16-040 Corps invites public comments on draft FONSI for Zayo fiber optic line project

Published June 20, 2016

MID-COLUMBIA, Wash. and Ore. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Walla Walla District invites public comments on their draft Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the Zayo Eastern Washington/Oregon Fiber Optic Line Project. Comments are due no later than July 5, 2016.

The Corps proposes to issue an easement to Zayo Inc. for the construction, operation and maintenance of a fiber optic line that would be located on Corps-managed federal land on both sides of the Columbia River in Benton and Franklin counties, Washington, and Umatilla County, Oregon. Zayo Inc. proposes to install approximately 200 miles of fiber optic line from Ellensburg, Washington, to Umatilla, Oregon.

The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) is the lead federal agency for the project and prepared the Consent to Use Permit - Fiber Optic Project Environmental Assessment (EA) and signed a FONSI on Feb. 26, 2016. The Corps, acting as a cooperating agency, performed an independent review of Reclamation's compliance documents, found them to be adequate, and would adopt the EA (in its entirety) if it is determined appropriate that the Corps sign a FONSI.

The Corps’ draft FONSI and Reclamation’s EA and FONSI are available in electronic form at http://www.nww.usace.army.mil/Missions/Environmental-Compliance.

The public comment period starts on June 20, 2016. Comments must be emailed or postmarked no later than July 5, 2016, to be considered. Comments may be submitted via email to NEPANWW@usace.army.mil, noting "Zayo" in the subject line. You may also mail comments via the U.S. Postal Service to:

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
ATTN: CENWW-PD-EC – Zayo
201 North 3rd Ave
Walla Walla, WA 99362-1876

For additional information or questions, please contact the Corps’ environmental coordinator at 509-527-7245.

-30-


Contact
CENWW-PA
509-527-7020

Release no. 16-040