The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers wants to gather opinions from the public tonight on its plan for improvements to the Ohio River for the next 60 years.

        The Corps of Engineers, which is responsible for the system of 19 locks along the river, is most interested in how to improve the river for commercial navigation. Some locks might need to be lengthened to accommodate bigger watercraft, and others might need to be replaced.

        As part of its $45.3 million Ohio River Main Stem Systems Study, the government also will study the environmental impact of any improvements — including effects on the river's ecosystem, noise and air pollution, recreational boating and the local economy.

        Separate from the Main Stem Systems Study, the Corps of Engineers also is proposing a $307 million plan to restore the river's ecosystem, which has been damaged by more than 200 years of human development and agriculture.

        That plan, the largest in the country outside the Florida Everglades, hopes to restore wetlands and forests and preserve 40 islands along the 981-mile river.

        Tonight's public meeting — one of six in towns from Pennsylvania to Illinois — will be 5-7 p.m. at the Kenton County Public Library, 502 Scott Street in Covington.

        Those who are unable to attend a meeting can submit comments by Aug. 31 to Project Manager Veronica Rife, Ohio River Main Stem Systems Study, P.O. Box 59, Louisville, KY, 40201.

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