News Release
| Release Number: | 03-126 |
| Dated: | 7/31/2003 |
| Contact: | Public Affairs Office, 503-808-4510 |
Portland, Ore.—The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is evaluating an after-the-fact permit application from Valley Landfills Inc. for permanently filling 12.72 acres of wetlands and waters since 1970 in conjunction with the construction of a landfill near Corvallis, Ore.
The applicant also is proposing to fill an additional 3.59 acres of palustrine emergent and scrub-shrub wetland to enlarge the existing landfill.
The applicant’s mitigation plan will be considered. If a permit is issued, the Corps will decide on the appropriate and practicable compensatory mitigation.
As part of its permit evaluation process, the Corps is requesting public review and comment on the proposed project prior to making its permit decision.
For a copy of the Corps’ Public Notice 000009701, which describes the proposed project in detail, please write to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, ATTN: CENWP-OP-GP (John Ferrise), P.O. Box 2946, Portland, OR 97208-2946 or call (503) 808-4391. 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/000009701.pdf.
Written comments must reach the Corps by Aug. 25, 2003, and should be mailed to the above address. Send e-mail comments to John.Ferrise@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.
Also, because the proposed project may affect an endangered or threatened species or its critical habitat, the Corps will initiate consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973. A permit for the proposed activity will not be issued or denied until the consultation process is complete.
The Corps has coordinated with the Environmental Protection Agency in reference to the portion of the project that was not authorized by the Corps. EPA has agreed that processing an after-the-fact application to potentially authorize the un-permitted portion of the project would be justified. The Corps will make the final decision on whether or not to issue a Department of the Army Permit for the project.
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.