News Release
| Release Number: | 03-074 |
| Dated: | 6/3/2003 |
| Contact: | Public Affairs Office, 503-808-4510 |
Portland, Ore.-The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is evaluating a permit application from the Union County Planning Department to restructure the runway at Union County Airport in La Grande, Ore.
The proposed work would be to shift an existing runway to provide space needed to comply with Federal Aviation Administration safety standards. This proposal would involve relocating a 950-foot reach of Gekeler Slough and constructing a new road crossing of this waterway. The proposed work would require placement of about 2,700 cubic yards of fill material into .26 acre of stream channel and .1 acre of adjacent wetlands.
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 2001-00282, 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 (503) 808-4392. 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/200100282.pdf.
Written comments must reach the Corps by June 30, 2003, 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 may affect endangered species, or their critical habitat designated as endangered or threatened, under Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973. The permit will not be issued until the consultation process is completed.
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.