Environmental Compliance provides extremely broad support to all of the district’s civil works federal actions and programs in three functional areas: environmental sciences as well as compliance with federal biological compliance laws (Biological Resources Team) and general environmental compliance (Environmental Resources Team) laws. Our two functional teams conduct roughly 400 environmental effect analysis determinations and appropriate documentation annually under the National Environmental Policy Act and the Endangered Species Act, amongst numerous other environmental laws and Executive Orders.
We consult with the state, federal and tribal environmental regulatory and natural resources management agencies on federal actions where there are interests external to the Corps and ensure the Corps meets requirements for consultation.
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The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Walla Walla District invites public comments on their Draft Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the City of Kimberly, Idaho, Wastewater Collection System Improvement Project. Comments are due no later than October 12.
The Corps proposes to assist the city of Kimberly, Idaho with its Wastewater Collection System Improvements Project. The proposed action consists of digging trenches (often referred to as “open-cut”) and replacing approximately 2,590 linear feet of deteriorating sewer pipe. The Project is being done under Section 595 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1999 for which the USACE is authorized to participate in environmental infrastructure projects. Specifically, the Corps would provide funding to assist with design, environmental documentation, construction administration, and construction costs.
The City of Kimberly prepared an Environmental Information Document (EID) to address potential effects associated with implementation of the wastewater collection system improvement project. After an independent review of the city’s EID, the Corps found it to provide both sufficient evidence and analysis to meet the Corps’ requirements pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and has accepted and incorporated it as part of the Corps’ NEPA documentation. As part of NEPA compliance, the Corps is inviting public comment on its draft FONSI. The Corps is required to consider all comments received.
Links to the City of Kimberly’s EID, the Corps’ supplemental ESA and cultural reviews, and the Corps’ draft FONSI are located below.
Public comments must be e-mailed or postmarked no later than Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2016, to NEPANWW@usace.army.mil; or
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
ATTN: CENWW-PD-EC - Kimberly 595
201 North 3rd Ave.
Walla Walla, WA 99362
Please contact the Environmental Coordinator at 509-527-7245, if you have questions.
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The Walla Walla District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) invites public comments on the Draft Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the Corps' proposed Gooding Flood Control Project Rehabilitation Report and Environmental Assessment (Report/EA). The comment period is open Sept. 7-21, 2016.
The Report/EA describes actions the Corps could take to provide localized flood risk management and (if possible) ecosystem restoration through improvement of aquatic habitat and riparian vegetation.
Comments must be emailed or postmarked no later than Sept. 21, 2016, to be considered and included in the public record. You may submit comments via email to NEPANWW@usace.army.mil, noting "Gooding Flood Control" in the subject line. You may also mail comments to:
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Walla Walla District
ATTN: CENWW-PD-EC – Gooding Flood Control
201 North 3rd Ave.
Walla Walla, WA 99362-1876
For additional information or questions, please contact the Walla Walla District's Environmental Compliance Section at 509-527-7288.
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UPDATED (Aug. 26, 2016) -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Walla Walla District issued a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Dworshak Programmatic Land-based Access Management Plan (Plan).
The plan describes actions the Corps could take to manage land-based access on lands surrounding Dworshak Dam and Reservoir to reduce trespass, control unauthorized access, meet current and future public demand for motorized and non-motorized access and recreation, and facilitate natural resource stewardship actions by the Corps.
The Corps solicited public comments on its draft FONSI June 29 through July 29, 2016. The signed FONSI and EA, with the Plan and Appendices is available in electronic form via the hyperlink located below.
For additional information or questions about access management at Dworshak, please contact natural resources staff at 208-476-1255.
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The Walla Walla District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) invites public comments regarding the Corps’ proposal to grant permission for alteration to a Corps-constructed river improvement (public work).
The Corps proposes to grant Section 408 permission, pursuant to 33 United States Code Section 408 (Section 408), to the Walla Walla County Mill Creek Flood Control Zone District for the encroachment of a commercial recreational hall (building) within the easement for the Mill Creek Levee Extension of the Mill Creek Flood Control Project. The levee extension is located between Mill Creek and Titus Creek, about 2 miles east of Walla Walla, Washington. The Corps has determined the structure is not an obstruction to the flow area of Mill Creek and does not affect the hydraulic performance of the levee.
Interested parties are invited to provide their comments on the proposed Corps action. The Corps is particularly interested in opinions on issues and environmental effects the Corps should consider when evaluating the County’s request for Section 408 permission for the levee easement encroachment. Comments must be emailed or postmarked no later than Aug. 29, 2016, to be considered and included in the public record. You may submit comments via email to NEPANWW@usace.army.mil, noting "Mill Creek Levee Encroachment 408" in the subject line. You may also mail comments to:
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
ATTN: CENWW-PD-EC – Mill Creek Levee Encroachment 408
201 North 3rd Ave.
Walla Walla, WA 99362-1876
For additional information or questions, please contact the Corps’ environmental coordinator at 509-527-7265.
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The Walla Walla District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) invites public comments on its draft Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) and Environmental Assessment (EA) regarding the Corps’ proposal to grant permission for potential alteration to a Corps-constructed river improvement (public work).
The Corps proposes to grant Section 408 permission, pursuant to 33 United States Code Section 408 (Section 408), for a waterline project that has the potential to alter the Malheur River Flood Risk Reduction Project (levee system) on the Malheur River in the City of Vale, Oregon (City).
The City is proposing to replace an existing 8-inch water transmission line that crosses the Malheur River with a new 14-inch water transmission line. The transmission line installation is part of the City’s water-distribution system improvement project to increase pressure, and enhance water flow and circulation capabilities.
The new transmission line would be approximately 1,300 feet long and would be installed by way of horizontal directional drilling under the Malheur River to connect the new pipeline to the existing distribution system between May 15, 2017, and Oct. 31, 2018. Because the drilling and waterline placement would take place under levee structures constructed by the Corps, these actions require Section 408 permission from the Corps.
The public comment period starts on Aug. 15, 2016. Comments must be emailed or postmarked no later than Sept. 15, 2016, to be considered and included in the public record. You may submit comments via email toNEPANWW@usace.army.mil, noting "Vale Waterline" in the subject line. You may also mail comments to:
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
ATTN: CENWW-PD-EC – Vale Waterline
201 North 3rd Ave.
Walla Walla, WA 99362-1876
The Corps’ draft FONSI and EA, and the City of Vale’s water-distribution system improvement project website are available via the hyperlinks located below. Public Scoping for the Corps's EA was conducted June 24-July 24, 2016. For additional information or questions about waterline installation Section 408 permission action, please contact the Corps’ environmental coordinator at 509-527-7262. For more information about the City of Vale’s water system project, please contact the City at 541-473-3133.
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UPDATED (Aug. 5, 2016) -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Walla Walla District issued a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the Zayo Eastern Washington/Oregon Fiber Optic Line Project.
The Corps will issue an easement to Zayo Inc. for the construction, operation and maintenance of a fiber optic line that will be located on Corps-managed federal land on both sides of the Columbia River in Benton and Franklin counties, Washington, and Umatilla County, Oregon. Zayo Inc. plans to install approximately 200 miles of fiber optic line from Ellensburg, Washington, to Umatilla, Oregon.
The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) is the lead federal agency for the project and prepared the Consent to Use Permit - Fiber Optic Project Environmental Assessment (EA) and signed a FONSI on Feb. 26, 2016. The Corps, acting as a cooperating agency, performed an independent review of Reclamation's compliance documents, found them to be adequate, and has adopted Reclamation's EA (in its entirety).
The Corps solicited public comments on its draft FONSI June 20 through July 5, 2016. The Corps’ signed FONSI, and Reclamation’s EA and FONSI are available in electronic form via the hyperlinks located below. For additional information or questions, please contact the Corps’ environmental coordinator at 509-527-7245.
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The Walla Walla District Corps of Engineers (Corps) proposes to grant a series of permissions pursuant to 33 United States Code Section 408 (Section 408) for a series of alterations to portions of the Corps-constructed Mill Creek flood risk management channel in Walla Walla, Washington. These Section 408 permissions would apply to requests by the Mill Creek Work Group, and/or its member organizations, which are endorsed by the Mill Creek Flood Control Zone District. The purpose of the alterations is to improve fish passage conditions for native fish.
The Corps distributed a draft Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) and draft programmatic environmental assessment (EA) for this project on March 25, 2016. Through its analysis and the public review, the Corps did not identify any significant environmental impacts related to granting a series of Section 408 permissions for the future phases of the fish passage improvement program. The signing of the FONSI concludes the Corps’ environmental compliance for this project.
If you have any questions about the final FONSI or final EA, please contact Ms. Sandy Shelin, Environmental Coordinator, at 509-527-7265.
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The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Walla Walla District (Corps), invites public comments on the draft Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) and Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Section 408 permission of the Yakima River Gateway Project, in West Richland, Washington.
The Corps proposes to issue the City of West Richland’s and Benton County Diking District Number 1’s request to modify the federal levee along the southwestern corner of Van Giesen Bridge for the construction of an access ramp, staircase and retaining wall. The modifications are to create access to the Yakima Gateway Project trail, to be located to the north of Van Giesen Bridge.
The public comment period was from Apr. 4- May 4 2016.
NEPANWW@usace.army.mil or via U.S. Postal Service to:
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Walla Walla District
CENWW-PM-PD-EC, Yakima River Gateway Project
201 North Third Avenue, Walla Walla, WA 99362-1876.
If you have questions, please write or e-mail the Corps at the addresses above, or call the project Environmental Compliance Specialist at 509-527-7262.
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The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Walla Walla District (Corps), invites public comments on the draft Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) and Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Milton-Freewater Floodwater Flood Control Works Rehabilitation of the Nursery Bridge Drop Structure.
The Corps proposes to repair high-flow scouring on the downstream gabions and riprap of the Nursery Bridge Drop Structure in the Walla Walla River located in Milton Freewater, Oregon. Construction is slated to begin in July 2016.
The public comment period was from Apr. 4- May 4 2016.
NEPANWW@usace.army.mil or via U.S. Postal Service to:
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Walla Walla District
CENWW-PM-PD-EC, Nursery Bridge Drop Structure
201 North Third Avenue, Walla Walla, WA 99362-1876.
If you have questions, please write or e-mail the Corps at the addresses above, or call the project Environmental Compliance Specialist at 509-527-7262
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Environmental Compliance
201 N. 3rd Ave.
Walla Walla, WA 99362
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