The Washington Department of Ecology has granted an extension of three months for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, lower Columbia River ports and a Southwest Washington family to reach agreement on a property purchase that will replace wetlands loss from the Columbia River channel deepening project that is under way.

The three parties asked for and received more time to negotiate an agreement that would use the entire Martin Island or the northern portion of the island in conjunction with property already acquired for project mitigation actions in the Woodland Bottoms area near Kalama. Acquisition of the island, which is currently owned by the Colf family, would satisfy the Corps' and Ports' obligation to offset habitat loss.

Ecology program manager Gordon White met with the Corps, the Colf family and representatives from several local ports earlier this month. Shortly afterwards, the parties requested from Ecology more time to finalize an agreement.

"After having met with the parties and touring the Colf family's property, I am confident that giving them more time for negotiations will result in a successful agreement for everyone," said White.

The Corps is deepening the Columbia River shipping channel to 43 feet, which will allow a new class of freighter to navigate to Washington and Oregon ports along the river. The Corps says the project is estimated to save Northwest farmers and businesses nearly $19 million in annual transportation costs while opening up the ports to larger, more fuel-efficient cargo and container ships.

The Corps is required by its Ecology permit to complete a mitigation project to replace habitat damaged by the deepening project. Both state and federal policies now require no net loss of wetlands.

The land options being considered for the mitigation ensure that important cropland in the Woodland Bottoms area is kept in production, a priority given by Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire to Ecology and the Corps.