Rick Finn, Port of Portland federal government relations manager, said that an appropriation for the project was not expected in the upcoming federal budget for a number of reasons. Foremost, channel deepening has been temporarily delayed while answers to additional environmental questions are being worked out between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the National Marine Fisheries Service and U.S. Department of Fish & Wildlife through a reconsultation process. Furthermore, there are sufficient funds from a $4.5 million federal appropriation in last year’s budget that can be carried forth through next year while reconsultation is underway.

 “It’s the intent of the co-sponsor ports to pursue federal appropriations for channel deepening construction in the 2003 fiscal year budget, once reconsultation has successfully concluded” said Finn.

 The Columbia River channel deepening project is being co-sponsored by the Oregon ports of Portland and St. Helens, and by the Washington ports of Vancouver, Woodland, Kalama and Longview. The project is designed to improve the deep-draft transport of goods on the authorized navigation channel and to provide ecosystem restoration for fish and wildlife habitats.