June 19, 1999
The Army Corps of Engineers wants to remove Elk Creek dam to aid endangered salmon, but the habitat restoration project is being blocked. To learn more, visit http://www.amrivers.org/corpscaseelkcreek.html.
To learn more about dam removal, visit http://www.amrivers.org/damremoval.html
Both the House and Senate have approved versions of the Water Resources Development Act of 1999 (WRDA), which authorizes new Army Corps of Engineers projects and sets new flood control, navigation, and environmental policy. To view each bill, visit http://thomas.loc.gov and type in S. 507 and H.R. 1480. To view a list of project authorized by the bills, visit http://www.amrivers.org/wrdaprojects.htm. Although both the House and Senate have passed version of the bill, negotiators are unable to reconcile conflicts over California flood control projects.
More than 100 conservation groups signed on to testimony supporting federal funding for Army Corps of Engineers habitat restoration program and projects.
To view the testimony or send a letter, visit http://www.amrivers.org/corpsactionapprop.html
To learn more about Corps restoration programs, visit http://www.amrivers.org/corpsauthorities.html
Conservation and taxpayer groups met in Louisiana in March to develop a national strategy and network to reform the Corps of Engineers. In the coming months, we will develop an internal document that will discuss key issues and develop national strategies. Subjects will include flood control, environmental restoration, navigation, ports and beaches. If you would like to be involved in the development of this document, please contact Suzy McDowell at smcdowell@amrivers.org.
Last week, the Army Corps of Engineers released a preliminary finding regarding the 12.1 billion-gallon King William Reservoir proposal by Newport News Waterworks. The Corps' analysis states that the region will have adequate water supply well into the 21st century without the proposed reservoir. Newport News Waterworks has until June 25 to respond to the preliminary findings regarding the reservoir, which it has been planning for twelve years.
The Corps found that that the proposed reservoir was not necessary because Newport News Waterworks overestimated by a factor of two the water consumption needs, because of the cumulative impacts including environmental justice considerations relating to the Mattaponi Indian Tribe, and because the reservoir would inundate more than 400 acres of forested wetlands.
For more information on the King William Reservoir proposal and the Mattaponi River, visit http://www.amrivers.org/20-17.html or contact the Virginia Chapter of the Sierra Club at 804-225-9113.
Suzy McDowell
Outreach Coordinator
American Rivers
1025 Vermont Ave, NW, #720
Washington, DC 20005
202-347-7550 x3040
smcdowell@amrivers.org
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