Public meeting on proposed construction of 1,200-foot lock at LaGrange Lock and Dam set for Dec. 11

MEREDOSIA, Ill. — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Rock Island District, requests a public review of the draft supplemental environmental assessment titled “LaGrange Lock and Dam 1,200 Foot Lock” dated Nov. 2024. The public is invited to submit comments for this project until Jan. 3.

The district proposes to build an approximately 1,200-foot lock chamber at the LaGrange Lock and Dam site near County Road 1800 E (State Route 12) in Versailles, nine river miles downstream from Beardstown. Additional project features include the construction of upstream and downstream approach channels and associated guide walls, as well as mooring facilities. The project area, along the west bank of the Illinois River, encompasses approximately 425.7 acres and is near the existing LaGrange Lock and Dam.

The district is required to seek public comment on environmental assessments as part of the National Environmental Policy Act. All comments will be compiled and addressed in a final decision document or in additional findings.

A public meeting and information session is scheduled for 5 p.m. Dec. 11 at the Meredosia-Chambersburg School District, 830 Main, Meredosia, Ill., 62665.

Comments can be submitted through email to CEMVR_Planning@usace.army.mil or in writing to the Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Rock Island District, Attn: Acuff (PD-P), Clock Tower Building, P. O. Box 2004, Rock Island, Ill., 61204-2004. Contact the District’s Environmental Planning Branch at 309-794-5540 to request a paper copy or CD.

A press release from the Corps of Engineers said the purpose of the new lock, west of the existing 600-foot lock at LaGrange, is to eliminate double lockages, ease congestion, reduce delays, add redundancy and increase safety. The proposed development is expected to provide a balance between the economic and social conditions to ensure the Upper Mississippi River System, which includes the Illinois Waterway, would continue to be a nationally treasured ecological resource and efficient transportation system as designated by Congress in the Water Resources Development Act of 1986.

The purpose of this supplemental environmental assessment is to evaluate the proposed alternatives for constructing the 1,200-foot lock at LaGrange. The assessment focuses on the prominent issues and resources specific to the proposed construction. It documents existing conditions, evaluates potential impacts for each alternative and assists in planning and decision-making.