Corps seeks comments on proposed dredged material movements in Pool 5

ST. PAUL, Minn. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, is seeking public comments on its plans to move dredged material from its temporary placement site on Lost Island to its permanent placement site at West Newton Chute. Both placement sites are located in Pool 5 of the Upper Mississippi River near Wabasha, Minnesota.

The project is necessary for the Corps to maintain the 9-foot navigation channel in the river. Work would begin with site preparation in the fall of 2016 and the transfer of materials in the spring of 2017. Operations would continue through most of the navigation season in 2017 and potentially into 2018.

This project requires a review of environmental effects under the National Environmental Policy Act. A copy of the draft Environmental Assessment with a finding of no significant impact was coordinated with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and state resource agencies prior to posting of the public notice. A final determination on the draft Environmental Assessment will be made following a 30-day public review period. A copy of the draft Environmental Assessment can be viewed and downloaded from the St. Paul District’s website at: http://www.mvp.usace.army.mil/Home/PublicNotices.aspx. 

The public review and comment period on the draft Environmental Assessment ends May 26. Questions and comments concerning the project should be directed to Dan Kelner, Corps biologist, at 651-290-5277 or daniel.e.kelner@usace.army.mil. Please address all correspondence on this project to the St. Paul District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Attention: Regional Planning and Environment Division North, 180 Fifth St. E., Suite 700, St. Paul, Minnesota 55101-1678.

The nearly 600 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, employees working at more than 40 sites in five upper-Midwest states serve the American public in the areas of environmental enhancement, navigation, flood damage reduction, water and wetlands regulation, recreation sites and disaster response. Through the Corps’ Fiscal Year 2015 $100 million budget, nearly 1,600 non-Corps jobs were added to the regional economy as well as $155 million to the national economy. For more information, see www.mvp.usace.army.mil.

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