The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Walla Walla District (USACE) intends to release the draft Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) and Environmental Assessment (EA) for the City of Lewiston (City) Water System Improvements Project, in which the City proposes to construct a new wet well shaft and pump house, installing a 30-inch raw water pipeline via trenchless micro-tunneling, and conducting geotechnical borings to confirm subsurface conditions. A USACE Real Estate License for Temporary Construction is required for test borings, and the existing pump plant outgrant would be amended after final design submission. The USACE intends to cost-share in the in-water components of work under the authority of Section 595 of the Water Resources development Act (WRDA). The project’s purpose is to provide a reliable long-term drinking water intake system to support the City’s anticipated growth in population.

Public Comments:

The USACE is releasing the draft Environmental Assessment (EA) and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) documents to give the public and relevant agencies an opportunity to review and provide input on the proposed action and its potential environmental effects before the decision is finalized. This process helps ensure transparency, improves the quality of the analysis, and allows for the identification of any overlooked impacts or concerns. To access these documents, along with supporting appendices, refer to the “Links” on the right-hand side of this webpage.

Comments will be accepted from May 5 through May 19, 2025. 

How can I comment?

There are several ways that you can provide input on this study.

You can submit a comment through the NEPA Online Comment Form, https://www.nww.usace.army.mil/EnvironmentalComplianceComment/ or by emailing NEPANWW@usace.army.mil, inserting “CoL Section 595 Water Systems Improvement Project” in the subject line.

You may submit written comments via U.S. Mail to:

Comments need to be submitted or postmarked no later than May 19, 2025 for consideration.  All comments submitted will be considered and become part of the public record.

For more information on the public meetings or about this study, please contact Austen Whelan at Austen.P.Whelan@usace.army.mil.