According to the Chinook Observer, the Army Corps of Engineers has released an updated draft of an environmental assessment that addresses the disposal of near-shore dredge spoils near the mouth of the Columbia River.
Though some crabbers welcome some of the tweaking done to the plan, fleet leaders remain highly skeptical overall.
The environmental assessment is the first step in clearing regulatory hurdles as the Corps moves toward a tentative Aug. 15 start date for its dumping.
The Corps’ plan calls for disposing of as much as 500,000 cubic yards of sand at two close-shore locations near the South Jetty and one onshore location, Benson Beach, in Cape Disappointment State Park.
[mappress]
Dredging Today Staff, May 16, 2012;