MEMPHIS, Tenn., June 3, 2005 – A Biological Assessment (BA) conducted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and peer reviewed by external and internal experts has concluded that, “the Grand Prairie Area Demonstration Project in Eastern Arkansas is unlikely to adversely affect the ivory-billed woodpecker.”
Dr. Mickey Heitmeyer and Dr. Leigh Frederickson, both with the University of Missouri’s Gaylord Memorial Laboratory, and Dr. Richard Fischer, U.S. Army Engineer Research and Design Center, Environmental Laboratory in Vicksburg, Miss., reviewed the BA.
The consensus of their reviews was that the BA appropriately concluded that the project should have no adverse effects on the ivory-billed woodpecker. The reviewers reached this conclusion, in part, because the project is located a fair distance from the sightings and only a small amount of bottomland hardwood forest would be cleared in periphery areas that are unlikely to be used by the ivory-billed woodpecker.
Based on this finding the Corps has determined to resume construction activities at the pumping station site. Less than six acres of woodlands would be impacted by resumption of construction in this area.
Release no. 05-18