WCRO-2020-02918 June 16, 2021 Christopher Page Chief
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE West Coast Region 1201 NE Lloyd Boulevard, Suite 1100 PORTLAND, OR 97232-1274 Refer to NMFS No: WCRO-2020-02918 June 16, 2021 Christopher Page Chief, Environmental Resources Branch United States Army Corps of Engineers Portland District 333 SW 1st Ave. Portland, Oregon 97204 Re: Endangered Species Act Section 7(a)(2) Biological Opinion and Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act Essential Fish Habitat Response for the Operations and Maintenance Dredging of the Federal Navigation Channel at Tongue Point, Clatsop County, Oregon; Elochoman Slough, Wahkiakum County, Washington; Lake River, Clark County, Washington; and Oregon Slough, Multnomah County, Oregon. Dear Mr. Page: Thank you for your letter of October 16, 2020, requesting initiation of consultation with NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) pursuant to section 7 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA) (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) for the operations and maintenance dredging of the four Federal navigation channels referenced above. This consultation was conducted in accordance with the 2019 revised regulations that implement section 7 of the ESA (50 CFR 402, 84 FR 45016). Thank you, also, for your request for consultation pursuant to the essential fish habitat (EFH) provisions in Section 305(b) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1855(b)) for this action. In the attached biological opinion, NMFS concludes that the proposed action is not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of: • Oncorhynchus tshawytscha: Lower Columbia River (LCR) Chinook salmon, Upper Columbia River (UCR) spring-run Chinook salmon, SR (SR) spring/summer Chinook salmon, Upper Willamette River (UWR) Chinook salmon, Snake River fall Chinook salmon; • O.
[Show full text]