PASCO, Wash. -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Walla Walla District invites public comments on a draft Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the Bureau of Reclamation’s Pasco Pump Lateral 5.8 Wasteway Project. Comments will be accepted through March 22 through April 21, 2019.
The proposed project is needed to evacuate excess water when other facilities on the lateral, namely pumping stations, shut down operation, threatening water releases that can cause environmental impacts including flooding and rapid erosion on adjacent private property.
The Bureau of Reclamation is the lead federal agency for the project, and in February 2019, they prepared the Pasco Pump Lateral 5.8 Wasteway Project Environmental Assessment (EA). The analysis in the EA indicated that there would not be a significant impact, individually or cumulatively, on the quality of the human environment should Reclamation construct the Pasco Pump Lateral 5.8 Wasteway.
The Corps performed an independent review of Reclamation’s EA subsequent to its completion and prior to the signing of the Reclamation’s FONSI. After an independent review of Reclamation’s EA, the Corps found it to provide both sufficient evidence and analysis to meet the Corps’ requirements pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and has accepted and incorporated in (in its entirety), unless otherwise supplemented or explained in the Corps’ draft FONSI.
The Corps’ draft FONSI and Reclamation’s EA are available for viewing or downloading from the Walla Walla District website at www.nww.usace.army.mil/Missions/Environmental-Compliance.
The Corps will accept public input March 22 through April 21, 2019. All information and comments submitted will be included in the permanent public record.
Public comments may be submitted electronically to the Corps using the online comment form on the webpage, or via email NEPANWW@usace.army.mil -- type “PPL 5.8 Wasteway” in the subject line. Written comments may also be sent via U.S. Postal Service, addressed to:
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Walla Walla District
ATTN: CENWW-PPL-C (PPL 5.8 Wasteway)
201 North 3rd Ave.
Walla Walla, WA 99362-1876
Please contact the Environmental Coordinator at 509-527-7239, if you have questions about the Corps' draft FONSI. For more information about Reclamation's Pasco Pump Lateral 5.8 Wasteway Project and EA, visit their webpage https://www.usbr.gov/pn/programs/ea/wash/pasco/index.html.
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