News Release
| Release Number: | 04-142 |
| Dated: | 8/2/2004 |
| Contact: | Public Affairs Office, 503-808-4510 |
PORTLAND, Ore.-The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is evaluating a revised project proposal from LTM Inc., dba Umpqua River Navigation, to remove gravel from the Umpqua River in Douglas County, Ore.
In May, the Corps denied a permit to LTM for this project because the agency believed the scope of the original proposal would result in unacceptable adverse impacts to the river and associated waters of the United States.
The revised project is a smaller operation than the proposal that was denied. The new project proposal would limit operations to no more than five years with a reduction in the amount of gravel proposed to be removed in each successive year. In addition, LTM Inc. has made other changes to the proposed operation in an attempt to address concerns previously raised by the Federal resource agencies.
"It appears the revised project was designed around operational restrictions previously proposed by the NOAA Fisheries office during the Corps review of the previous proposal," said Lawrence Evans, chief of Portland District's Regulatory Branch, Corps of Engineers. "The Corps began an evaluation of the revised project request to determine if the project, as modified, addresses the concerns raised by the federal agencies during the previous evaluation.
For more information about the revised project proposal, please write to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, ATTN: CENWP-OP-GE (Michelle Hanson), 1600 Executive Parkway, Suite 210, Eugene, OR 97401-2156 or call (541) 465-6878.
The Department of the Army regulatory program is one of the oldest in the federal government. Initially it served a simple, straightforward purpose: to protect and maintain the navigable capacity of the nation's waters. In 1972, the Clean Water Act was signed into law and the Department of the Army was directed to administer Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, which pertained to the regulation of certain activities undertaken in waters of the United States.
The permit evaluation process includes a public notice with a public comment period.
Application for complex projects may also require a public hearing before the Corps makes a permit decision. In its application evaluations, the Corps is required by law to consider all factors involving the public interest. These may include environmental concerns, economics, historical values, fish and wildlife, aesthetics, flood damage prevention, land use classifications, navigation, recreation, water supply, water quality, energy needs, food production and the general welfare of the public.