Contacts

Avery Armstrong, City of St. Clair, 810-329-4125

Dave Pederson, USFWS, 612-713-5143

Input Sought on Draft Environmental Assessment for Saint Clair Municipal Boat Harbor on the Pine Rive

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in cooperation with the City of Saint Clair, Mich., and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, invites the public to review and comment on a draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for the replacement of aging transient boating facilities on the Pine River in Saint Clair.

The draft EA evaluates three alternatives, including the proposed alternative, which would construct 65 transient boating slips and associated amenities and infrastructure as part of an overall marina renovation project.

The City of Saint Clair plans to renovate existing facilities by reconstructing boating access facilities on the Pine River to provide quality access for transient boats that are 24 feet or longer. City officials have determined that to maintain adequate access, it would be necessary to replace the existing aging facilities. This would allow the city to meet increasing demand for recreational facilities generated by modern boat demands. Other benefits include enhanced safety for users and improved accessibility for disabled users.

The proposed alternative would address this need by replacing 65 transient boat slips that will include electric and water service, walkways, service building upgrades and other associated amenities. Officials believe that the proposed alternative will ensure that public needs for safety recreational boating and fishing facilities will continue to be met. Two other alternatives evaluated are to build a new 20-slip harbor across the river from the existing harbor, and an alternative that would involve no marina renovation activities.

The EA was prepared in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) that applies to the actions of all federal agencies. This project is proposed by the City of Saint Clair and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources for funding through Dingell-Johnson legislation (Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act), administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The draft EA is available on the Web at http://midwest.fws.gov/NEPA. Copies may be obtained from the City of Saint Clair, Michigan. Attn: Avery Armstrong, Harbormaster, 547 N. Carney, Saint Clair, MI 48079; phone 810-329-4125. Copies may be viewed at the Saint Clair City Hall or the Saint Clair Boat Harbor.

Written comments should be sent to Avery Armstrong at the above address, via e-mail: boatharbor@cityofstclair.com, or via fax to 810 329 5292. Comments should be received no later than March 14, 2005.

The proposed project is also being reviewed under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. The area of potential effect for this undertaking is in the following areas: the existing marina property. No cultural resources are known to be located on this property. The public is requested to inform the Service at the above address about archeological sites, buildings and structures, historic places, cemeteries, and traditional use of the area that could influence decisions about the project.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 95-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System, which encompasses 545 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 69 national fish hatcheries, 63 Fish and Wildlife Management offices and 81 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Assistance program, which distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies.

-FWS-

Click Here To Return To The Previous Page