Oregon Public Broadcasting

Environmental advocates are challenging the Army Corps of Engineers over its permitting for gravel mining in a southern Oregon river.

The Northwest Environmental Defense Center filed a civil complaint this week over the process behind a pending permit for the Chetco River.

Environmental group sues over gravel mining For more on the Chetco mining story check out OPB's environmental issues blog ECOTROPE

The complaint argues that the Corps held meetings with mining officials in violation of federal law. 

Andrew Hawley is with the Environmental Defense Center.

Andrew Hawley: “The process has resulted in a proposed regional gravel permit for the lower Chetco that ignores the best available science for what is necessary to protect the threatened and endangered species in that region, specifically the coho salmon.”

Oregon’s Department of Environment Quality is currently reviewing the Army Corps permit, to see if it complies with the federal Clean Water Act.

Hawley says the Chetco River permit is important because it could be the first of several gravel permits on a handful of Oregon rivers.