Public Notices

Corps seeks public comment on Lower Columbia River Dredged Material Transfer Sites Environmental Assessment

PORTLAND DISTRICT
Published Aug. 22, 2022
Expiration date: 9/2/2022
Public Notice
Availability of
DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
LOWER COLUMBIA RIVER NAVIGATION CHANNEL DREDGED MATERIAL TRANSFER SITES
Oregon and Washington
 
Issue Date: Aug. 19, 2022
Expiration Date: Sept. 2, 2022


Interested parties are hereby notified that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland District (Corps) is seeking public comment on its Lower Columbia River Navigation Channel Dredged Material Transfer Sites draft Environmental Assessment (EA). 

The Corps is proposing to modify one existing in-water dredged material transfer site and add six new transfer sites to its network of placement sites for the lower Columbia River (LCR) Federal Navigation Channel (FNC).  

Project Description

The Corps conducts maintenance of the LCR FNC, including dredging and dredged material placement, in order to ensure safe and navigable waters. Dredged materials are transported and placed in water and in upland and shoreline placement sites. At some locations, material dredged from the LCR FNC needs to be placed temporarily in-water at transfer sites (also referred to as sumps or rehandling sites) before it can be placed finally in an upland or shoreline site. The proposed transfer sites would allow the Corps to efficiently maintain Congressionally authorized river depths for safe and reliable passage of shipping traffic in the LCR FNC by enabling the use of existing upland and shoreline placement sites instead of placing the material permanently in-water, where it will transported back into the LCR FNC as shoaling.

The Corps has prepared a draft EA for the proposed action in accordance with the Council on Environmental Quality’s National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regulations found at 40 CFR §1501.5(e) and the Corps NEPA Implementation Regulations found at 33 CFR §230.10.

The Corps has made a preliminary determination that the effects of the proposed action would not be significant and that the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is not warranted. Following public review, the Corps will make a final determination on whether to make a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) or prepare an EIS.

The draft EA is available for download at: https://usace.contentdm.oclc.org/utils/getfile/collection/p16021coll7/id/21537 

Additional Information and Comments 

Questions or comments regarding the draft EA should be directed to Elizabeth Santana, Environmental Resources Branch, at 541-525-4417, elizabeth.a.santana@usace.army.mil, or to the mailing address below. 

                                               District Engineer
                                               U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Portland District
                                               Attn: CENWP-PME-E / Elizabeth Santana 
                                               P.O. Box 2946
                                               Portland, Oregon 97208-2946

Mailed comments on this notice must be postmarked by the above expiration date. 

In your response, please refer to the above public notice title and date. Should no response be received by the above expiration date, a “no comment” response will be assumed.