Public Notices

Corps seeks public comment on Caspian Tern Nesting Island Construction draft Supplemental Environmental Assessment

Published June 28, 2017
CENWP-PM-E-17-02
Issue Date: June 28, 2017
Closing Date: July 27, 2017

Interested parties are hereby notified that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland District (the Corps), is seeking public comment on the Draft Supplemental Environmental Assessment, Draft Amended Finding of No Significant Impact and Clean Water Act Section 404(b)(1) Alternatives Analysis for the Caspian Tern Nesting Island Construction Project (draft SEA).

This draft Supplemental Environmental Assessment (SEA) evaluates the environmental effects of demolishing a floating island within the Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge (the Wildlife Refuge) and constructing a permanent island made of rock in its place. The effects of constructing a floating island within the Wildlife Refuge, as well as the construction of permanent islands at other U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service refuges, were evaluated in a 2009 Environmental Assessment.

The Corps has prepared this draft SEA because it is changing the proposed action described in the 2009 Environmental Assessment to accommodate the above-proposed maintenance activities at one of the islands in the Wildlife Refuge managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

At the end of the public comment period, the Corps will consider all comments received or post-marked by the closing date of this public notice and make a determination regarding the significance of impacts resulting from the proposed action. The amended Finding of No Significant Impact will determine whether the recommended plan constitutes a major federal action that would significantly affect the human or natural environment and if an Environmental Impact Statement is required, pursuant to Section 102(c) of the National Environmental Policy Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 4321–4347.


Environmental Document
The draft SEA document for the proposed action is available for public review on the Corps’ website at www.nwp.usace.army.mil/environment/sheepy-lake.

Additional Information and Comments

Questions or comments regarding the draft document should be directed to Mr. Paul Schmidt by phone at 503-808-4772, via email at sheepy-lake@usace.army.mil, or by mail at the address below. Mailed comments must be postmarked by the above closing date and sent to:

District Engineer
U.S. Army Corps of Engineer District, Portland
Attn: CENWP-PM-E/Paul Schmidt
P.O. Box 2946, Portland, Oregon 97208-2946

In your response, please refer to the above public notice number (CENWP-PM-E-17-02), title and date. A “no comment” response will be assumed if no response is received prior to or postmarked by the above expiration date.