| Garibaldi celebrates groundbreaking for Tillamook Jetty work
A groundbreaking ceremony was held November 2nd to celebrate the beginning phase of repairs to the Tillamook north jetty. The Corps of Engineers received $12.6 million in ARRA funds to repair and cap the north jetty which has experienced significant damage including loss of length. The Tillamook jetties, which sit at the entrance of Tillamook Bay, help maintain the 18 foot deep channel leading to the Port of Garibaldi. The jetties help to flush sediment into deeper water and maintain the Tillamook Bay channel with very little Corps maintenance dredging.
Rocks averaging 35 tons each began arriving at a staging area near the project on October 22nd and will continue to be delivered through August 2010. Construction of the jetty cap will require a total of 36,600 tons of stone and will occur between June and September 2010. The repair is designed to last 50 years.
PNWA was pleased to advocate on behalf of the Port of Garibaldi for this project. We would like to thank the Corps and the Northwest Congressional delegation for their support for the Tillamook jetties, and for their work to include funding for this project in the 2009 stimulus package.
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House requests WRDA 2010 submissions Congress passed the last Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) in 2007. The House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee is now soliciting project and policy submissions from House members in advance of the creation of a WRDA 2010. PNWA alerted its membership of this development in September of this year. If you have not already done so, please contact PNWA staff immediately if you are aware of a project in your area that requires authorization. The Committee has given House members until Thursday, December 3, 2009 to submit projects via a database. Each WRDA submission must be accompanied by a letter of support from the non-federal sponsor for each project request. PNWA staff contact: Kristin Meira |
Section 214 extension update
Section 214 of the Water Resources Development Act of 2000 (P.L. 106-541) allows the Secretary of the Army to accept and expend funds contributed by non-Federal public entities and to expedite the processing of permits. Section 214 has allowed local governments (cities, counties, ports, etc.) to move forward with vital infrastructure and ecosystem restoration projects. By funding additional staff to work on specific, time-intensive permits, existing U.S. Army Corps of Engineers regulatory staffers are able to process significant permit backlogs more quickly. Funding for additional Corps staff has resulted in a reduction of permit wait times not only for the funding entity, but for any individual or organization that makes an application with that District of the Corps. Section 214 is currently used by over 41 public agencies in 20 Corps districts around the nation.
Section 214 is currently authorized through December 31, 2009. PNWA is pleased to note that Rep. Rick Larsen (D, WA-2) will be introducing a one-year extension bill in the next week, to extend Section 214 authority to December 31, 2010.
PNWA is also working to make Section 214 permanent in the next WRDA bill. Today, PNWA will be submitting WRDA request forms and non-federal sponsor support letters to every member of the Pacific Northwest House delegation, urging each Member to include Section 214 permanence in their WRDA submissions to the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee. We will also be sending an update to the Section 214 Coalition that we advise, urging all Coalition members to submit requests as well.
PNWA staff contact: Kristin Meira |
BiOp hearing rescheduled to November 23
Judge James Redden agreed to the Obama Administration's request to change the date of the next BiOp hearing. The federal government requested the change to allow the Administrator of NOAA, Dr. Jane Lubchenco to attend in person. The hearing is now scheduled for November 23 in the U.S. District Court of Oregon.
Dr. Lubchenco was the key figure in the Administration's review of the 2008 BiOp, which is being challenged in court. Dr. Lubchenco led the scientific review that resulted in the Administration's endorsement of the BiOp. She said that the BiOp was legally valid, would not jeopardize the continued existence of listed salmon and steelhead, and would provide for recovery.
PNWA strongly supports this BiOp. It provides more funding, more projects, more certainty, more cooperation and more promise for rebuilding fish runs than this region has ever seen.
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| Make your plans to attend PNWA's 2010 Regional Meetings
Mark your calendars! The dates have been set for PNWA's 2010 Regional Meetings, where we will prepare our priority issues to take to Capitol Hill during our annual Mission to Washington, DC. These meetings are free to all PNWA members and are a great way to update the staff on your projects and issues. They are also a great way to get the latest information on the projects and policies that matter most to you and your organization. Please note that you do not need to register for the Mission to Washington to attend the Regional Meetings. Online registration for these meetings will open December 10th.
Puget Sound Regional Meeting
Friday, February 5, 2010
11:30am-2:00pm
Moffatt & Nichol
One Union Square
600 University Street, Suite 610
Seattle, WA 98101
Eastern Washington/Northern Idaho Regional Meeting
Monday, February 8, 2010
11:30am-2:00pm
Port of Benton
Conference Room
3100 George Washington Way
Richland , WA 99354
Lower Columbia River/Oregon Coast Regional Meeting
Friday, February 12, 2010
12:00pm-3:00pm
Port of Portland
Commission Room
121 NW Everett Street
Portland, OR 97209
The tentative agenda for the Regional Meetings is as follows:
- PNWA members provide updates on local projects and/or policy issues
- PNWA Staff Report:
- Navigation Appropriations
- Navigation Policy
- Navigation Projects
- MCR Jetties
- Channel deepening
- Updates on all 8 inland dams/navlocks
- Extended lock outage
- Coastal projects
- Puget Sound
- Environmental/Regulatory
- Seeing Section 214 permanance
- SEF Update
- BiOp
- IPNG activities
- 2010 river operations
- PSMP status
- Climate change policy
- Mission to Washington
- Schedule and speakers
- Available blocks of time for personal appointments
- Taste the Northwest reception
- PNWA Social Activity
PNWA staff contact: Heather Stebbings |
PNWA Mission to Washington: Call for papers, speakers and topics
As PNWA prepares for our 76th Mission to Washington, DC, we cordially invite the submission of speaker and topic suggestions for inclusion in this upcoming conference. This meeting serves as a forum for stimulating conversations and disseminating information about issues relating to navigation, energy, regulatory, and trade. PNWA members and their colleagues are encouraged to submit speaker and topic suggestions to Heather Stebbings by December 1, 2009. PNWA 2010 Mission to Washington, DCThe Madison Hotel1177 15th Street, NW Washington, DC 20005 Reservations: 1.800.424.8577 We appreciate your interest and support of PNWA, and we look forward to your participation! Please note that online registration for the Mission to Washington will open December 1, 2009. Visit our website for additional information and make your plans to attend today! PNWA staff contact: Heather Stebbings |
