Columbia Crossing Project Draft Environmental Impact Statement Comment Guide

[Chief]

FOR A PRINTABLE COPY OF THIS COMMENT GUIDE, CLICK HERE (http://www.clarkblog.org/docs/DraftEISCommentGuide.pdf?s=&showtopic=4351&view=findpost&p=28980)


The Columbia River Crossing (CRC) Draft Environmental
Impact Statement (EIS) describes potential effects on the
surrounding neighborhoods and environment, flow of local
and highway traffic, improvements to transit, bicycling and
walking and options for project financing.
The Draft EIS and public comment period are required by
the federal government to ensure that people affected by the
project have an opportunity to learn about and comment on
the proposal before a decision is made. Your comments will
be considered and responded to in preparing the Final EIS.

Why comment?

• To help select an alternative that solves transportation
problems and meets the community’s needs
• To inform local decision-makers on public opinion
• To shape the Locally Preferred Alternative and measures
taken to minimize impacts
The Locally Preferred Alternative is the alternative selected
by local decision-makers as the preferred solution to the
project’s identified needs. This selection will focus on three
choices: a bridge type (replacement or supplemental), transit
mode (bus rapid transit or light rail) and a transit alignment.

Comment Period

The CRC Draft EIS public comment period extends until
July 1, 2008. Comments are accepted at any time during thecomment period. Public hearings focused on hearing public Feedback will be held:
• Wednesday, May 28, 2008, 5–8 P.M.
Red Lion Hotel Vancouver at the Quay
100 Columbia Street, Vancouver, WA
• Thursday, May 29, 2008 , 5–8 P.M.
Portland Metropolitan Exposition Center
2060 North Marine Drive, Portland, OR

How can I comment?

Written comments can be submitted by:

Online form: www.columbiarivercrossing.org

E-mail: DraftEISfeedback@columbiarivercrossing.org

Mail: 700 Washington Street, Suite 300
Vancouver, WA 98660

Fax: 360-737-0294

Questions can be directed to the above e-mail, mail
or fax contacts or by:

Phone: 360-737-2726 or 503-256-2726
TTY: 7-1-1

[Chief]

For those of you who are still connected to the Patella network, let him know that this will be his one and only chance to sound off on this.

Lots of you folks out there like to write, well, here is your chance. I don't see a word limit on those Public comments folks, so you can take your time, write what you really want to, and get it on the record for this issue. This isn't like writing to the columbian, where what you say is subject to editing, and a 150 word limit. If you want to write 10,000 words, they must take it.

I recommend that you take a few days to read the DEIS, and draft several copies of the things that concern you about it, and what you might like to see done instead.

Be specific. Figure out what the top three things that you want to say about this are, and write a good paragraph or two about each of them.

Use your spellchecker. My keyboard doesn't spell worth a damn, and I'm thankful for the spellchecker that firefox has. It shows me a redlined word if it thinks I've mis-spelled something, and gives me a chance to correct it before i embarrass myself too badly...

This is the one opportunity that everyone in Clark County will get to comment on this project, and I consider this tantamount to a Public referrendum on the Columbia Crossing. Your comments will have to be considered in Public at the next meeting of the Task Force, and it will be difficult for those members to ignore a strong showing from Clark County.

I hear all of the time how people don't like Light Rail, and this is your only chance to tell the people who need to hear what you have to say about that...

Load your guns, know what you are talking about, and put it in writing.

[Chief]

Bumping for WB...

[Waterbuffalo]

Sticky??

I might add that there may not be a limit to what one may write but nothing is worse than recieving a 100,000 word manifesto that utterly means nothing. (Someone is probably going to ask for a executive summary on that.)

Try to be concise, considerate and make your points solid. Spell checker is probably a major minimum. If you have to, use a computer that has a good one. (some OS's spell checkers are not very good.)

Also if you can, use some citing as well. If someone wants to look at a point your referencing in the DEIS or some other form of copy, it might be a good idea to have a bibliography or citing page. Let's say some one wants to go back and read through your references or cited material? Probably a good idea to have one.

[Chief]

bttt...

[Waterbuffalo]

Bumps..

Monday morning will be the day I go in and get my copy..

[Waterbuffalo]

<bumps...> For reasons that tomorrow is a Q and A at jantzen beach mall for you to ask your favorite questions on this project.

[Chief]

It is mid-June and the deadline for public comments on the DEIS is rapidly approaching. It is time to get your written comments to the Columbia River Crossing Project Office if you have not already done so.

Please review the Comment Guide which will tell you how to submit those written comments. A letter to the Editor does no good if you didn't send it to the CRCP. It does you no good to go rail against City Council if you don't send your comments to the Project too.

Get busy, get writing, and get your comments sent! I'll believe over 60% of you support Loot Rail when I see the results from the votes about it.

[Waterbuffalo]

Also if your interested, I do believe there is an email address for submission of materials also listed above, But a letter might cost a few more cents but I think Chief has the right submission ideas on submitting stuff, so get cracking and please do give your opinions on how you feel about this project, up, down, sideways, or genuflect if you must.