Corps seeks comments on draft EA for Columbia River federal navigation channel operations and maintenance dredging

PORTLAND, ORE. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has released a draft Environmental Assessment and is seeking public comment on the draft environmental assessment for the Columbia River Federal Navigation Channel Operations and Maintenance Dredging and Dredged Material Placement Network Update, River Mile 3 to 106.5.

The Corps is proposing to continue operation and maintenance of the Columbia River Federal Navigation Channel and update the dredged material placement network from River Mile 3 to 106.5. In 2003, the Corps identified 29 sites suitable for 20 years of dredged material placement use after construction of the 43-foot deep-draft navigation channel. Since the completion of the deepened channel in 2010, some sites in the network have reached capacity or are nearing site capacity beyond what was evaluated by the Corps in 2003. Additionally, several upland dredged material placement sites have been removed from the list of available dredged material placement sites.

Reconfiguring the existing network with updated volume capacity, the use of a new in-water sump, and the addition of shoreline placement to an existing upland dredged material placement site will allow the Corps to improve strategic management of dredged material placement. The updated network will allow for greater flexibility for maintaining the navigation channel.

The draft EA has been prepared for the proposed federal action in accordance with the Council on Environmental Quality’s National Environmental Policy Act regulations [Federal Register 40 CFR 1508.9(a)]. At the end of the public comment period, the Corps will consider all comments received or postmarked by the expiration date of this public notice and make a determination of significance of impacts resulting from the proposed action. The draft EA is available on the Corps webpage in the Announcements section at: http://www.nwp.usace.army.mil/Media/Announcements.aspx.

Additional information and comments: Questions or comments regarding the draft EA should be directed to Greta Smith, Environmental Resources Branch, via email to: gretchen.v.smith@usace.army.mil, or by mail, postmarked by May 4, 2014, and sent to:

District Engineer
U.S. Army Corps of Engineer District, Portland
Attn: CENWP-PM-E / Greta Smith
P.O. Box 2946
Portland, OR 97208-2946

In your response, refer to the public notice number (CENWP-PM-E-14-05), title and date. Should no response be received by the closing date above, a “no comment” response will be assumed.