UMATILLA, Ore.– The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Walla Walla District has prepared a draft McNary Master Plan with an accompanying draft Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) and Environmental Assessment (EA) to revise the outdated 1982 McNary Master Plan. The Walla Walla District will be accepting public comments from July 10 through Aug. 10.
The Master Plan guides how the Corps manages project lands surrounding Lake Wallula behind McNary Dam. The Master Plan is a high-level, strategic document that describes how USACE manages the recreational, natural, and cultural resources on these lands. Master Plans do not address dam operations such as spill, fish passage, or dam breaching.
The revised draft Master Plan, draft FONSI and EA, along with the original 1982 Master Plan and other associated documents, are available on the Walla Walla District website at https://www.nww.usace.army.mil/Locations/District-Locks-and-Dams/McNary-Lock-and-Dam/McNary-Master-Plan/.
Written comments on the Master Plan and EA will be accepted through Aug. 10. Comments may be submitted electronically through the website or via email at McNaryMP@usace.army.mil. To submit written comments via the U.S. Postal Service, mail them to:
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Walla Walla District
ATTN: McNary Master Plan
201 N. 3rd Avenue
Walla Walla, WA 99362-1876
As part of the process, USACE has scheduled two open house public meetings to provide information and accept comments on the draft Master Plan and EA. The first meeting is scheduled for July 11, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Doris Roberts Gallery, Richland Public Library, in Richland, Washington, with a formal presentation at 6 p.m. The second meeting will be held July 13, from 5 to 7 p.m. with a formal presentation at 6 p.m. at the Pacific Salmon Visitor Information Center, McNary Lock and Dam, in Umatilla, Oregon.
All comments received will be considered and become part of the public record. For more information about the McNary Master Plan revision, contact the Master Plan Coordinator at (509) 527-7072, or via email at McNaryMP@usace.army.mil. For more information on the Environmental Assessment, contact the Environmental Resource Specialist at (509) 527-7249 or via email at the McNary Master Plan address above.