PUBLIC NOTICE
United States Army Corps of Engineers
Portland District
Interested parties are hereby notified that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland District (Corps) proposes to perform non-lethal deterrence on gulls, double-crested cormorants, and American white pelicans and lethal reinforcement to gulls and cormorants at Bonneville, The Dalles, and John Day dams.
Project Description
The Corps is proposing to continue non-lethal deterrence activities at Bonneville, The Dalles, and John Day dams, including a suite of exclusion devices (i.e., avian wires) and active deterrent actions (i.e., pyrotechnics) as has been conducted in previous years. The Corps proposes to add live capture and release of American white pelicans and double-crested cormorants from the fishways, capture and euthanasia for cormorants, and lethal reinforcement of hazing actions for gulls and cormorants as a last resort for birds that do not respond to non-lethal efforts. Lethal reinforcement maybe used to take up to a total of 400 California gulls, 100 ring-billed gulls, and 30 double-crested cormorants annually at the Projects. Lethal reinforcement is not intended as gull and cormorant management or population reduction but to reinforce hazing and exclusion efforts.
The Corps has prepared a draft Environmental Assessment for the proposed action in accordance with the Council on Environmental Quality’s National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regulations found at 40 CFR §1500-1508 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.
Environmental Document: The draft EA is available at the USACE Digital Library here: Link to library
Public Comment Period: The draft EA will be available for public comment for 30 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 April 30, 2023. Written comments may be sent via email to Garrett Dorsey, Environmental Resources Branch at garrett.l.dorsey@usace.army.mil, or to the mailing address below:
District Engineer
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Portland District
Attn: CENWP-PME-E / Garrett Dorsey
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.
Questions or comments regarding the draft EA can also be directed to Garrett Dorsey by calling (541) 525-4417.