News Release
| Release Number: | 05-019 |
| Dated: | 2/1/2005 |
| Contact: | Diana J. Fredlund, 503-808-4510 |
PORTLAND, Ore.-The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is evaluating a permit application from Amstad Farming Co., to perform annual maintenance dredging at river mile 287.3 on the Columbia River near Umatilla, Ore.
The proposed project would maintain proper functioning of an existing screened inlet structure associated with a pump station. The applicant will dredge within an area measuring 70 feet long by 50 feet wide by 3 feet deep. About 400 cubic yards of sediment will be removed to an on-site upland location.
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 2002-00475, which describes the proposed project in detail, please write to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, ATTN: CENWP-OP-GP (Mary J. Hoffman), 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/200400619.pdf.
Written comments must reach the Corps by Feb. 28, 2005, and should be mailed to the above address. Send e-mail comments to Mary.J.Hoffman@nwp01.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 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 for work in or affecting navigable waters of the United States and 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 NOAA Fisheries 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.
An initial evaluation of the proposed project area indicates that cultural resources could potentially occur within or near the permit area. This notice has been provided to the State Historic Preservation Office, interested Native American Indian Tribes and other interested parties. If you have information pertaining to cultural resources within the permit area, please provide this information to Mary Hoffman at the contact information listed on the previous page to assist in a complete evaluation of potential effects. - 30 -