[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 241 (Thursday, December 16, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75308-75309]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-27573]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers


Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement, Lower 
Snake River Reservoirs Navigation Maintenance, in the States of 
Washington, and Idaho

AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) intends to prepare an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for performing routine maintenance 
of the Federal navigation channel and certain public port facilities on 
the lower Snake and Clearwater Rivers in Washington and Idaho. The EIS 
will evaluate the actions the Corps could take to maintain the 
authorized navigation channel and port facilities in the short-term and 
will identify the preferred alternative.
    The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Region 10, will be a 
cooperating agency for this EIS. The Corps will work with EPA during 
development of the EIS to consider and incorporate, as appropriate, the 
policies and procedures currently evolving for the Northwest Regional 
Dredging Team (RDT), as referred to in the April 26, 2002, policy 
letter jointly signed by Brigadier General David A. Tastabend, Corps of 
Engineers, Northwestern Division Commander, and L. John Iani, EPA 
Region 10 Administrator.

[[Page 75309]]


DATES: Submit comments by January 18, 2005.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Jack Sands, Project Manager, Walla 
Walla District, Corps of Engineers, CENWW-PM-PPM, 201 North Third 
Avenue, Walla Walla, WA 99362, phone (509) 527-7287, or Ms. Sandra 
Simmons, NEPA Coordinator, Walla Walla District, Corps of Engineers, 
CENWW-PD-EC, 201 North Third Avenue, Walla Walla, WA 99362, phone (509) 
527-7265.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Walla 
Walla District (Corps) has the responsibility to operate and maintain 
the congressionally authorized Federal navigation channel in the lower 
Snake River from McNary reservoir on the mid-Columbia River up the 
Snake River to Lewiston, Idaho at the confluence of the Snake and 
Clearwater Rivers. The Corps is authorized by Congress to maintain a 
channel 250 feet wide and 14 feet deep as measured at minimum regulated 
flows. Historically the Corps has routinely dredged accumulated 
sediments from the navigation channel to maintain its operational 
efficiency. The Corps has not performed maintenance dredging in the 
channel since the winter of 1998-1999.
    Presently sediment has accumulated in the Federal navigation 
channel to the point that the channel is less than 14 feet deep at 
minimum pool at several locations. Sediment has also accumulated in 
port berthing facilities in the Lewiston-Clarkston area, reducing the 
water depth at those facilities to less than 14 feet. The shallow water 
depths in the Federal channel and port facilities are interfering with 
commercial navigation and creating a potentially hazardous situation. 
Barge companies and commercial vessels are having difficulty accessing 
port facilities and navigating the federal channel due to shallow 
conditions. In response to these conditions they have made costly 
operational changes. Additional sediment accumulation could render 
these operational changes ineffective and increase the potential for 
safety hazards and additional economic impact.
    The Corps recognizes the need to restore the authorized depth of 
the navigation channel and port facilities, and that additional 
sediment is likely to accumulate with each successive spring runoff. 
Therefore, the Corps proposes to take action at the first opportunity 
following the spring 2005 runoff to address the accumulated sediment. 
The local ports will fund any actions the Corps takes within the port 
facilities. The Corps will consider both dredging and non-dredging 
measures, either separately or in combination. Measures identified to 
date include no action, sediment reduction, reservoir drawdown/
flushing, dredging with traditional protocols, and dredging with 
beneficial use of dredged material.
    At this time, the Corps does not plan to conduct public scoping 
meetings for this EIS. However, affected Federal, state, and local 
agencies; Indian tribess; and other interested organizations and 
individuals are invited to provide input to the Corps on the scope of 
this EIS. To ensure consideration, input on the scope should be 
provided to the Corps by comment date (see DATES). Additional 
opportunities for public input on the EIS will be provided during the 
normal review periods for the draft and final EIS.
    The draft EIS is currently scheduled to be available for public 
review in early 2005.

Randy L. Glaeser,
LTC, EN, Commanding.
[FR Doc. 04-27573 Filed 12-15-04; 8:45 am]
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