News Release
| Release Number: | 04-214 |
| Dated: | 11/24/2004 |
| Contact: | Diana J. Fredlund, 503-808-4510 |
PORTLAND, Ore.-The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is evaluating a permit application from the cities of Burns and Hines to fill wetlands adjacent to the Silvies River near the two Oregon towns.
The proposed project would upgrade water treatment facilities to improve handling and disposing of wastewater required by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality.
The proposed work would construct a 19-acre storage lagoon for joint effluent in the eastern portion of Henry parcel, construct a 15.6-acre storage lagoon for Hines effluent on the Resnick parcel west of the existing lagoons, construct effluent pump stations and upgrade chlorination facilities. Pipelines would be installed between treatment facilities and lagoons, temporary impacts from pipeline trench evacuation would be .39 acre. Total permanent impacts to wetlands would be 0.15 acres.
As part of its permit evaluation process, the Corps is requesting public review and comment on the proposed project before making its permit decision.
For a copy of the Corps' Public Notice 2004-00762, which describes the proposed project in detail, please write to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, ATTN: CENWP-OP-GP (Mary J. Headley), P.O. Box 2946, Portland, OR 97208-2946 or call (541) 962-0401. A copy of the public notice, including photocopies of supporting drawings, is posted on the Corps' Internet site at https://www.nwp.usace.army.mil/op/g/notices/200400762.pdf.
Written comments must reach the Corps by Dec. 2, 2004, and should be mailed to the above address. Send e-mail comments to Mary.J.Headley@usace.army.mil. Comments must reference the public notice number.
The Corps also is soliciting input from federal, state and local agencies and officials, Indian Tribes, and other interested parties in order to consider and evaluate the impacts of this proposed activity on endangered species, cultural resources, water quality, general environmental effects, and other public interest factors.
The Corps will evaluate the permit request under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act for discharge of dredged or fill material into waters of the United States.
A permit will not be issued until the state has concurred with the applicant's certification that the described activity complies with Section 401 of the Clean Water Act.
Preliminary determinations indicate that the described activity will not affect endangered species, or their critical habitat designated as endangered or threatened, under Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973.
The proposed project is not located on property registered in the latest version of the National Register of Historic Places. This notice has been provided to the State Historic Preservation Office. The applicant will arrange for completion of a cultural resource survey for the project site.