Public Notice: Water Quality Certification of Quillayute River Federal Navigation Channel Dredging Project in Washington
Summary
On August 7, 2024, EPA received a request from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Seattle District Civil Works for a water quality certification for the Quillayute River Federal Navigation Channel Maintenance Dredging and Placement project (identified by project number CENWS-OD-TS-NS-46).
Section 401(a)(1) of the Clean Water Act requires applicants for federal permits and licenses that may result in discharges into waters of the United States to obtain certification that the discharge will comply with applicable provisions of the Clean Water Act. Where no state agency or Tribe has authority to give such certification, EPA is the certifying authority.
In this case, a portion of the proposed project is within the Quileute Reservation. Therefore, EPA is the certifying authority for this proposed project.
According to the application, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers proposes to impact waters in order to conduct maintenance dredging activities. The project is located in the Quillayute River, in Clallam County, Washington (latitude 47.909830, longitude -124.640601).
EPA is requesting comments on Clean Water Act Section 401 water quality certification for this proposed project.
Project Description
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers proposes to impact approximately 32.5 acres of waters by excavating and discharging approximately 400,000 cubic yards of fill material.
The project will be conducted over a period of seven years (2024-2031) with up to 100,000 cubic yards of material being dredged every two years from the federal navigation channel and boat basin to maintain an authorized depth of -10’ Mean Lower Low Water through the use of a hydraulic cutterhead pipeline dredge.
Disposal of dredged material would occur at two placement locations for beach nourishment. These locations are adjacent to the channel with one along Quillayute Spit, and another near the mouth of the channel upriver from the south jetty.
A copy of the application is available upon request by contacting Jeff Brittain ([email protected]), 206-553-0532.