News Release
| Release Number: | 02-037 |
| Dated: | 3/6/2002 |
| Contact: | Public Affairs Office, 503-808-4510 |
Portland, Ore.-The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is evaluating a permit application from Ocean Terminals Company to expand their dock in North Bend, Ore.
The Corps originally permitted the work in July 1997, but construction was not started before the permit expired on April 30, 2000. Because the original permit had expired, a second evaluation of the application is required.
The proposed work would drive a 1,400-foot steel bulkhead, which would extend 800 feet north of the existing dock, 400 feet on the inboard side of the existing dock and 200 feet to the south end of the dock, tying it to the bank. The project would also require 134,000 cubic yards (cy) of fill material be discharged into the area. The fill material would consist of about 66,000 cy of clean sand from an upland site and 68,000 cy of material that would be dredged from a 3.2-acre area in front of the existing dock. The dredged material would be used to backfill behind the bulkhead.
The project also would require the installation of 1,000 cy of rock riprap along 500 linear feet of the bank and the construction of a 50-foot-by-800-foot dock, requiring the driving of about 194 concrete piles and the construction of a concrete supper structure on top.
The original permit required the applicant to compensate for project impacts by restoring a 24.7-acre site with 18.4 acres of emerging wetlands to a 24.7-acre inter-tidal wetland area. This completed mitigation effort returned about 28 acres to inter-tidal wetlands.
As part of its permit evaluation process, the Corps is requesting public review and comment on the proposed project prior to making its permitting decision for the work.
For a copy of the Corps' Public Notice 1995-00501, which describes the proposed project in detail, please write to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, ATTN: CENWP-OP-GP (Ron Marg), P.O. Box 2946, Portland, OR 97208-2946 or call (503) 808-4390. 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/199500501.pdf.
Written comments must reach the Corps by April 4, 2002, and should be mailed to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Attn: CENWP-OP-GP (Ron Marg), P.O. Box 2946, Portland, Ore., 97208-2946. Send e-mail comments to Ron.E.Marg@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 affecting land or water uses in the Coastal Zone complies with State Coastal Zone Management Program, Section 307 of the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972, and Section 401 of the Clean Water Act.
In March 2000, formal consultation under Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 and Section 305 of the Magnusen-Stevens Act was initiated with National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). If issued, a permit for the proposed activity will include the reasonable and prudent measures, terms and conditions as specified in the NMFS biological opinion, dated July 2, 2001.
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.