VALE, Ore. – The Walla Walla District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) issued a final Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) to grant Section 408 permission for a waterline project on the Malheur River in the City of Vale, Oregon.
The City of Vale plans to replace an existing 8-inch water transmission line that crosses the Malheur River with a new 14-inch water transmission line. The transmission line installation is part of the City’s water-distribution system improvement project to increase pressure, and enhance water flow and circulation capabilities.
The new transmission line will be approximately 1,300 feet long and will be installed by way of horizontal directional drilling under the Malheur River to connect the new pipeline to the existing distribution system between May 15, 2017, and Oct. 31, 2018. Because the drilling and waterline placement would take place under levee structures constructed by the Corps, these actions require Section 408 permission from the Corps, pursuant to 33 United States Code Section 408 for potential alteration to a Corps-constructed river improvement (public work).
The Corps solicited public comments on its draft FONSI June 24-July 24, 2016. The Corps’ final FONSI and environmental assessment (EA), and a link to the City of Vale’s water-distribution system improvement project website are available on the Walla Walla District website at http://www.nww.usace.army.mil/Missions/Environmental-Compliance/. For more information about the City of Vale’s water system project, please contact the City at 541-473-3133.
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Release no. 17-005