Interested parties are hereby notified that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland District (USACE) proposes to demolish and rebuild buildings damaged during a major fire at the Dredge Fleet Berthing and Maintenance Facility (U.S. Moorings Facility) located inland on the west bank of the Willamette River in Multnomah, County, Oregon, within the City of Portland.
Project Description
The Facility has supported the USACE Portland fleet of dredges and other vessels since its inception and provides a broad range of services in direct support of the USACE Navigation Mission and other industrial services primarily in support of operations and maintenance of the USACE West Coast Dredge Fleet which in turn performs dredging services per USACE authorized duties to maintain the U.S. Federal Navigation Channel (FNC) system. To ensure a well-coordinated workflow, the Facility offices serve as the primary location for engineering, supply, safety, and environmental specialists in direct support of the USACE navigation mission that serves the entire U.S. West Coast.
On August 30, 2021, a major fire at the Facility destroyed structures providing necessary functions supporting the U.S. Moorings’ mission. To replace structures lost to the 2021 fire, USACE proposes design and construction of a single multi-purpose building approximately 19,000 gross square feet, including office space; meeting rooms; and electrical, yard, and survey workshops, at the existing Facility. In addition, USACE proposes life and safety upgrades to some of the existing buildings at the Facility to bring them up to meet USACE policy and continue safe operations at the Facility. These upgrades to reduce the risk of threats to life and safety include reducing the probability and severity of life loss associated with a fire, flood, or earthquake. USACE will design and construct the selected replacement structures to continue similar operations to the lost and damaged buildings of the Facility.
USACE has prepared a draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for the proposed action in accordance with the Council on Environmental Quality’s National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regulations found at 42 U.S.C. §§ 4331. The EA was started in 2023 and therefore follows the 2020 Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) guidelines in place at the time. USACE 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, USACE 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: https://usace.contentdm.oclc.org/utils/getfile/collection/p16021coll7/id/29097
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 14 June 2026. Written comments may be sent via email to Kellen Smith, Environmental Resources Branch, at kellen.a.smith@usace.army.mil , or to the mailing address below:
District Engineer
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Portland District
Attn: CENWP-PME-E / Kellen Smith
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. Any responses received after the above expiration date will not be considered.
Questions or comments regarding the draft EA can also be directed to Kellen Smith by calling (503) 808-4278 or email at kellen.a.smith@usace.army.mil .