EPA has determined that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Draft Environmental Impact Statement presents insufficient scientific information to support dredging permits allowing sand and gravel removal from the Missouri River. The applicant’s proposal would allow the removal of 11,615,000 tons per year of main channel river bottom material. EPA Region 7 Administrator Karl Brooks said, “Adequate science is lacking to support issuance of the requested dredging permits. Under the National Environmental Policy Act and Clean Air Act, EPA is required to review the environmental impact of federal proposals. The Corps of Engineers will consider EPA’s comments as it prepares a final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The final EIS will contain the Corps’ preferred dredging amount.