News Release
| Release Number: | 04-115 |
| Dated: | 6/3/2004 |
| Contact: | Public Affairs Office, 503-808-4510 |
PORTLAND, Ore.-The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is evaluating a permit application from Oregon Pride Nurseries to discharge fill material into an ephemeral tributary of the South Yamhill River near McMinnville, Ore.
The applicant proposes to construct an earthen dam and pond in the tributary to store up to 65 acre-feet of water for irrigation and agricultural use. The project also would impound runoff from the applicant's nursery operations.
The project would require impacting .28 acre of waters of the United States for the dam footprint and .48 acre of excavation for the reservoir. Total impacts to waters of the United States would be about .76 acre, including the removal of 1,554 cubic yards (cy) and placement of 8,407 cy.
If the permit is issued, the Corps will determine what is appropriate and practical 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 2004-00296, which describes the proposed project in detail, please write to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, ATTN: CENWP-OP-GP (Mark Everett), P.O. Box 2946, Portland, OR 97208-2946 or call (503) 808-4388. 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/200400296.pdf.
Written comments must reach the Corps by June 25, 2004, and should be mailed to the above address. Send e-mail comments to Mark.Everett@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 will not affect endangered species, or their critical habitat designated as endangered or threatened, under Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973.
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.