U.S. EPA ASKS CORPS TO DENY PERMIT

On May 15th, 2003, the U.S. E.P.A. submitted its comments to the Army Corps. The EPA's comment letter reveals that the site has been designated an 'Aquatic Resource of National Importance' (ARNI) and asks the Corps to deny the permit, stating that the applicant 'has not demonstrated project compliance with the [Clean Water Act] Guidelines.' The letter goes on to discuss EPA's concerns about project impacts to wetlands, water quality and endangered species. The ARNI designation is a strong signal to the Corps that the EPA is concerned about protecting the natural resources on this site.