HERMANN, Mo. — The Coalition to Protect the Missouri River (CPR) offered initial comments on the U.S. ArmyCorps of Engineers (Corps) Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) at public meetings held in Kansas City and St. Louis during the week of February 13th.
CPR’s comments reflected input the CPR received while conducting a series of stakeholder meetings held in Missouri and Iowa during January and February. Dan Engemann, Executive Director of the CPR said: “Our stakeholder meetings were a great opportunity to gather feedback on the DEIS. Overarching themes included the continued apprehension of flooding and negative impacts to interior drainage, affecting agriculture, navigation, utilities and Missouri river communities as a whole and the potential negative impacts for products to make it to international markets because of navigation flows.”
In prepared comments delivered to the Corps on behalf of the CPR and its members, Engemann outlined the organization’s concerns with various alternatives presented in the DEIS, especially those with flow modifications that could impact navigation and utilities or would double releases from Gavins Point Dam for an extended period of time.
The CPR’s commentary also expressed concern with reopening the Missouri River Master Manual (Master Manual). In its statement, Engemann wrote: “In alignment with Senators and Congressmen throughout the basin, we oppose such revision because of the time involved, the risk to the species and the potential for litigation during which time the species could decline even further.”
Further, the CPR expressed concern about adaptive management actions on the river and urged those changes to be subject to thorough review and public comment and to be in compliance with the Master Manual. The CPR will be submitting comprehensive comments on the DEIS in advance of the April 24 public comment period deadline.
A copy of the CPR’s public meeting commentary can be found here: bit.ly/2lin7sb
Established in 2001, the CPR supports responsible management of Missouri River resources and the maintenance of congressionally authorized purposes of the river, including flood control, navigation and water quality and supply. The CPR also supports responsibly managed and properly balanced habitat restoration for endangered or threatened species.
— Coalition to Protect the Missouri River
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