Army Department June 10, 2010 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) Seattle District is preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to analyze the environmental effects of replacing an existing barge loading dock to facilitate resumption of sand and gravel mining operations at Northwest Aggregates' Maury Island facility. The Corps issued a permit to Northwest Aggregates for the dock replacement project on July 2, 2008, under Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 and Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. Northwest Aggregates has been enjoined by the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington from conducting any further marine construction work under the Corps' permit, until the Corps completes an EIS on the project. A portion of this marine construction work was done prior to the Court's 2009 ruling; the balance remains incomplete at this time. The EIS will analyze the environmental effects of the issuance of the Corps permit, including additional analysis of potential impacts of the project on the marine environment, including endangered species (Chinook salmon, Southern Resident Killer whales, rockfish, eulachon, and other listed species) and forage fish, additional analysis and evaluation of the no action and other alternatives to achieve the project purpose, and additional analysis of cumulative impacts associated with the permit project.