Hood River-White Salmon Bridge Replacement project receives federal biological opinion, paving way for construction

The Hood River-White Salmon Bridge Authority has received the National Marine Fisheries Service’s biological opinion for the bridge replacement project, marking a critical milestone for the new bridge.

The biological opinion concluded that the project is not likely to jeopardize species listed on the Endangered Species Act, and that construction is not likely to destroy or harm these species’ habitats.

“This is a landmark moment for this project,” said Jacob Anderson, Bridge Authority co-chair. “We’re very pleased to see this opinion, and we’re committed to proactively addressing any environmental issues that arise over the course of the project.”

This decision is part of the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) process, which requires federal agencies to assess the environmental effects of proposed bridge and highway construction projects, among other things.

The bridge replacement project started the NEPA process back in 2003, when it submitted materials for a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). While the effort stalled due to a lack of funding, work was revived in 2017 after funding was received from the Oregon Legislature. The project team submitted a biological assessment with updated information and a supplemental Draft EIS was issued in 2020, which enabled the federal government to issue the biological opinion.

Expected later this year, the Federal Highway Administration, along with the Oregon Department of Transportation and the Hood River-White Salmon Bridge Authority, will issue a Final EIS and a Record of Decision. This will conclude the NEPA process, moving the project another step closer to starting construction.

“We’ve been anticipating this decision for quite a while now, and are very pleased to be reaching this critical step forward,” said Bridge Authority Commissioner Marla Keethler. “We will continue to work closely with our federal partners to ensure we are good stewards of the environment throughout construction and over the lifetime of the new bridge.”

Moving forward, the Bridge Authority and its partners will implement the measures outlined in the biological opinion. This will include regular monitoring and reporting to ensure that mitigation efforts are effective and that the project remains in compliance with Endangered Species Act requirements.