News Release
| Release Number: | 04-050 |
| Dated: | 3/23/2004 |
| Contact: | Public Affairs Office, 503-808-4510 |
Portland, Ore-The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is seeking public comments on a unified public notice to maintain federally authorized depths at several Oregon coastal ports and rivers south of the Columbia River.
The public notice covers potential federal work to be performed during the next ten years at the following 11 federal navigation projects: Tillamook Bay, Depoe Bay, Yaquina Bay and harbor, Yaquina River, Siuslaw River, Umpqua River, Coos Bay, Coquille River, Port Orford, Rogue River and Chetco River. Each one of these projects has been previously authorized.
Whether or not the Corps actually performs dredging at these locations will be decided on a year-by-year basis, depending on dredging needs and the availability of funds.
"This is the first time the Corps has put out a unified public notice, incorporating all the coastal projects into one public notice," said John Craig, Corps coastal project manager. "Typically, the Corps puts out individual notices for each project. Combining the notices is more efficient for the Corps, makes better use of American tax dollars and will improve and streamline the public review process."
As part of its public notice process, the Corps is requesting public review and comment on the proposed work.
For a copy of the Corps' public notice, Reference Number NWPOP-OCT-FY04-003, which describes the proposed federal work in detail, please write to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, ATTN: John H. Craig, PO Box 2946, Portland, OR 97208-2946 or call (541) 269-2556. 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/n/EnvCoord.htm. Written comments must reach the Corps by May 6, 2004, and should be mailed to the above address. Send e-mail comments to John.H.Craig@nwp01.usace.army.mil. Comments must reference the above public notice.
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 the proposed activities on endangered species, cultural resources, water quality, general environmental effects and other public interest factors.
An evaluation under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act for discharge of dredged or fill material into waters of the United States has been or will be updated for individual projects to address the proposed federal work.
As part of the public notice process, the state will review the proposed work to ensure the proposed activities comply with Section 401 of the Clean Water Act.
All ocean dredged material disposal sites have been evaluated and selected under criteria established pursuant to Sections 102 and 103 of the Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act of 1972, as Amended. The Environmental Protection Agency, Region 10, has concurred with this determination and site selection. Dredged material to be placed in ocean waters must be evaluated to determine if adverse impacts to human health, welfare or amenities of the marine environment, ecological systems or the economy would occur.
In accordance with the Endangered Species Act of 1973, the Corps has consulted with both the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and NOAA Fisheries regarding potential impacts to threatened or endangered species. The Corps is in the final processes of completing the Biological Assessments needed to enter into formal consultation with the two agencies.
For more information about the Corps' coastal projects, please visit Portland District's Channel and Harbors website at https://www.nwp.usace.army.mil/op/n/welcome.asp.