The Port of Newport’s Commercial Marina is located on the north shore of the Yaquina Bay, approximately river mile 2 of the Yaquina River, at Newport in the mid-coast region of Oregon. The Yaquina River is 59-miles long with its headwaters in the Coast Range mountains. It flows along the county line between Benton and Lincoln Counties west of the Willamette Valley to its confluence with the Pacific Ocean near the City of Newport.

There is an existing Federal navigation channel, maintained by the Corps, along the Yaquina River directly south of the Commercial Marina. Vessels access the Commercial Marina from the Federal navigation channel via a natural channel that exits the marina’s west entrance.  An in-marina channel extends east from the west entrance roughly parallel to the shore within an existing Corps constructed breakwater structure that protects the marina. The in-marina channel terminates before an existing, privately-owned recreational marina known as the Embarcadero Resort, which is not part of the proposed project.  The improvements proposed in the project study would increase the Commercial Marina’s ability to accommodate safe and efficient vessel operations for a commercial fishing fleet that is consolidating and increasing vessel sizes. Lack of adequate depth and space for safe maneuvering has and will increasingly limit the use of the Commercial Marina by the increasing number of larger vessels. Navigation improvements would alleviate delays and moorage competition for the commercial fishing vessels using the Commercial Marina for offloading catch, servicing, fueling, and provisioning. They would also improve the Commercial Marina’s ability to provide safe harbor during storm events.

This project study is authorized by Section 107 of the River and Harbor Act (RHA) of 1960 (Public law Number (Pub. L. No.) 86-645, 33 Code of Laws of the United States of America (U.S.C.) 577), as amended. Section 107 provides authority for the Corps to improve navigation including dredging of channels, anchorage areas, and turning basins and construction of channels, jetties and groins, and other general navigation features in partnership with non-Federal government sponsors such as municipalities, counties, special chartered authorities, or units of state government. Section 107 is one of the ten legislative authorities under which the Corps is authorized to plan, design, and construct certain types of water resources projects that are of limited scope and complexity, without additional and specific congressional authorization. These authorities are called the Continuing Authorities Program (CAP) when referred to as a group.

The National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) is one of the nation’s oldest environmental laws that encourages federal agencies to make environmentally responsible decisions. NEPA requires all federal agencies to consider and disclose the environmental effects of their proposed actions in an Environmental Assessment.

The environmental review process under NEPA provides an opportunity for you to be involved in the Federal agency decision making process. It will help you understand what the Federal agency is proposing, to offer your thoughts on alternative ways for the agency to accomplish what it is proposing, and to offer your comments on the agency’s analysis of the environmental effects of the alternatives. The Citizen's Guide to NEPA explains this law and how to effectively submit your input.

Examples of areas for evaluation in the Environmental Assessment include:

• Air Quality
• Cultural Resources
• Floodplain Management
• Economic Impacts
• Environmental Justice
• Land Use
• Migratory Birds
• Social Considerations
• Endangered Species Act
• Tribal Interests
• Vegetation
• Wetlands
• Water Quality

Draft Environmental Assessment - Ongoing

The Corps identifies alternatives to be assessed in detail, assesses, and compares direct, indirect, and cumulative environmental effects of the alternatives, and selects the preferred plan.

Notice of availability for public review and comment

The Corps makes available the Draft Environmental Assessment and preferred alternative for agency, tribal, and public review and comment.

Final Environmental Assessment

The Corps prepares and publishes the final Environmental Assessment, which will include responses to substantive comments.

Notice of availability for public review.

Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI)

The FONSI completes USACE's NEPA process.