Lee Creek, a designated Extraodinary Resource Waterway in Northwest Arkansas, should run free for at least the next three decades. That’s good news for the Arkansas Canoe Club and other roupss in the state that stood in opposition to the project. According to the Pine Mountain Dam project manager, Mark Yardley, Crawford County should not have to take up the issue again for at least three decades, because Lake Fort Smith is projected to provide enough water for the county for another 50 years. (Story here) .
The Fort Smith City Wire has a slightly different take on the story, probably more in keeping with political reality.
“Given that current conditions indicate an adequate firm yield for our region for the foreseeable future, coupled with the recent trend of slower growth and less than stellar economic conditions, the board felt that the best course of action was to suspend the study in the absence of data that clearly demonstrates a pressing need,” noted a statement from the [River Valley Regional Water] District.
If the economy were better, the study would likely have gone forward, need or no need, in spite of opposition from the Canoe Club, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, the Nature Conservancy, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the Arkansas Heritage Commission, (the City Wire reports this as the Arkansas Heritage Commission, but I think they must mean the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission), and the Sierra Club.
Some of those who turned out to give public comment on the proposed Pine Mountain Dam project in Alma on Monday were shocked to find that no oral testimony was heard during the meeting. Those with comments were instructed to give them privately to a court reporter or leave written statements. Officials with the US Army Corps of Engineers maintain that they were following standard procedure for this type of hearing, but some citizens at the hearing felt that the Corps was deliberately suppressing testimony. In the interest of fairness, I must report that the meeting announcement was fairly clear about procedures. The full story at Ft. Smith Times Record Online.
The current study includes an environmental impact statement as well as consideration of alternatives to damming Lee Creek, which has been designated as an Extraordinary Water Resource.
There is still time to get your written commentary in, and you should. Northwest Arkansas is serious about ramming this project through. The study, which will not be concluded until 2014, is federally funded.
For those not able to attend either meeting, written comments about the alternatives should be provided to Ms. Laura Cameron, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, P.O. Box 867, Little Rock, AR 72203-0867. If you should have any questions concerning this request, please contact Ms. Laura Cameron by phone at (501) 324-5037 or by e-mail at laura.l.cameron@usace.army.mil for clarification or discussion. Scoping comments will be accepted until November 30, 2009, but general comments will be accepted throughout the study process. As a reminder scoping comments should be directed to potential alternatives as well as concerns with impacts.
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