Conservation Committee Notice

The following message comes to us from the MnNPS Conservation Committee. It may be of interest to some of the Society members:

Proposed Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) project will drain approximately 26,300 acres of forested wetlands and farmed hydric soils, and could impact 200,000 acres of wetlands. The purpose of the project is to increase agriculture on lands that routinely flood (80% of projected
benefits) and protect roads and other structures (20% of projected benefits). The project includes a reforestation component.

The ACOE will release its final Environmental Impact Statement recommending construction of the Yazoo Pumps around November 9. Within 25 days of release, the Department of the Interior must decide whether to refer the project to the Council on Environmental Quality. In
addition, the Environmental Protection Agency may initiate a process to veto the project outright under the Clean Water Act.

Critical deadlines for commenting on the project are approaching, the earliest of which falls on November 19th. The following resources are available to you for learning more about this proposal, and communicating your opinion to the Department of Interior, EPA and the
ACOE.

* You can join a letter from wetland scientists who oppose the project.
This must be done by November 19th. http://www.americanrivers.org/yazoo

* You can read the EPA’s perspective on the project.
http://www.americanrivers.org/yazoo

* You can download the ACOE feasibility report and read the ACOE perspective on the project. The ACOE will accept public comments for at least 30 days after releasing its final report, which is imminent.
http://www.mvk.usace.army.mil/offices/pp/projects/ybr/index.htm