River System study ready to be released

County and port commissioners discussed port and county-related issues at a joint workshop session Monday. Port Commissioner Tom Kammerzell reminded all that at the end of the month a draft of the Environmental Impact Study will be released by the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Bonneville Power Administration and U.S. Bureau of Reclamation on the Columbia River System and the effects of dam removal.

“The EIS will be coming out Feb. 28 on our river system,” Kammerzell said. “That will open a 45-day comment period going until April 15. Everybody needs to send in a comment.”

Kammerzell said that he confirmed that if 4,000 form letters were sent in and they were all identical and somebody signed them, it would count as just one concept.

“If four people send in letters on how it affects them, that would count as four votes,” Kammerzell said. “This is one time your vote would really count and it’s not a popularity contest.”

At the end of last year, Pacific Northwest Waterways Association released a study that stated the removal of the Lower Snake River Dams would cost the country $2.3 billion over the next 30 years.

Commissioner Michael Largent asked if two different letters were sent in by two different people, but the subject matter was the same, would it count as separate votes.

“You’re going to have a little different letter and how it’s going to affect your operation and your life, than another person,” Kammerzell said.

Kammerzell said more information on sending in letters and comments most likely won’t be released until the day the comment period opens.

Joe Poire, Port of Whitman executive director, said the earlier report by PNWA is timely and provides a useful benchmark for the USACE as they prepare the EIS.

In the study, it states removing the Snake River locks would cause diesel fuel consumption to increase by nearly five million gallons per year.

Shifting from barge to truck and rail will result in the increase in CO2 emissions by more than 1,251,000 tons per year, according to the study.

Port Commissioner Kristine Meyer said when she has previously tried to submit comments through a mobile portal it can be tricky.

“Half-way through before I could get to the submit button, it timed me out,” Meyer said. “Persist or just send in a letter.”