Mid-Columbia River Regional Master Plan and Integrated Environmental Assessment

CENWP-PM-E
Issue Date: January 30, 2018
Closing Date: March 2, 2018

Interested parties are hereby notified that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland District (Corps) is seeking public comments and will conduct a series of open houses to assist in the development of the Mid-Columbia River Regional Master Plan for Corps-owned lands associated with Bonneville, The Dalles, John Day and Willow Creek. The Corps intends to integrate into the master plan an Environmental Assessment (EA), prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Council on Environmental Quality’s NEPA regulations (40 C.F.R. parts 1500-1508), and the Corps’ NEPA regulations (33 C.F.R. part 230). 

The purpose of the Mid-Columbia River Regional Master Plan is to serve as the overall strategic land use management document guiding the Corps’ comprehensive administration and development of recreational, natural, and cultural resources on project lands of the Corps’ mid-Columbia River projects. The master plan would provide resource objectives and management and development concepts that facilitate the efficient and cost-effective management, development, and use of project lands for the next twenty years.

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 the responsible stewardship and sustainability of project resources for the benefit of present and future generations. The Mid-Columbia River Regional Master Plan is needed to ensure the management, development, and use of project lands are aligned with national objectives, regional needs, and resource capabilities and suitabilities; protect and sustain project natural and cultural resources; and provide public recreational opportunities that are consistent with authorized project purposes. 

Public Scoping Comment Period and Open Houses: The Corps is seeking public comments and will conduct a series of open houses to help determine the issues to be addressed in the regional master plan and integrated EA. All interested parties including individuals; organizations; local, state, and federal agencies; and tribes are invited to participate in this process. The Corps will consider public comments received or post marked by the expiration date of this public notice to help in the development of the proposed action and possible alternatives in the master plan and integrated EA. The Corps will invite additional public comments after it completes the draft master plan and integrated EA.

Areas likely to be addressed in the master plan and integrated EA include land classifications, sustainable natural resource management, cultural resources, fish and wildlife, aquatic and terrestrial invasive species management, threatened and endangered species, ecological settings, encroachments, and recreation use and facilities on Project lands within the master plan boundaries. Additional information is available online at: http://www.nwp.usace.army.mil/plans/master-plan/. 

All interested parties are invited to attend any or all of the open houses. Each open house will provide general information about the Mid-Columbia River Regional Master Plan, and individual open houses will focus on specific areas, as noted below: 

Open Houses: 

Bonneville Focus Area
Date and Time: February 6, 2018 from 5 - 7 p.m.
Location: Bonneville Dam Auditorium
NE Bonneville Way at Bonneville Dam
(Exit 40 on I-84)

The Dalles Focus Area
Date and Time: February 7, 2018 from 5 - 7 p.m.
Location: The Dalles-Wasco County Library
722 Court Street
The Dalles, OR 

John Day Focus Area
Date and Time: February 8, 2018 from 5 - 7 p.m.
Location: Port of Morrow Riverfront Center
2 Marine Drive NE
Boardman, OR

Willow Creek Focus Area
Date and Time: February 13, 2018 from 5 - 7 p.m.
Location: Heppner City Hall
111 N Main Street
Heppner, OR

All interested parties are invited to submit written comments to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland District through March 2, 2018. Written comments may be submitted at any of the open houses. Written comments may also 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

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.