The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland District (Corps) is making available for public review the 60% draft Rogue River Regional Master Plan and Integrated Environmental Assessment (EA). The master plan is for the Corps’ Rogue River Projects, which consists of Lost Creek Lake, Applegate Dam, and the Elk Creek Project. Integrated into the master plan is an EA, prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Council on Environmental Quality’s NEPA regulations (40 C.F.R. parts 1500-1508), and the Corps’ NEPA regulations (33 C.F.R. part 230), into the Master Plan.
The purpose of the Rogue River Regional Master Plan is to serve as the overall strategic land use management document guiding the Corps’ comprehensive administration and development of recreational, natural, and cultural resources on project lands of the Corps’ Rogue River Project. The master plan provides an overall land use management plan, resource objectives, and management development concepts for the efficient and cost-effective management, development, and use of project lands for the next twenty years.
The Corps recently updated the Elk Creek master plan, but master plans for the remainder of the Rogue River Project are outdated. A regional master plan is needed to integrate and update management and development planning for the Rogue River Project in order to guide the responsible stewardship and sustainability of project resources for the benefit of present and future generations. The Rogue River Regional Master Plan ensures the management, development, and use of project lands are aligned with national objectives regional needs, and resource capabilities and suitability; protect and sustain project natural and cultural resources; and provide public recreational opportunities that are consistent with authorized project purposes.
The master plan and integrated EA include land classifications, resource objectives and plans and natural resource management. Resources evaluated include cultural resources, fish and wildlife, aquatic and terrestrial invasive species management, threatened and endangered species, ecological settings, and recreation use and facilities on Project lands within the master plan boundaries. Environmental impacts from a no action alternative and a proposed action alternative (implementation of the master plan) are evaluated in the integrated EA.
Public Comment Period: The master plan and integrated EA will be available for public comment for 30-days after the date of this public notice. The public comment period is intended to provide those interested in or affected by this action an opportunity to make their concerns or comments known. The Corps will consider comments received during the 30-day comment period in the 90% draft master plan. The 90% draft master plan will also be provided for public review.
The draft master plan and integrated EA are available for download at the following link:
https://usace.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p16021coll7/id/7289
(Please note the document is a large file and may take some time to download.)
Public Meeting: All interested parties are invited to attend the public meeting.
Date: July 16, 2018 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Location: Shady Cove Library
22477 OR-62, Shady Cove, OR 97539
A short presentation will begin at 5:15 p.m., after which staff will be on hand to answer questions and provide information.
Comment Submittal: Please submit written comments to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland District by July 27, 2018. Written comments may be sent via email to: rogue-plan@usace.army.mil or sent via mail to:
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Attn: CENWP-PM-F/Gail Saldaña
P.O. Box 2946
Portland, OR 97208-2946
Written comments may also be submitted at the public meeting.
All comments received will become part of the administrative record and are subject to public release under the Freedom of Information Act, including any personally identifiable information such as name, phone numbers, and addresses.
Additional information is available online at: http://www.nwp.usace.army.mil/plans/master-plan/.