News Release
| Release Number: | 03-023 |
| Dated: | 3/12/2003 |
| Contact: | Matt Rabe, 503-808-4510 |
Portland, Ore.- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is reviewing management options for Crow Butte Park, located on Lake Umatilla in Benton County near Patterson, Wash. for the 2003 recreation season.
The Corps plans to request proposals from any qualified person or organization interested in operating the park for public recreation purposes under a new lease agreement. The Corps will begin soliciting proposals on March 21, 2003.
As a matter of procedure the Corps has offered the land to the Department of the Interior under the right of first refusal as stated in Public Law 100-581. The law requires all federal agencies to first offer lands available for sale or lease to the Department of Interior for treaty fishing access purposes.
"Based on discussions to date and the fact that the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Tribes have supported efforts to protect public access at Crow Butte while developing the Treaty Fishing Access Site adjacent to the park, it does not appear likely that BIA and Tribes would want to change course at this time," said George Miller, project manager.
In 1988, Congress authorized development of several Columbia River Treaty Fishing Access Sites along the Columbia River, including one on Crow Butte Island. The law specifically mapped the location of the site to include developed facilities within Crow Butte State Park. These facilities were to be improved and transferred to the BIA for treaty fishing purposes.
Miller said, "The Corps, BIA, and tribal governments recognized the potential impact on recreational use of the park and developed an alternative." The Corps, with support from the BIA and tribes, recommended that Congress change the law to include an undeveloped area upstream of the Crow Butte park boat ramp as a tribal fishing access site, and leave Crowe Butte State
Park unaffected. Congress authorized the change in 1995.
As the Corps proceeded under the law change to prepare the design for the Crow Butte Treaty Fishing Access Site, Washington State Parks terminated their lease of the park due to budget shortfalls and will return the park to the Corps on April 3, 2003.
Recognizing its responsibility under Public Law 100-581, the right of first refusal, and the upcoming construction of the Crow Butte Treaty Fishing Access Site, the Corps discussed the potential offer of the park as a treaty fishing access site with BIA and Tribal Governments. Generally, the parties were not interested in taking the park as an access site, in part due to the potential impact on public recreational use of the park.
The Corps is pursuing Department of Interior consultation simultaneously while searching for a new park operator to minimize the time the Crow Butte Park property goes unused. By working towards the earliest possible resolution of Crow Butte Park's future, the Corps continues in its efforts to honor and protect tribal treaty fishing rights, while minimizing impacts to Columbia River recreational users.