Corps seeks comments on Mississippi River Headwaters master plan

ST. PAUL, Minn. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, is seeking public comments on its draft Mississippi River Headwaters Project Master Plan and environmental assessment.

The Corps recently completed its draft master plan and is now seeking comments prior to finalizing it. The plan, last updated in 1977, focuses on what could and should happen over the life of the Mississippi River Headwaters recreation sites, but is flexible enough to adapt to unforeseen or changing conditions. The plan also includes all lands (fee, easement or other interest) acquired for the project to support operations and authorized missions. This plan will also guide and articulate the Corps’ responsibilities pursuant to applicable federal laws, policies and regulations.

This plan involves a federal project that requires a review of environmental effects under the National Environmental Policy Act. 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 website at: http://www.mvp.usace.army.mil/Home/Public-Notices/ 

The public review and comment period on the draft master plan and environmental assessment began, Oct. 11, and ends Nov. 11. Questions and comments concerning the plan should be directed to Brian Turner, Corps natural resources specialist, at (651) 290-5771 or brian.w.turner@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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