U.S. Army Corps of Engineers proposal to dredge the Potomac. 1999.

                                 December 10, 1999

     Dear Mr. Krause,

     

This letter is to follow-up on your request for information about the Lower Potomac River and whether the values of this segment of the river have been considered as part of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers proposal to dredge the Potomac 

(Potomac River Federal Navigation Maintenance Dredging Project).  I'm not familiar with this project so I made calls to Wes Coleman of the Corps of Engineers; Rich Pepino and Mike Burke of EPA Region III and Tom Ross and Joseph DiBello of the National Park Service offices in Philadelphia and Washington to check on whether all of the environmental compliance requirements have been completed for the proposed COE's dredging project.  I should hear back early this week 

and will persist until I do.

     

I also took a look at the Chesapeake Bay report called "Habitat Requirements for Chesapeake Bay Living Resources" and include the following information. 

The Lower portion of the Potomac is an important segment of the watershed.  There are many values and considerable federal, state and local efforts are being made to conserve and restore this area.  

For example:

    

1.  The Chesapeake Bay habitats document recognizes many values in the Lower Potomac as being key to the overall protection and restoration of living resources which are so key to the Bay recovery.  Recent meetings between the States, EPA and the Chesapeake Bay Commission are reinforcing the need for all levels of the government and the private 

sector to take action to help improve the quality of the water in the Bay watershed.

     

1. The National Park Service has worked to purchase lands in

Prince William Forest Park to help protect the water quality 

of the Potomac. Considerable federal expense has and is going to complete this effort.

     

1. The Trust for Public Land is working with local groups in

VA and MD to conserve the Lower Potomac and create a "green

1. infrastructure" to protect water quality and living

resources.

     

4.  The Friends of the Potomac, the Federal Emergency management Agency and the Alexandria Seaport Foundation have announced plans for a June 8 & 9, 2000 "Nation's River Bass Tournament" to celebrate the accomplishments, and the economic benefits, of the last twenty years to restore the water in the Potomac to a healthy condition.

     

Also included is information on Environmental Memorandum No. ES80-2 regarding the nationwide Inventory Rivers.  The National Park Service is responsible for these reviews and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has a responsibility to follow the procedures to avoid or mitigate adverse effects on rivers listed on the Inventory.  As I told you earlier, the segment of the Potomac from the Nice Bridge to Sandy Point is on the Nationwide Rivers Inventory and subject to this Presidential Directive.

     

I'll speak with you as soon as I hear from EPA, the COE and NPS.  Please call me if you have any questions.

     

Thanks for your interest in the Potomac and the American Heritage River Initiative.

     

Sincerely,

     

     

     

J. Glenn Eugster, River Navigator

Potomac American Heritage River