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About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 3, 2015)
september3 2015 VERNONIA’S volume9 issue17 reflecting the spirit of our community www.vernoniasvoice.com City Begins Waste Water Upgrade Project The City of Vernonia cel- ebrated the start of construction on the Waste Water Treatment Plant upgrade project with a ceremonial ground- breaking on Tuesday, August 25, 2015. The project, started in 1996, has been in the planning and design stages for almost twenty years and had to be redesigned following the 2007 flood. ments to the city’s wastewater sys- tem. In addition, the current system is susceptible to exfiltration, resulting in unmonitored discharges of treated ef- fluent into the Nehalem River. “When I was elected to the City Council ten years ago, I received a three inch binder about this project,” said Mayor Parrow during the cere- mony. “It has gone through many re- visions, but here we are today. I want DEQ loan to the city, taking it from a 20-year term to a 40-year term and helping to keep the city’s costs low. $2.7 million of the loan from USDA will go towards refinancing over half of the balance of the DEQ loan used to design the project. This will reduce the overall debt owed by the City after project completion Total cost of the project is $5 million, much less than the original estimates for the project that carried an $8-12 mil- lion price tag. “I’m so grateful that we have members of con- gress who are so very sup- portive of our agency,” said Rural Development’s Walker. “There is a rea- son our agency exists and it’s to support small rural communities like Vernonia. I’m so glad we are able to help you close the binder on this project and bring it to a success.” The lagoons will be raised by three feet, above the 100-year flood level Taking part in the Waste Water upgrade project groundbreaking ceremony are (l-r): Del Bibler- and the 2007 flood high R&G Excavating, Vicki Walker-USDA Rural Development, Randy Parrow-Vernonia Mayor, George Tice-Vernonia Public Works Committee, Gordon Monroe-Tetra Tech Project Manager. water mark. An additional treatment plant will be The groundbreaking ceremo- to thank all the agencies that have constructed to further clean the dis- ny was attended by City of Vernonia helped us through the process. So charged effluent. A new infiltration Mayor Randall J. Parrow; USDA Ru- let’s move forward and get it done.” pipe will be installed, allowing the ral Development State Director Vicki The city will purchase new treated effluent to cool before entering Walker; representatives from the of- equipment and upgrade the current the river, improving stream tempera- fices of Senator Ron Wyden, Senator wastewater lagoon system to meet tures for native fish. Jeff Merkley, and Congresswoman tighter National Pollutant Discharge This project will ensure clean Suzanne Bonamici; staff from both the Elimination System requirements, us- water supplies, a healthy environ- City of Vernonia and USDA; mem- ing interim financing of $2.8 million ment, adequate utilities, and updated bers of the Vernonia Public Works from the Department of Environmen- infrastructure to help this rural com- Committee; and representatives from tal Quality (DEQ) Clean Water SRF munity thrive into the future. the construction company and City Program. The main funding comes Installation of the new infil- engineering firm Tetra Tech. from USDA Rural Development who tration pipe gallery will require the In 1996 and 2007, Vernonia are providing a loan of $5.6 million closure of a section of the Linear experienced major flooding that inun- and a $2.2 million grant provided Trail between the sewer lagoon and dated the city’s wastewater treatment through the Water and Waste Disposal the Mill Pond, called Webb Way. The lagoons, as well as other public facili- Loan and Grant Program. entire project is expected to be com- ties and numerous private properties, In addition, Rural Develop- pleted and operational by late 2016. demonstrating the need for improve- ment is refinancing a $2.7 million inside 8 library memory garden 9 vhs fall sports preview 10 new playground equipment 15 bear creek run results free FERC Schedules Public Meeting in Vernonia on Oregon LNG The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has prepared a draft environmental impact statement (EIS) for the Oregon LNG Terminal and Pipeline Project proposed by the LNG Development Company and the Oregon Pipeline Company. The draft EIS was issued on August 5, 2015. Public comment for the document will end on October 6, 2015. A public comment meeting will be held on September 22 from 6:00-9:00 pm at the Vernonia Schools Commons Area. “The upcoming FERC hearing is an important opportunity to explain the obvious flaws in Oregon LNG’s plan - a high- pressure, non-odorized, 36-inch pipeline through Oregon’s rugged Coast Range and Vernonia’s drinking water supply,” said Dan Serres, Conservation Director of Columbia Riverkeeper, who has helped organize local opposition to the project. “The City of Vernonia passed a strong resolution against Oregon LNG, and FERC glossed over the concerns the City raised about public safety, emergency response, and the potential impacts to Rock Creek from the pipeline crossing. It’s important to point out these mistakes in FERC’s review of Oregon LNG, and it’s even more important for Vernonians to continue to demonstrate why Governor Brown and the State of Oregon should deny Oregon LNG, regardless of FERC’s decision.” FERC staff will begin to sign-up speakers one-half hour before the meeting begins. The comment meeting will begin with a brief description of FERC’s environmental review process by FERC staff, after which speakers will be called. The meeting will continue until all speakers have had a chance to provide comments or until the end of the time scheduled for the meeting, which ever comes first. If a significant number of people are interested in providing public comments, a time limit of three minutes may be implemented continued on page 3 Watershed Council Begins New Fish Restoration Project Apiary Road closed during construction By Scott Laird The Upper Nehalem Watershed Council (UNWC) began a new project on August 31, to restore fish passage with the replacement of a culvert on Oak Ranch Creek where it crosses Apiary Road. The Columbia County Road Department has closed Apiary Road at MP 17.7 until no later than September 16th. Alternate routes will be Highway 47 into Clatskanie or Scap- poose-Vernonia Highway to Highway 30. According to UNWC Executive Director Maggie Peyton the project includes the replacement of a double culvert at river mile 1.8, above where Oak Ranch Creek flows into the Nehalem River. The current crossing presents a complete barrier to juvenile fish passage and a partial adult barrier. “It’s too high, the juvenile salmon can’t jump it,” says Peyton. The new pre-cast concrete arch, manufactured by Contech, has an open bot- tom that will meet federal standards and be 1.5 times the active stream width, al- lowing for the stream to continued on page 5 This double culvert on Oak Ranch Creek will be replaced with a bridge and an open bottom concrete arch.
