PORTLAND, ORE. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is hosting a public informational meeting to discuss its draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement and Mount St. Helens Long Term Sediment Management Plan.
The meeting will be held Sept. 10, 2014, FROM 5 to 7:30 p.m. at the Cowlitz County Expo Center, 1900 Seventh Ave, Longview, Washington.
The Corps is evaluating several alternatives in the draft SEIS to manage flood risk for the cities of Castle Rock, Lexington, Kelso and Longview, Washington through the year 2035.
The draft EIS and executive summary can be found on the Corps’ website at http://www.nwp.usace.army.mil/Missions/Currentprojects/MountStHelensEIS.aspx . Members of the public may provide written comments on the draft SEIS and the Corps’ preferred alternative through Oct. 6, 2014.
The original Mount St. Helens Sediment Management Plan, authorized in 1985, included construction of a sediment retention structure, levee improvements and dredging. In addition, the original plan indicated that additional sediment management actions would be needed sometime after year 2000 and acknowledged other actions besides dredging might be more appropriate in the future. The draft SEIS identifies remaining actions and focuses on the actions’ associated impacts.
The Corps will host a second meeting Sept.17, from 5 to 7:30 p.m. at the Toutle High School multipurpose room, 5050 Spirit Lake Hwy, Toutle, Washington.
Members of the public, organizations, tribes, federal, state and local agencies are encouraged to provide written comments on the draft SEIS. Please include the public notice number CENWP-PM-E-14-10, title and date. Written comments may be sent electronically to MSHLongTermPlan@usace.army.mil or by traditional mail to:
Tim Kuhn
U.S. Army Corps of Engineer District, Portland
Attn: CENWP-PM-F/Mount St. Helens draft SEIS
P.O. Box 2946
Portland, Oregon 97208-2946
Comments must be received no later than Oct. 6, 2014.