News Release
| Release Number: | 04-149 |
| Dated: | 8/10/2004 |
| Contact: | Public Affairs Office, 503-808-4510 |
PORTLAND, Ore.-The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is evaluating a permit application from the U.S. Forest Service, to construct three stock ponds and earthen berms in tributaries of Fly Creek located near Starkey, Ore.
The purpose of this project would be to comply with standards and guidelines that address allowable forage use in upland and riparian area. The project would develop watering ponds for livestock use. A pasture fence would be constructed to restrict livestock access to the remainder of the creek, thus improving water quality for critical habitat and protected fish species and complying with Forest Plan standards.
The project would require overflow channels to be created to allow release of excess water. Each pond would be about 40 feet in diameter, impacting a total of .27 acre of waters of the Unites States for all three ponds. Each berm would be about 75 feet long and involve about 260 cubic yards of material.
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 2004-00394, which describes the proposed project in detail, please write to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, ATTN: CENWP-OP-GP (Mary J. Headley), 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/200400394.pdf.
Written comments must reach the Corps by Aug. 19, 2004, and should be mailed to the above address. Send e-mail comments to Mary.J.Headley@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 Forest Service has consulted with NOAA Fisheries 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.