News Release
| Release Number: | 01-085 |
| Dated: | 5/31/2001 |
| Contact: | Heidi Y. Helwig, 503-808-4510 |
Portland, Ore.- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is evaluating a permit application from the Cascade Pacific Council, Boy Scouts of America, to dredge a stretch of the Columbia River in Portland, Ore.
The Boy Scouts of America are proposing to remove material to a depth of -6 feet Columbia River Datum at river mile 110.9 (7005 N.E. Marine Drive) to provide access for an Oregon Parks Department boat and fireboats to an existing marina facility. Annual dredging would be conducted as needed to maintain the -6-foot depth.
Because of anticipated low water, the applicant also is requesting approval to conduct the proposed work outside of the normal in-water work window of Nov. 1 to Feb. 28 of each year. The in-water work period is established by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife to prevent work when aquatic species are most vulnerable to potential impacts.
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 2001-00015, which describes the proposed project in detail, please write to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, ATTN: CENWP-OP-GP, P.O. Box 2946, Portland, OR 97208-2946. A copy of the public notice is posted on the Corps' Internet site at http://www.nwp.usace.army.mil/op/g/notices/200100015.pdf. Photocopies of drawings supporting the proposed project are included in the public notice.
Written comments must reach the Corps by June 5, 2001, and should be mailed to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Attn: CENWP-OP-GP (Judy Linton), P.O. Box 2946, Portland, Ore., 97208-2946. Send e-mail comments to judy.l.linton@usace.army.mil.
The Corps also is soliciting input from federal, state and local agencies and officials, Indian Tribes, and other interested parties to help permit reviewers consider and evaluate the impacts of this proposed project on endangered species, historic properties, 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 and Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. Also, because the proposed work may affect an endangered or threatened species or its critical habitat, the Corps has entered into consultation with the National Marines Fisheries Service to comply with the Endangered Species Act. In addition, the Corps has initiated the Essential Fish Habitat consultation with NMFS as required by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act since the proposed work would impact about 9 acres of essential fish habitat used by species of the Lower Columbia River chinook and Lower Columbia River/Southwest Washington Coast coho. A permit will not be issued or denied until the consultation processes are completed.