A draft Environmental Assessment (EA) is currently available for review for a proposal to replace the existing wastewater treatment facility in Williston, N.D. and convert a temporary easement for an existing outfall pipe constructed in the fall of 2012 on federal land managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to a permanent easement.
The city of Williston proposes to replace the existing wastewater treatment facility, which is located on Corps-managed federal land behind a levee, at a site immediately adjacent to the existing facility on land owned by the city of Williston. The preferred alternative involves importing earthwork fill material from an upland location to raise the site elevation to 1864.0 feet above mean sea level. This alternative would provide protection against flooding in the event of a levee failure. The temporary outfall pipe, which is currently used on an intermittent basis to discharge treated effluent, would be converted to a permanent outfall with the issuance of a permanent Corps easement. Treated effluent from the future wastewater treatment facility would be discharged continuously. The outfall pipe was directionally drilled under wetlands and a discharge channel, then exits at the toe of the landward side of the levee. The pipe traverses over the top of the levee and discharges treated wastewater into a backwater of the Missouri River. The purpose of the proposed project is to meet the wastewater treatment needs of Williston’s growing population because the existing facility does not have the capacity to do so.
The public is encouraged to provide comments on the draft EA, which is available for viewing at: http://www.nwo.usace.army.mil/Missions/CivilWorks/Planning/EnvironmentalPlanning/DraftDocuments.aspx.
A copy of the draft EA is also available at the Williston Community Library, 1302 Davidson Drive, Williston, ND 58801.
Comments may be directed to: Scott Schaefer, AE2S, Water Tower Place Business Center, 6901 E Fish Lake Rd Ste 184, Maple Grove, MN 55369 or emailed to Scott.Schaefer@ae2s.com. Comments can also be sent to Ryan Newman, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, PO Box 527, 201 1st St, Riverdale, ND 58565-0527 or emailed to Ryan.L.Newman@usace.army.mil.
Comments must be postmarked or received no later than July 30, 2013.
Release no. 20130701-001