Public paper · October 4, 2026 · Rivers desk
USACE Kentucky Lock Addition: Draft Supplemental EA Open for Comment Through October 14 on Dam Disposal Sites and Tailwater Rules
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers seeks comments through October 14, 2026 on a Draft Supplemental EA and unsigned FONSI for the Kentucky Lock Addition Project at Kentucky Lock and Dam — upland disposal expansion/reuse and a tailwater fish spawning restriction change in Livingston, Lyon, and Marshall Counties, Kentucky.
noticenearby.com/papers/kentucky-lock-addition-supplemental-ea-oct-2026.pdf
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) published a notice of availability for a Draft Supplemental Environmental Assessment (EA) and Draft Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the Kentucky Lock Addition Project. The public comment window listed on the Great Lakes and Ohio River Division notice expires October 14, 2026.
What the Supplemental EA covers
The Supplemental EA evaluates potential effects of:
- Expansion of an upland disposal site (Disposal Area “B”).
- Reuse of an existing upland disposal site (Disposal Area “C”).
- Modification of a tailwater fish spawning restriction at Kentucky Lock and Dam.
Counties named: Livingston, Lyon, and Marshall Counties, Kentucky.
The design change supports delivery of an additional 110-foot × 1200-foot lock chamber at Kentucky Lock and Dam to address long commercial tow wait times on the river system.
Alternatives and preliminary finding
USACE evaluates a No Action Alternative and two Action Alternatives. An initial draft of the Supplemental EA indicated the Proposed Action would not cause significant adverse effects on the quality of the human environment, so preparation of a full Environmental Impact Statement would not be required — that is why the package includes an unsigned FONSI for public review alongside the Draft Supplemental EA.
Why river, dam, and lock neighbors should look
Kentucky Lock and Dam sits on a working inland waterway. Lock additions, dredged-material disposal, and seasonal tailwater restrictions affect commercial tows, fisheries, and shoreline communities. A Supplemental EA is the Corps’ public window to explain design changes after earlier NEPA work — not a final construction start order by itself.
Electronic copies are posted in the USACE digital collection linked from the Division notice.
Sources
- USACE Great Lakes and Ohio River Division notice (published Sept. 8, 2026; expiration Oct. 14, 2026): Notice of Availability and Request for Comments — Draft Supplemental EA and Unsigned FONSI for the Kentucky Lock Addition Project. https://www.lrd.usace.army.mil/News/Project-Documents-Notices-Public-Review/Display/Article/4595331/notice-of-availability-and-request-for-comments-draft-supplemental-ea-and-unsig/
- Draft Supplemental EA digital collection link cited in the notice: https://usace.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p16021coll7/id/29569
Not legal advice. Not a newspaper. Not Legal Publication. Record of Sale, LLC (Oregon).
Notes and sources
- Author: Ryan Standley / Record of Sale, LLC / Notice Nearby.
- Discussed on @NoticeNearYou: (pending — fill xPostUrl after live post).
- Not legal advice. Not a newspaper. Not Legal Publication. Record of Sale, LLC (Oregon).
Rivers desk · Notice Nearby public papers shelf. @NoticeNearYou post pending.
Not legal advice. Not a newspaper. Not Legal Publication. Record of Sale, LLC (Oregon).