PUBLIC NOTICE
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT
Willow Creek Arm Easement Renewal
GILLIAM COUNTY, OREGON
CENWP-PME-E
Issue Date: August 28, 2019
Interested parties are hereby notified that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland District (USACE) has finalized the Willow Creek Arm Easement Renewal Environmental Assessment (EA) and signed a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI). The EA and FONSI were 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 action analyzed in the EA is an easement renewal for Threemile Canyon Farms (TMCF). Included in this action is an expansion of the easement area. The easement is located on the southern end of the Willow Creek Arm (WCA) of the Columbia River at River Mile 252.8 on the south shore of the John Day Reservoir (Lake Umatilla), in Gilliam County, Oregon. The easement area is approximately 36.77 acres, which includes 21.61 acres under the existing easement, and expansion of the easement area by an approximate 15.16 acres, for a total of approximately 36.77 acres. The term of the easement would be for 50 years. The easement renewal and expansion does not include consent for construction of any new facilities.
Assessment of the Need for an Environmental Impact Statement: USACE has determined the action is not likely to result in significant effects on the human environment, and therefore an environmental impact statement (EIS) will not be prepared. The FONSI is included with the Final EA. Also included with the Final EA are responses to comments received on the draft EA.
Environmental Document: The Final EA and FONSI are available for download at: https://usace.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p16021coll7/id/12126