ODFW seeks comment on fish passage exemption
Thursday, June 22, 2017
SALEM, Ore. – The Oregon
Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) is seeking public comment on a
request to exempt from fish passage requirements a proposed culvert at
an unnamed tributary to Young’s Bay, which is connected to the Columbia
River in Clatsop County. Comments are due by July 14, 2017.
Jim Morinville, the Operations Manager with
Warrenton Kia Automotive Dealership, plans to extend a parking area and
install a new culvert in an drainage ditch which carries water to an
unnamed tributary to Young’s Bay, a tributary to the Columbia River.
This action has triggered Oregon’s fish passage laws.
According to Greg Apke, ODFW Fish Passage
Program coordinator, ODFW may grant fish passage exemptions if there
are no benefits to native migratory fish from providing passage. Because
of the site specific habitat conditions and other complete artificial
obstructions below the project location, ODFW has made an initial
determination that even if fish passage was provided, the action would
still result in no net benefit to native migratory fish. If in the
future, conditions change from which the decision was made, exemptions
can be revoked and fish passage shall be addressed.
Therefore, unless public comment is provided
that would affect the Department's determination, the exemption request
will be approved.
In the meantime, members of the public will have
until July 14, 2017 to submit written comments on the proposed plan.
The fish passage exemption application and the Department’s benefit
analyses are available at http://www.dfw.state.or.us/fish/passage/ .
Members of the public can send written comments
to request additional information from Greg Apke, ODFW Fish Passage
Program leader, 4034 Fairview Industrial Dr SE, Salem, OR 97303,
e-mail, Greg.D.Apke@state.or.us, or by calling (503) 947-6228
