Master plans are required for civil works projects administered by the U.S. Corps of Engineers (USACE). They provide natural resource management planning strategies and ensure adherence to federal regulations and national goals in a comprehensive and consolidated manner. These plans establish a vision for future natural resource management and guide responsible stewardship and sustainable use of resources for the benefit of present and future generations. The Foster and Green Peter Lakes Master Plan will include an Integrated Environmental Assessment for National Environmental Policy Act compliance. For more information on master plans, please visit https://www.nwp.usace.army.mil/Missions/Projects-and-Plans/Master-Plans/.

The master plans for Foster and Green Peter lakes were prepared in 1987. Master plans identify natural resource management planning strategies for approximately 20 years. Updates are needed to address changes in land use, environmental conditions, laws and regulations, and recreation use.

A master plan guides the management and development of all recreational, natural, and cultural resources, including but not limited to water, fish and wildlife, vegetation, cultural, aesthetic, interpretive, recreational, and mineral. The goals of the master plan include the following:

• Provide the best management practices to respond to regional needs, resource capabilities and suitability, and expressed public interests consistent with authorized project purposes
• Protect and manage project natural and cultural resources through sustainable environmental stewardship programs
• Provide outdoor recreation opportunities that support project purposes and public demands created by the project itself while sustaining project natural resources
• Recognize the particular qualities, characteristics, and potentials of the project
• Provide consistency and compatibility with national objectives and other state and regional goals and programs

The master plan and environmental assessment are public documents. Public involvement is a recognized key component of master planning and the National Environmental Policy Act process. Public involvement informs interested stakeholders; federal, state and local governments; tribal nations; and the public throughout the process, elicits valuable input, builds a relationship of trust and credibility, and avoids misunderstandings through a mutual exchange of information. Gathering input from the interested parties and users of Foster and Green Peter lakes will inform the preparation of the master plan/environmental assessment.

This website (www.FGPL-MasterPlan.com) will be updated as the development of the master plan/environmental assessment progresses. You can also sign up to receive updates and announcements about public meetings in the “Sign Up” section of the webpage. Information is also available on the USACE, Portland District Master Plan website: https://www.nwp.usace.army.mil/Missions/Projects-and-Plans/Master-Plans/.

The USACE, Portland District encourages submission of comments on potential actions, alternatives, impacts, and identification of relevant information, studies, or analyses. The Corps will announce public meetings during which you can learn more about the master plan/environmental assessment process and submit comments. Comments can also be submitted on www.FGPL-MasterPlan.com in the “Comments” section. Once the master plan/environmental assessment has been prepared and released for public review, there will be an additional time for public comment, including public meetings.

Public outreach will take place in 2023, with public scoping meetings planned for late February 2023. The master plan and environmental assessment will be developed throughout 2023 and early 2024. Additional time for public comment, including public meetings, will occur after the Notice of Availability is published around early summer 2024.

While the master plans are being updated, there is a second ongoing action that is NOT part of the master plan process. USACE, Portland District is also preparing a Programmatic EIS (PEIS) that is separate from the master plan. The PEIS addresses the Willamette Valley System (WVS) as a whole and the continued operations and maintenance of the WVS in accordance with authorized project purposes while meeting Endangered Species Act (ESA) requirements. The Draft PEIS has been released to the public and can be reviewed here: https://www.nwp.usace.army.mil/Locations/Willamette-Valley/System-Evaluation-EIS/

The PEIS addresses issues such as water quality, water supply, water level management, hydropower, navigation, and flood risk management. In contrast, the master plan/environmental assessment addresses management and development of recreational, natural, and cultural resources. Each document will take the other into consideration.