My memory may be malfunctioning but I seem to recall a controversial dredging of the Chena River back in the 1980s that the Army Corps of Engineers initially opposed but later reversed the decision.

There was the question of need vs the active interest of a certain commercial riverboat company about providing the necessary draft for a new boat being constructed. The riverboat company won as I recall.

In the 1960s the Atomic Energy Commission wanted to blast a deep water port 30 miles south of Point Hope using nuclear explosives. 
"Project Chariot" and thankfully it failed to 'detonate'.

Now we have a legitimate reason for dredging a deep water port by the Army Corps of Engineers close to Nome.  A deep water port would increase tourism for Alaska and the Norton Sound region.  It would create jobs.  It could reduce the cost of living in the region.  It would enhance national security for the arctic.

Build the deep water port.