Steigerwald Habitat Restoration and Flood Control Project (DOE/EA-2027)

Clark County, Washington

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) proposes to fund the Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership’s proposal to restore floodplain connectivity to the Columbia River within the Steigerwald Lake National Wildlife Refuge (Refuge) in Clark County, WA. The Refuge is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The project would help improve water quality and habitat to benefit steelhead and cutthroat trout; Chinook, coho, and chum salmon; and Pacific and western brook lamprey. The project would involve reconnecting Gibbons Creek to the Columbia River by breaching a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ levee; removing a diversion structure, fish ladder, elevated channel, and water control structure; raising Washington State Highway 14; constructing a setback levee; enhancing approximately two miles of wetland channels; and re-establishing the site’s riparian forest.

ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW

To understand the potential environmental impacts of this proposal, BPA prepared an environmental assessment (EA) under the National Environmental Policy Act to analyze the potential impacts of the project and identify ways to reduce those impacts. The final EA describes anticipated impacts to natural and human resources and includes mitigation measures that would help avoid or minimize these potential impacts. During this process, BPA has worked with Federal, state, and local agencies; tribes; landowners; and interest groups. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are participating as cooperating agencies on the EA. The draft EA was released for public review and comment on January 26, 2018; comments were received on the draft EA from 10 entities. The final EA and FONSI were signed on January 22, 2019. 
 

CURRENT STATUS

BPA released its final EA and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI). The FONSI includes a Mitigation Action Plan to help avoid or lessen potential impacts.

CONTACT

For environmental information, contact:
Carolyn Sharp        
Environmental Protection Specialist
Bonneville Power Administration - ECF-4
P.O. Box 3621 Portland, OR 97208-3621
Toll-free: 800-622-4519
Direct Line: 503-230-5206
Email: casharp@bpa.gov 


For project information contact:
Jason Karnezis
Project Manager        
Bonneville Power Administration - EWL-4
P.O. Box 3621 Portland, OR 97208-3621
Toll-free: 800-622-4519
Direct Line: 503-230-3098
Email: jpkarnezis@bpa.gov 

DOCUMENTS

SUPPLEMENT ANALYSIS
SA-01  February 24, 2020

FINAL EA & FONSI
Final EA  January 2019
FONSI   January 22, 2019
Errata Sheet  February 27, 2019
Public Letter  February 11, 2019

DRAFT EA
Draft EA comments received
Existing Site Conditions/Proposed Restoration Activities  February 2018
Draft EA  January 2018
Public letter   January 26, 2018
Comment Form   January 26, 2018

SCOPING
Scoping comments received
Public Letter  December 28, 2015
Project Map   December 2015
Comment Form   December 2015