Public Notice
Final Environmental Assessment and Finding of no Significant Impact
Columbia Stock Ranch Ecosystem Restoration Project
Columbia County, Oregon
CENWP-PM-E-16-03
Issue Date: July 25, 2016
The final environmental assessment for the Columbia Stock Ranch Section 536 Ecosystem Restoration Project and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland District’s (Corps) Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) is available. The Corps is the lead agency and the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) is a cooperating agency for the EA under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), 42 U.S.C. § 4321-4347.
The Corps and BPA will implement an ecosystem restoration project on the Columbia Stock Ranch to restore structure and function of floodplain habitats to improve juvenile and adult fish survival. This restoration in the lower Columbia River and estuary helps the Corps and BPA meet Reasonable and Prudent Alternative Actions 36 and 37 in the Endangered Species Act Section 7(a)(2) Supplemental Biological Opinion, Consultation on Remand for Operation of the Federal Columbia River Power System, issued by the National Marine Fisheries Service on January 17, 2014. The action will restore hydrologic connectivity between the Columbia Stock Ranch project site and the Columbia River, providing fish access to wetlands and off-channel habitats in the project area and increasing rearing and foraging opportunities for juvenile fish to improve survival in the lower Columbia River and estuary.
The draft EA and draft FONSI were released for a 30-day public comment period between April 25 and May 25, 2016. A summary of all public comments received during the review period and subsequent changes are documented in Chapter 7 of the final EA. The FONSI documents the Corps’ determination that the recommended plan does not constitute a major federal action that would significantly affect the human or natural environment and therefore an Environmental Impact Statement pursuant to Section 102(C) of NEPA is not required.
Environmental Document: The EA and FONSI are available on the Corps web page in the Announcements section at http://www.nwp.usace.army.mil/Media/Announcements.aspx.
Additional Information and Comments: Questions regarding the EA or FONSI should be directed to Kristine.A.Lightner@usace.army.mil, (503) 808-4748, or to the address below.
District Engineer
U.S. Army Corps of Engineer District, Portland
Attn: CENWP-PM-E/Kristine Lightner
P.O. Box 2946, Portland, Oregon 97208-2946
In your response, please refer to the above public notice number (CENWP-PM-E-16-03), title and date.