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DISCUSSION: <br />The EA team has been waiting for months for a USACE site visit. The pandemic and <br />associated travel restrictions have not produced the desired site visit. It now appears that <br />a site visit by the USACE is not likely until spring 2021. The EA team was hoping for an <br />Approved Jurisdictional Determination eliminating the need for the team to make <br />assumptions about USACE wetland jurisdiction. The value politically would be having <br />the USACE make the call on EA wetlands so that the team does not have to suppose <br />jurisdiction. Local politics could define the EA team as being "overly" supportive of <br />wetland delineation extent. <br />Delays and travel restrictions upon USACE staff are creating the crisis we are now facing <br />on project timeline. Given that Whiskey Creek flows to the Yakima, the likelihood that <br />the USACE would not claim jurisdiction is unlikely. Assuming USACE jurisdiction and <br />moving forward as "Preliminary Jurisdictional Determination" allows the team to keep <br />moving towards applying for the individual permit and ultimate wetland mitigation. The <br />EA team is concerned that waiting until spring of 2021 for a determination from the <br />USACE, the entire project timeline will slide. Missing our construction window for the <br />taxiway, could result in funding being moved away from ELN and sent somewhere else <br />in the FAA system. <br />FISCAL IMPACTS: <br />Currently, $2,350,000 is programmed for wetland mitigation starting in 2022 and <br />completing in 2023. <br />ATTACHMENTS: <br />Exhibit l: Original map depicting wetland impact <br />Exhibit 2: Revised map depicting wetland impact <br />Page 2 of 4 <br />PUBLIC WORKS BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WORK SESSION STAFF REPORT <br />