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Good for economy 01/30/04 Daily Astorian Letter to the Editor Your recent "news" and editorial coverage ("It's not the ROD; it's the shaft," The Daily Astorian, Jan. 13) about the Columbia River Channel Improvements project is long on false rhetoric and severely short on facts. In reality, this project will be good for our economy and our environment. It's important to remember these real facts: Fact: Businesses and farmers need a deeper channel to export local products. Today's ships are larger and need a 43-foot deep channel to fully load and transport Oregon wheat, barley, grass seed, and so many other bulk and containerized cargoes to global markets. Over 40,000 jobs - averaging $46,000 per year - depend on Columbia River maritime commerce. Fact: This project fully complies with federal and state environmental laws. Favorable biological opinions by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries in 2002, as well as water quality and coastal zone management approvals by Oregon and Washington state environmental agencies in 2003, have proven this project is environmentally sound. Fact: Salmon will not be harmed by channel deepening. Juvenile salmon travel near the river shore in depths less than 20 feet. Dredging will only occur out in the navigation channel at depths below 40 feet. Only 3.5 percent of the river between the mouth and Portland will be deepened. Fact: The material dredged from the channel is clean. Many detailed studies have demonstrated the cleanliness and safety of Columbia River sand, which is further validated by the large number of public and private organizations that want dredged sand placed on their land. Fact: Baker Bay and Puget Island will not be impacted. After years of studies, there is no factual evidence that channel deepening will either increase silting in Baker Bay or increase erosion on Puget Island. Fact: Ocean disposal is the only viable alternative. The two states and local stakeholders participated in a two-year facilitated process which identified the deepwater disposal site. Subsequent efforts to find even better sites to prevent ocean disposal and benefit wild salmon long term were nullified by the state's permit conditions. Fact: Mitigation will take place for all unavoidable impacts, as reviewed and approved by state and federal agencies. For every acre of wetlands impacted by this project, multiple acres of new wetlands will be created. The good news is that the negative impacts are relatively minor, and that the ecosystem restoration measures are all above-and-beyond any required mitigation. Fact: This project will leave the river and estuary in better condition than today. The mitigation, ecosystem restoration, and extensive monitoring will ensure no negative impact to threatened and endangered species. Fact: This project will be funded. Full state funding (equaling 35 percent of total project costs) has been appropriated by both Oregon and Washington. Congress has already appropriated $10 million and the Northwest Congressional delegation is united in their efforts to fulfill the federal funding requirements for this vital project. I suggest that we focus on generating good jobs for our economy rather than fanning the flames of false facts. If you want accurate information on Columbia River channel deepening, I would encourage readers to ignore both project advocates (like me) and opponents (like the Daily Astorian). Let's trust the federal and state environmental agencies that have each carefully reviewed and approved this economically and environmentally important project. Capt. Thron Riggs Columbia River Bar Pilot Astoria
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