PORTLAND, Ore. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland District (Corps) is making the 60 percent draft Mid-Columbia River Regional Master Plan and Integrated Environmental Assessment (EA) available for public review.
Master plans for the mid-Columbia River projects date back to the 1970s. A regional master plan is needed to integrate and update management and development planning for the mid-Columbia River projects in order to guide responsible stewardship and sustainability of project resources for the benefit of present and future generations.
The purpose of the Mid-Columbia River Regional Master Plan is to serve as the overall strategic management document guiding the Corps’ comprehensive administration and development of recreational, natural and cultural resources on Corps-owned lands associated with projects at Bonneville Lock & Dam, The Dalles Lock & Dam, John Day Lock & Dam and Willow Creek Dam. The master plan would provide an overall land use management plan, including objectives and concepts for the efficient and cost-effective management, development and use of project lands for the next twenty years.
Integrated into the master plan is an EA, prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). 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 Corps 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 60 percent draft master plan and integrated EA will be available for public comment for 30-days after the date of this public notice. This 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 development of the 90 percent draft master plan. The 90 percent 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/8046
(Please note the document is a large file and may take some time to download.)
All interested parties are invited to attend the public meeting in Dallesport, WA:
Date: October 9, 2018, from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Location: Dallesport Community Center
136 6th Ave
Dallesport, WA 98617
A short presentation will begin at 5:15, after which staff will be on hand to answer questions and provide information.
Each Mid-Columbia River dam contributes to a water resource management system that provides flood risk management, power generation, water quality improvement, irrigation, fish and wildlife habitat and recreation on the Columbia River and some of its tributaries.
Federal, state and local agencies, and many Mid-Columbia River Basin stakeholders are united in their commitment to protect native fish and their habitat. These entities have been working together for many years on improvements essential for the successful protection and recovery of these fish populations.
View the complete public notice at
http://www.nwp.usace.army.mil/notices/permit-application/Article/1641759/.
Written comments may be sent via email to:
mid-columbia-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.
Public review helps the Corps consider the concerns of citizens and organizations by involving them in the environmental review process. The Corps understands that citizens often have valuable information about the places and resources they value.
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/.