PUBLIC NOTICE
DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
Federal Navigation Channel Operations and Maintenance Dredging and Dredged Material Placement
Skamokawa Creek, Wahkiakum County, Washington
Westport Slough, Clatsop County, Oregon
Old Mouth Cowlitz, Cowlitz County, Washington and
Upstream Entrance to Oregon Slough, Multnomah County, Oregon
CENWP-PME-E
Issue Date: April 18, 2019
Closing Date: May 01, 2019
13 Day Notice
Interested parties are hereby notified that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland District (USACE) is seeking public comment on the Federal Navigation Channel Operations and Maintenance Dredging and Dredged Material Placement draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for Skamokawa Creek, Westport Slough, Old Mouth Cowlitz River, and Upstream Entrance to Oregon Slough. The draft EA was 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).
USACE is proposing to perform operations and maintenance dredging and dredge material placement for four federal navigation channels at Skamokawa Creek, Westport Slough, Old Mouth Cowlitz River, and Upstream Entrance to Oregon Slough. The dredged material would be placed in the Corps’ existing network of upland placement sites and in the Columbia River from River Mile 3 through 145 where water is 20 feet deep or greater.
Assessment of the Need for an Environmental Impact Statement: USACE has preliminarily determined that the proposed action is not likely to result in significant impacts on the human environment, and therefore an environmental impact statement (EIS) will not be prepared. USACE will consider comments received during the 13-day comment period for the draft EA in making a determination on a finding of no significant impact.
Environmental Document: The draft EA is available for download at: https://usace.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p16021coll7/id/11026
Public Comment Period: The draft EA will be available for public comment for 13 days after the date of this public notice. The public comment period is intended to provide those interested in or affected by this action an opportunity to make their concerns or comments known.
Comment Submittal: Please submit written comments to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland District by May 1st, 2019. Written comments may be sent via email to: Michelle.Guay@usace.army.mil or sent via mail to:
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Attn: CENWP-PME-E/Michelle Guay
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. The Corps will respond to public comments in the final EA.
In your comments, please include in the subject line: Federal Navigation Channel Operations and Maintenance Dredging and Dredged Material Placement (Skamokawa, Westport, Old Mouth Cowlitz, and Upstream Entrance to Oregon Slough) EA Comment and the date.