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<< Back E-mail Update – December 9, 2004 -- Volume 4, Number 19 Deepening Construction Starts In Summer 2005: Today, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) announced that the deepening of the Columbia River navigation channel will begin in 2005. The Consolidated Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2005, which President Bush signed into law on December 8, 2005, includes $9 million for the Columbia River Channel Improvement Project. The Corps and the Columbia River ports sponsoring the project have consulted about their plans for the project in light of this appropriation and today announced that the $9 million federal appropriation, combined with a portion of the non-federal share provided by the states of Oregon and Washington, will enable the Corps to begin dredging from 40 to 43 feet in the lower reaches of the Columbia River and the Portland/Vancouver area in the summer of 2005, pending the resolution of federal litigation next spring. “The sponsoring ports are very pleased that construction dredging could start next year,” said Ken O’Hollaren, Columbia River Channel Coalition President. “We’re confident that the pending litigation will be resolved favorably and that several miles of the navigation channel will be deepened to 43 feet by the end of 2005.” Deepening of the navigation channel will take place at the same time the Corps performs its annual maintenance dredging on the navigation channel, thus providing a cost-savings for both aspects of the work. When the construction dredging that is now planned for the lower and upper reaches of the river takes place, the Corps and the ports anticipate about 15 miles in the lower river and 10 miles in the upper river of the 103-mile navigation channel will be deepened to the new depth of 43 feet by the end of calendar year 2005. Construction of the first environmental restoration project was completed in September 2004, at Lord-Walker Island near Longview, WA to improve water conditions for juvenile salmon as they migrate to the Pacific Ocean. The Corps will continue other ecosystem restoration work during fiscal year 2005, including Hump-Fisher, Bachelor Slough and Shillapoo Lake. The $9 million appropriation marks the largest of four Congressional appropriations for the Channel Improvement Project: $4.5 million was appropriated in fiscal year (FY) 2001, $2 million in FY 2003, and $3.5 million in FY 2004. Of all the project major milestones that have occurred over the last decade, actual deepening of the navigation channel from 40 to 43 feet is the most important. Nw Leaders Request $40 Million In Fy 2006: Recently, leaders from Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington united to request future federal funds for the Columbia River Channel Improvement Project in letters to the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Senators, Representatives, and Governors from the four states have asked OMB to earmark $40 million for the project in the President’s proposed budget for FY 2006 in the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act. This request is made to OMB at which time they are in the process of reviewing the Corps’ budget request for FY 2006. The letters to the OMB emphasizes the Columbia River’s importance to the regional economy. While recognizing the tight fiscal climate, the Senators, Representatives, and Governors emphasize the project should be a top priority. Special Thanks to the following:
Gov. Gary Locke, Washington Gov. Dirk Kempthorne, Idaho Gov. Ted Kulongoski, Oregon Gov. Judy Martz, Montana U.S. Senators Sen. Max Baucus, Montana Sen. Conrad Burns, Montana Sen. Maria Cantwell, Washington Sen. Larry Craig, Idaho Sen. Mike Crapo, Idaho Sen. Patty Murray, Washington Sen. Gordon Smith, Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden, Oregon U.S. Representatives Rep. Brian Baird, Washington Rep. Earl Blumenauer, Oregon Rep. Peter DeFazio, Oregon Rep. Doc Hastings, Washington Rep. Darlene Hooley, Oregon Rep. George Nethercutt, Washington Rep. C.L. “Butch” Otter, Idaho Rep. Denny Rehberg, Montana Rep. Mike Simpson, Idaho Rep. Greg Walden, Oregon Rep. David Wu, Oregon Coalition Keeps Expanding:
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