About our Branch
The Environmental Resources Branch of the Portland District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, is divided into four teams: Administrative, Fish Passage, Cultural Resources, and Environmental Planning. Each team has a role in the protection and stewardship of environmental resources for the Portland District. 
The Administrative Team oversees, directs, coordinates, and supports all aspects of management associated with the Environmental Resources Branch mission activities.
The Fish Passage Team works together with other disciplines in the District and region to improve fish passage on the Columbia and Willamette rivers. This includes fishery research (such as surface collection, fish guidance studies, etc) on the Columbia and Willamette river systems, coordination of Rogue River flows for fish and assistance in the design of fish passage features at Corps of Engineers projects, as well as coordination of District programs with other fishery agencies to ensure compliance with the Federal Endangered Species Act and minimization of impacts to fishery resources.
Anadromous Fish Evaluation Program
2008 Annual Research Review
The Cultural Resources Team provides the management functions for establishing and organizing cultural resources studies and investigations in support of all other resources, operations and studies within the Portland District. This includes the analysis of cultural sensitivity to determine if further cultural resources work is necessary, formulation of all technical aspects of contracting for cultural resource work, development of scopes of work, cost estimates, proposals for bid, evaluations, contract negotiations and selections. This Team also ensures that all work is accomplished in full compliance with all applicable cultural resources laws, regulations and policies.
The Environmental Planning/Compliance Team is responsible for determining and accomplishing compliance with environmental laws and regulations required for Portland District civil works actions. The majority of the team?s efforts focus on the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Clean Water Act (CWA) and the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Documents which the team prepares include Environmental Impact Statements and Environmental Assessments required under NEPA, CWA Section 404 Evaluations and ESA Biological Assessments. In addition to document preparation, extensive agency and public coordination and review is required.