The proposed Shepard Point Road near Cordova is a 4.5 mile road that would follow Orca Inlet on the east side of Prince William Sound near Cordova. The road would end at a tiny peninsula, Shepard Point, surrounded by deep water and sheer cliffs. The $5 million project's ostensible purpose is to site an oil spill response facility at the road's end, with the project partially paid for using Exxon Valdez settlement funds. Shepard Point is a uniquely terrible location for spill response equipment, however, because it sits at the bottom of an avalanche chute and is exposed to fierce storms. Spill responders say there are legal problems with using such a problematic location. Additionally, other less costly spill response equipment locations exist. Backers favor Shepard Point because it can serve as a deepwater port to export large amounts of coal, oil, or timber, all of which the landowner (and road contractor) has in abundance. These resources are located in the Copper River delta area of Chugach National Forest, the largest contiguous wetland on the Pacific coast of North America. Conservationists have fiercely opposed development in this area for over a century.

As of January 2010, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is taking comments on whether to grant Clean Water Act permit to the Native Village of Eyak to allow construction of this road.

For more information, see http://www.cascwild.org/roads.html

Media coverage:

• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers collecting public comments on the proposed Shepard Point Road, KCHU Radio audio report, January 22, 2010