News Release
| Release Number: | 01-166 |
| Dated: | 12/17/2001 |
| Contact: | Matt Rabe, 503-808-4510 |
Portland, Ore.- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is evaluating a permit application from Potlatch Corp., to dredge 1,500 cubic yards of silt, sand, and gravel from the Columbia River about mile upstream from Boardman, Ore.
The proposed work would occur near an irrigation pump station over the next five-years. The pump station supplies irrigation water to about 26,500 acres of farm and cropland in Eastern Oregon.
Permit 1995-00132 issued March 6, 1995 expired on March 31 2001. Potlatch is seeking a five-year extension to complete the work.
The original permit was issued under special conditions including: preventing petroleum products, chemicals, or other deleterious products from entering the water; minimizing turbidity increases in the water; all in-water works occurring within the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) preferred work period, which is between Dec.1 and March 15 unless otherwise approved; and sampling and testing results being supplied to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
As part of its permit evaluation process, the Corps is requesting public review and comment on the proposed project before making its permitting decision for the work.
A copy of the public notice is posted on the Corps' Internet site at https://www.nwp.usace.army.mil/op/g/notices/199500132.pdf .
Photocopies of drawings supporting the proposed project are included in the public notice.
Written comments must reach the Corps by Dec. 26, 2001, and should be mailed to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Attn: CENWP-OP-G (Mary J. Headley), P.O. Box 2946, Portland, Ore., 97208-2946. Send e-mail comments to Mary.J.Headley@usace.army.mil .
The Corps also is soliciting input from the public, 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, water quality, general environmental effects, and the 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.
The Corps has initiated consultation with the National Marine Fisheries Service; under Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 regarding threatened or endangered species within the project area. A permit for the proposed activity will not be issued or denied until the consultation process is complete.