Kenai residents, spill-response group urge study of deepwater port; commission schedules site visit

At its April 7, 2025 regular meeting, the Kenai Harbor Commission heard multiple public speakers press for a study of a deepwater port and expanded harbor facilities in Kenai, saying such infrastructure could boost local commerce and oil-spill response capabilities.

Proponents told the commission they regularly move large volumes of freight through Homer because Kenai lacks a deepwater facility. "I'm sort of lobbying to get interest to build a harbor in Kenai," said Robert Peterkin, a Kenai resident and owner of Triangle Recycling. Peterkin said his company ships "about 5 to 10,000,000 pounds of steel to Homer every year" and that other shippers move tens of millions of pounds of material through Homer because Kenai cannot accommodate deep-draft vessels.

Why it matters: Speakers and commission members framed a harbor as both an economic asset and a public-safety improvement. Todd Paxton, representing Cook Inlet Spill Prevention & Response, Inc. (CISPRI), said having calmer, enclosed harbor waters would improve oil-spill response and reduce environmental risk compared with fueling and transacting directly on the river. "If you lose fuel there in the river, it's a bad situation," Paxton said, arguing a harbor would allow safer, isolatable operations.

Details of proposals and local interest

Robert Peterkin proposed a general…