwide, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ 2024 Annual Report. For the contractors we work with, finding qualified and experienced laborers and managers is not easy. Locating project and qual- ity control managers, site safety officers, and superin- tendents that are either already in Alaska, or willing to move to the remote state is difficult and expensive. These factors require intentional planning and drastically increase construction costs when compared to similar projects in the Lower 48. Despite these unique challenges, the CEU Juneau design and construction branches, supported by a highly qualified contracting branch, execute projects through- out the state. In the past year, they repaired utility lines on Coast Guard Bases Ketchikan and Kodiak, repaired roofs in Valdez and search and rescue aircraft hangars in Sitka, along with a litany of other projects. Conclusion CEU Juneau, with construction, design, environmental, real property, and planning branches, plays a vital role in supporting Coast Guard operations across Alaska. We ensure the rescue swimmer has a home and a roof over their head when they return from a mission. We ensure the planes and helicopters have a tarmac to land on, and a functional hangar to conduct repairs in. We ensure the cutters have fixed aids to navigation to get them to structurally safe piers to moor up on. We ensure the communications system connecting the rescuers and those needing rescue is operational, ensuring coordi- nation with assets in the area. Behind the scenes, CEU Juneau’s hard work ensures that Coast Guard facilities and infrastructure are optimized to support operators and operations, ultimately serving the American people and the maritime industry effectively. About the authors: LT Kyle Hansen serves as the construction branch chief at Coast Guard Civil Engineering Unit Juneau. There, he leads the team responsible for the execution of $30 million in annual depot level maintenance through- out the state of Alaska. He graduated from the U.S. Coast Guard Acad- emy with a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering in 2020. CDR Tyler Heffner serves as the commanding officer of Coast Guard Civil Engineering Unit Juneau. He is responsible for the major main- tenance, environmental restoration, capital planning, and real property management programs of an $8.8 billion portfolio of shore assets span- ning the state of Alaska. He graduated from the U.S. Coast Guard Acad- emy with a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering in 2006 and also holds a Master of Engineering degree from Oregon State University. Endnotes: 1. National Marine Fisheries Service. “Alaska Seafood Snapshot.” National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2024, https://www.fisheries.noaa. gov/s3//2024-10/ak-seafood-industry-snapshot-10-31-2024-afsc.pdf 2. 42 U.S.C. Chapter 103, Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). https://uscode.house.gov/view. xhtml?path=/prelim@title42/chapter103&edition=prelim
