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<< Back E-mail Update – January 26, 2004 – Volume 4, Number 2 Senate Affirms Columbia Ecosystem Restoration: Last week the U.S. Senate approved legislation – previously approved by the House – to advance key ecosystem restoration features of the Columbia River Channel Improvements Project. The channel deepening project was Congressionally authorized in the 1999 Water Resources and Development Act. Since that original authorization, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) was directed to conduct an extensive re-evaluation of all potential environmental issues related to the project. After extensive research and evaluation, the Corps issued a Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement in 2003 including the addition of two ecosystem restoration features (Tenasillahe Island and Bachelor Slough) to the original proposal. These two features – which go above and beyond any required mitigation for impacts – were subsequently affirmed by both Oregon and Washington through the water quality and coastal zone management approvals. In order to officially integrate these two ecosystem restoration features into the original authorization, last week Congress finalized omnibus legislation with the following language: “SEC. 123. The Secretary of the Army, acting through the Chief of Engineers, is directed to proceed with the construction of the Columbia River Channel Improvements, Oregon and Washington, project in accordance with the Report of the Chief of Engineers, dated December 23, 1999, and the economic justification and environmental features stated therein as amended by the Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement dated January 28, 2003.” This approved rider allows the Corps to proceed with the project without having to seek separate authorization for the added ecosystem restoration features, which would have added to the cost of authorizing this portion of the project. Nothing in this language exempts the Corps from complying with any state or federal law; the Corps remains committed to working with state officials to meet the project conditions outlined by the states. The passage of this legislation is good news for the project and another clear indication that this project will leave the river and estuary better off that before the project began. Coalition Keeps Expanding: We welcome the following organization who officially joined the Coalition during the past two weeks:
Columbia River Presentations Available:
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