County pressing to finish beach nourishment permits

Wahkiakum County Public Works Director Chuck Beyer on Tuesday said he and the county's consulting engineers will meet soon with the US Army Corps of Engineers to finalize conditions in permits needed to establish dredge spoils disposal programs on eroding beaches on Puget Island and at Cape Horn.

Beyer anticipates that Corps personnel will continue to press the county to reduce a bit more the scope of some disposal sites.

"We'll push back a little bit on our side on the profiles," he said. "Hopefully, we'll get the final okay soon.

"Enough is enough; it's time to move forward."

The Corps is also concerned about a wetland in the Welcome Slough Road disposal area, and Beyer said the county is developing a mitigation plan to address that issue.

"There could be some more bumpy things come up," said Commissioner Dan Cothren. "The goal is that if there's sand available, we want to get it."