PUBLIC NOTICE: DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
Caspian Tern Nesting Habitat Reduction on East Sand Island, Clatsop County, Oregon
CENWP-PM-E-15-02
15-Day Notice Issue Date: March 3, 2015
Expiration Date: March 17, 2015
Interested parties are hereby notified that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland District is seeking public comment on the Draft Environmental Assessment for Caspian Tern Habitat Reduction on East Sand Island, Clatsop County, Oregon. The Corps proposes to reduce nesting acreage at the East Sand Island Caspian tern colony in the Columbia River Estuary from 1.58 to 1.00 acres in order to lessen the number of nesting pairs on the island. By reducing the number of nesting pairs, this project aims to reduce tern predation in the long-term on juvenile salmonids listed under the Endangered Species Act. The desired reduction in nesting pairs is in response to unexpectedly high nesting density exhibited by terns at the colony.
The proposed action would address actions called for in the 2008 / 2010 biological opinion for the FCRPS (Federal Columbia River Power System). This biological opinion requires implementation of the 2005 Caspian Tern Management Plan and evaluation of the effectiveness of the plan. The proposed action is considered adaptive management toward meeting the goals of the opinion and plan, specifically with respect to number of nesting pairs of Caspian terns at the East Sand Island colony.
Environmental document: The draft Environmental Assessment for the proposed activity is available for public review and comment on our website at: http://www.nwp.usace.army.mil/Media/Announcements.aspx
or by email to: caspianternnestinghabitatmanagement@usace.army.mil
Requests for additional information and comments regarding the draft EA should be directed to Paul Schmidt at 503-808-4772 or by email to Paul.A.Schmidt@usace.army.mil, or at the address below. Mailed comments must be postmarked by the above closing date and sent to:
District Engineer, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland District
Attn: CENWP-PM-E / Paul Schmidt
P.O. Box 2946
Portland, OR 97208-2946
In your response, refer to the above public notice number (CENWP-PM-E-15-02), title and date. A “no comment” response will be assumed if no response is received prior to or postmarked by the expiration date above.