| Contact: Patricia Graesser, 206-764-3760
Sept. 7, 2004
SEATTLE--The Willapa River estuary restoration proposal near South Bend will be the subject of a Sept. 14 informational open house and public hearing hosted by the Seattle District, Army Corps of Engineers. Several state and federal agencies and Ducks Unlimited have applied for a Department of Army permit as required by Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act and Section 404 of the Clean Water Act.
Project partners include the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Washington Department of Transportation, U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service, Army Corps of Engineers, and Ducks Unlimited. Representatives will be on hand to answer question about the proposal. The purpose of the hearing is to obtain information, public views and opinions on all of the issues to consider in making a permit decision on the applicants' proposal.
The public hearing and information session is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 14, at the South Bend Community Center, 1st and Alder, South Bend, Wash. An informational open house will be held from 3 to 4 p.m. followed by a hearing from 4 to 5 p.m. Another information session will be held from 6 to 7 p.m., followed by a hearing from 7 to 8:30 p.m.
The Corps issued a public notice Aug. 25 for public comment regarding the agencies' plan to reestablish 300 acres of salt marsh, raise 1.5 miles of Highway 101, restore habitat for salmon and create 120 acres of migratory bird habitat. The work includes removing 10,000 linear feet of dikes, excavating tidal channels, building a cross dike, and building freshwater wetland swales. In all, about 147,000 cubic yards of material would be excavated and up to 216,147 cubic yards of material placed.
The comment period started Aug. 25, and comments will be accepted until Sept. 24. Both oral and written comments received between Sept. 14 and 24 will be made part of the public hearing record. All factors relevant to the proposal will be considered, including environmental concerns, aesthetics, economics, fish and wildlife values, recreation, water supply, safety, water quality, historic properties, mineral needs, tribal treaty rights, considerations of property ownership and, in general, the needs and welfare of the people.
Comments may be e-mailed to Ronald.j.Wilcox@usace.army.mil and should include the application reference number (2000400681). Written comments should be submitted to: Regulatory Branch, R. Wilcox Project Manager, PO Box 3755, Seattle, WA 98124-3755.
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