Federal funding for the Homer Harbor Expansion Study now has support from both the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Presidential Budget for 2025.

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.

According to the City of Homer press release, the Community Project Funding allows members of Congress to request federal funding for specific projects in their districts. The projects must align with an eligible federal funding account and selected projects are forwarded to the Committee on Appropriations for funding consideration. The total amount requested for the harbor float system replacement system is $1,543,500, according to a press release from Rep. Peltola’s office.

Also included in Rep. Peltola’s 2025 Community Project Funding request is funding for a 20-acre land expansion for future leases by companies performing marine work, shipyard fill and regrade, energy utility lines, public restrooms, security fencing and cameras at the Seward Marine Industrial Center.

The Homer harbor study is currently on track to complete planned and approved geophysical work during the summer of 2024, according to the Harbor Expansion Study website.