New Regulatory Chief for US Army Corps of Engineers – Alaska District

Sara Longan assumed duties as Chief of the Regulatory Division for the US Army Corps of Engineers – Alaska District (USACE) in March. In her new position, she is responsible for administering and enforcing the USACE regional regulatory program within the Alaska and Honolulu District’s areas of responsibilities.

Since January 2022, Longan served as the deputy chief of the Regulatory Division. Prior to joining USACE, Longan served as deputy commissioner of the Alaska Department of Natural Resources (DNR), overseeing the Division of Oil and Gas, Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys, Office of Project Management and Permitting, and Trust Land Office.

Longan has a bachelor’s degree in pre-veterinary medicine from Oklahoma State University, a master’s degree in environmental toxicology, and a doctorate in epidemiology. She began her state government service career in 2004 at the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, where she managed the biological analysis section for the state’s environmental health laboratory. She joined DNR in 2009 and played a critical role in regulatory assessments and multi-jurisdictional review coordination for oil and gas, mining, transportation, and renewable energy projects.

In 2013, Longan earned the Governor’s Denali Award for Peak Performance in recognition of her excellence in project management and regulatory coordination.