Permit reviews delaying Cape Horn dredging

The eroding beach at Cape Horn apparently won't receive dredged sand this year for beach nourishment.

Wahkiakum County officials have been working for two years to obtain permits for dredge spoils deposits at Cape Horn and three spots on Puget Island, and they thought it would be likely the Cape Horn site would get sand this year.

However, county commissioners reported Tuesday that US Army Corps officials informed them this week that the permitting still has to go through a permitting process.

The National Marine Fisheries Service has yet to start a 135-day review on the project's endangered species impact.

Fifteen and 30-day comment period on other reviews are also yet to begin.

"This could take us past the window (when dredging is allowed and timed not to coincide with migrating salmon and steelhead)," said Commissioner Dan Cothren.

"The Army Corps do not currently have plans with the pipeline dredge Oregon to dredge Westport Bar (dredged material source for Cape Horn," reported Jessica Stoke, project manager. "This is due to the Cape Horn site not currently being available to us.

"If Cape Horn is available, we could still feasibly change plans and dredge Westport Bar and place material at Cape Horn, which is what we've communicated consistently due to the unknown timing of all requirements to allow us to utilize the Cape Horn site."

Cothren said commissioners would contact offices of US Senator Maria Cantwell and US Representative Jaime Herrera Beutler to see if they can speed up the process.