Contact: Patricia Graesser, (206) 764-3760

SEATTLE - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued a permit with special conditions on July 2 for Northwest Aggregates to construct a pier in East Passage at Maury Island, Wash.

Col. Michael McCormick, District Commander for the Seattle District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, has determined that the permit is in the public interest because the project as proposed with mitigation will not result in significant impacts to the human environment.

The purpose of the project is to load barges with gravel from the existing upland gravel mine on Maury Island. The work includes removing a conveyor trestle, walkways, piers, dolphins and submerged piles - removal of a total of 228 total timber piles. Construction work would include building a barge loading conveyor tube with pile support bents, seven berthing dolphins, and a maximum of 56 new steel piles. The new dock would extend 305 feet and run 510 feet parallel to the shoreline, covering 7,555 square feet of surface area. Clean sand and pea gravel would be placed in the depressions caused by removing the timber piles.

Mitigation includes extending the loading area beyond sensitive eelgrass habitat, limiting loading to one barge at a time to reduce shading, operational protocols to reduce risks of gravel spills, limited hours of operation to reduce noise and lighting impacts and in-water work windows to limit construction impacts. The Corps has also directed Northwest Aggregates to abide by all protective measures developed during the Endangered Species Act consultation process to protect listed threatened and endangered species.

The Corps initially issued a public notice Dec. 13, 2004, for public comment regarding Northwest Aggregates' plan. A public hearing was held May 17, 2005, and an additional comment period ran April 15 until May 31, 2005. A Draft Environmental Assessment /Finding of No Significant Impacts related to Northwest Aggregates' proposal was available for public review and comments Feb. 8- March 10, 2008.

Col. McCormick signed a final EA / FONSI June 30, 2008. The EA, Decision Document and all documents related to this permit action will be available on-line after 3 p.m. July 2 at: