Colf family proposes splitting Martin Island with Corps of Engineers
Wednesday, July 2, 2008 11:44 PM PDT
By Erik Olson
Printable version
E-mail this articleThe Colf family has offered nearly one-third of Martin Island outside Woodland to be used as mitigation for the Columbia River channel-deepening project in an attempt to avoid a forced sale by lower river ports.
The family would swap 143 acres on the northern tip of the island in exchange for 73 acres of the Chumbley property, located in the Woodland Bottoms, according to a news release from the Colfs. The family would make other smaller parcels of Martin Island and nearby Burke Island available for mitigation, or compensation, for the environmental damage caused by deepening the channel to a depth of 43 feet between the mouth of the Columbia River and Portland.
The family would also keep a 32-acre lagoon on the island used by boaters, according to the release.
The $150-million channel deepening project is a partnership among the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, two Oregon ports and the ports of Vancouver, Woodland, Kalama and Longview.
This latest proposal — the fourth by the family over the last decade — would require the ports and the Corps to tweak their plan to obtain mitigation land, said Roy Heikkala, a spokesman for the family. The Colfs purchased the island in 1999.
“It may be a little inconvenient for them but the last nine years has also been inconvenient for the Colf family. Our proposal will reduce the Colf’s contribution of land needed for mitigation from 70 percent to 43 percent for the entire project,” Heikkala said in a written statement.
The Colfs do not oppose the channel deepening plan, Heikkala said. This plan would allow them to continue farming Martin Island and the Chumbley property, he said.
Dianne Perry, project manager for the sponsoring ports, said it’s too soon to tell if this latest offer will be enough.
“We’re still trying to determine if it meets the mitigation requirements,” Perry said.
If no agreement can be reached before Sept. 15, the ports may vote to force the Colf family to sell the 447-acre island by eminent domain, which is the power to take private property for public use.
feistyone wrote on Jul 3, 2008 4:22 AM:
towboater wrote on Jul 3, 2008 6:49 AM:
20 miles less dredging.
6 hrs closer.
Continue to use T-6 for bulk cargo.
I dont understand why the FWS Wildlife refuge on Batchelor Island does not qualify? What about Deer Island or Sand Island near Goble? Goat Isl?
Hayden Isl? Government Isl? Sauvies Isl?
Why Martin Isl?
On Sept 15, basically, the Port of Portland is going to try to exclude Woodland/Kalama/Longview/St Helens Port regions from any possibility of joining forces to create a Seaport and adjacent bridge in this Woodland area. What reasons do these Ports have to support this? How many "bones" did the Port of Portland toss to them?
Does it sound like I am not a big fan of the Port of Portland? Please, where is the drydock now? Portland spends all this money on Port Docks and Green ways while they still have a 2 lane freeway and continue to dump raw sewage into the river. You folks going to the Music Fest downtown, just look across beneath the Morrison is a
Building a race car track or Casino or Stadium here is peanuts compared.
Mitigate.
Settle.
Open your eyes USACE, FWS & Port Commisioners...look a hundred years down the road. The only one who profits from this is the Port of Portland. Dont close the door on our childrens future. "
mole wrote on Jul 3, 2008 9:51 AM:
Kelso Alum wrote on Jul 3, 2008 11:32 AM:
mole wrote on Jul 3, 2008 2:35 PM:
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