Regulatory project manager - UPRR GSL Causeway and Bridge Construction project
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Bio:
Kathleen Anderson is the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Regulatory project manager for the Union Pacific Railroad’s Great Salt Lake Causeway and Bridge Construction project. In this capacity, Kathleen is responsible for administering the Regulatory Program under the authority of Federal laws, including Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. Kathleen joined the Corps Regulatory team in Utah in June 2000. A native of Illinois, she was awarded her A.A. degree from Southwestern Illinois University and her B.S. in Geography from the University of Utah.
Panelist: Union Pacific Railroad Causeway Bridge Construction - Where are we Today? And Where are we Going in the Future?
8:55-10:20am - Friday, May 13th
Title: U.S. Army Corps Permitting - UPRR Causeway and Bridge Construction Project
Abstract: The Department of the Army Regulatory Program is one of the oldest in the Federal Government. The Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) has regulated activities in the Nation’s waters since 1890. The Corps Regulatory Program reflects the national concerns for both the protection and use of important water resources. The Corps administers and enforces Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 and Section 404 of the Clean Water Act through the Regulatory Program. These laws require that a permit be obtained from the Corps prior to essentially all construction activities in our Nation’s waters, including wetlands. Two types of General Permits, programmatic/regional general permits and nationwide permits, and two types of Standard Permits, letters of permission and individual permits, are issued by the Corps to authorize activities in water of the United States. The level of review used to evaluate permit applications varies based on the potential impacts of the proposed activity.
The Corps issued two Nationwide Permits (NWP) for the Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) Great Salt Lake Causeway Culvert Closure and Bridge Construction project. The first NWP, issued in August 2012, authorized permanent closure of the failing West Culvert. The second, issued in December 2013, authorized the temporary closure of the failing East Culvert. Construction is underway for new UPRR’s pile-supported bridge that will restore flows between the North and South Arms of the Lake. The Corps issued a standard individual permit authorizing construction of the new bridge in September 2015. The project includes an adaptive management control berm. Once the new causeway opening is fully functioning, UPRR will conduct quarterly and annual monitoring for a minimum of 5 consecutive years to ensure the structure is meeting salinity performance standards.