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HomeMy WebLinkAbout20030226 Ver 1_COMPLETE FILE_20030228 UNITED STATES ?R TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORIT MAPPING SERVICES BRANCH 378 4555 IIf HE 3n MONTR A Y Jwl.\ of real t01 NFi • . `T % ol 4b 1 . 0l • t • ? , • w ~ v 6 3 M 2 • •• t 7 • ••? ' ? • ' • • 23 t •' f? . 16A- ' .i ' ,. ;• .• ago . .. ? • . f ,•. - w tit 17 ' 287 88 IJ? M ?00. ERN ... TOWERS a NE e L `ANEW: ; ? * ?.?• • . • • ? ` ?'? ' ??. - t, s ? FALEEEL 00 a• A • , qa L e' S 0 = y o I C Y 1 Action Id. 200131348 county Buncombe GENERAL PERMIT (REGIONAL AND NATIONWIDE) VERIFICATION Property owner: Metropolitan Sewerage District of Buncombe County Attn: Thomas E. Hartye, P.E., General Manager Address: Post Office Box 8969 Asheville, North Carolina 28814 Telephone No.: (828)254-9646 Size and Location of project (water body, road name/number, town, etc.): Tomahawk Branch between Lake Tomahawk Dam and a point approximately 4,500-feet southwest of the dam in Black Mountain, North Carolina. Description of Activity: to construct six subaqueous sewer line crossings of Tomahawk Branch in conjunction with the Tomahawk Branch Interceptor-Sanitary Sewer Rehabilitation Project. The line is to replace current deteriorated lines within the system. Applicable Law: X Section 404 (Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C.1344). (check all that apply) Section 10 (River and Harbor Act of 1899). Authorization: Regional General Permit Number. 12 Nationwide Permit Number. Your work is authorized by this Regional General (RGP) or Nationwide Permit (NWP) provided it is accomplished in strict accordance with the attached conditions and your submitted plans, and those conditions outlined in the attached October 31, 2001 NC Wildlife Resources Commission letter. If your activity is subject to Section 404 (if Section 404 block above is checked), before beginning work you must also receive a Section 401 water quality certification from the N.C. Division of Water Quality, telephone (919) 733-1786. Please read and carefully comply with the attached conditions of the RGP or NWP. Any violation of the conditions of the RGP or the NWP referenced above may subject the permittee to a stop work order, a restoration order, and/or appropriate legal action. This Department of the Army RGP or NWP verification does not relieve the permittee of the responsibility to obtain any other required Federal, State, or local approvals/permits. The permittee may need to contact appropriate State and local agencies before beginning work. If there are any questions regarding this authorization or any of the conditions of the General Permit or Nationwide Permit, please contact the Corps Regulatory Official specified below. Date 11/19/01 corps Regulatory Official David Baker Expiration Date of Verification 11/19/03 Telephone No. (828) 271-7980, extension 6 SURVEY PLATS, FIELD SKETCH, WETLAND DELINEATION FORMS, PROJECT PLANS, ETC., MUST BE ATTACHED TO THE YELLOW (FILE) COPY OF THIS FORM, IF REQUIRED OR AVAILABLE. U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS WILMINGTON DISTRICT CFBAW Fw= 991 Revba )dy 1999 DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY WILMINGTON DISTRICT, CORPS OF ENGINEERS 151 PATTON AVENUE ROOM 208 ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA 28801-5006 REPLY TO ATTENTION OF: Permit Number: 200131348 Permit Type: NW 12 Name of County: Buncombe Name of Permittee: Metropolitan Sewerage District of Buncombe County Date of Issuance: November 19, 2001 Upon completion of the activity authorized by this permit and any mitigation required by the permit, sign this certification and return it to the following address: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Attention: CESAW-RG-A 151 Patton Avenue, Room 208 Asheville, North Carolina 28801-5006 Please note that your permitted activity is subject to a compliance inspection by an U.S. Army Corps of Engineers representative. If you fail to comply with this permit you are subject to permit suspension, modification, or revocation. I hereby certify that the work authorized by the above referenced permit has been completed in accordance with the terms and conditions of the said permit, and required mitigation was completed in accordance with the permit conditions. Signature of Permittee Date ® North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission Charles R. Fullwood, Executive Director October 31, 2001 . 1 t E C i"" 1% 1r-r) Mr. David Baker NOV U 'LUU1 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Regulatory Branch 151 Patton Avenue, Room 208 c Asheville, North Carolina 28801-5006 CESAV% - %0 %0*- A SUBJECT: Metropolitan Sewerage District of Buncombe County Nationwide 404 Permit Application Tomahawk Branch Interceptor Rehabilitation Project, Tomahawk Branch Buncombe County, North Carolina ,Dear Mr. Baker: The Metropolitan Sewerage District of Buncombe County (MSDB) is requesting a letter of concurrence from the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) to obtain a 404 permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. I have reviewed information provided by the applicant, and I am familiar with habitat values of the project area. These comments are provided in accordance with provisions of the Clean Water Act of 1977 (33 U.S.C. 466 et. seq.) and the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act (48 Stat. 401, as amended; 16 U.S.C. 661-667d). The applicant proposes to replace deteriorating sewer lines that are leaking raw sewerage along Tomahawk Branch. The project begins at the Lake Tomahawk Dam and extends approximately 4,500 linear feet in a southwesterly direction. There are six proposed creek crossings. The Division of Water Quality classifies Tomahawk Branch as B. The stream is not designated as trout water by the NCWRC. However, Tomahawk Branch flows to the Swannanoa River, which is designated hatchery-supported trout water. Long-term this project should benefit water quality due to the removal of a pollution source. However, we are concerned about the short-term construction impacts, especially sedimentation and removal of canopy cover. We can concur with the issuance of a 404 permit for this project provided the following conditions are adhered to. Under no circumstances should rock, sand, or other materials be dredged from the stream channel under authorization of this permit, except in the immediate vicinity of the sewer line crossing. 2. Excavation of the stream crossings should be conducted in the dry. Sandbags, cofferdams, flexible pipe, or other diversion structures should be used to minimize excavation in flowing water. Mailing Address: Division of Inland Fisheries - 1721 Mail Service Center - Raleigh, NC 27699-1721 Telephone: (919) 733-3633 ext. 281 - Fax: (919) 715-7643 Tomahawk Branch Sewer Rehabilitation Tomahawk Branch, Buncombe County October 31, 2001 3. If concrete is used to encase the sewer line, adequate precautions must be taken to prevent direct contact between wet concrete and stream water. Water that has been exposed to live concrete should be pumped out of the cofferdams and not discharged to surface waters since it may have an elevated pH. 4. Adequate sedimentation and erosion control measures must be implemented and maintained on the project site to minimize impacts to downstream aquatic resources. Permanent herbaceous vegetation should be established within 15 working days of ground disturbing activities to provide long-term erosion control. Erosion control matting in conjunction with appropriate seeding should be used at disturbed sites at stream crossings and areas that are adjacent to streams. 5. If sewer lines are installed adjacent to streams, an undisturbed buffer zone should be left between streams and all construction if possible. We prefer buffer zones of at least 50 feet to control sedimentation, provide shade over the stream and maintain a travel corridor for wildlife. 6. Riparian vegetation, especially trees and shrubs, should be preserved as much as possible at the stream crossings. Trees and shrubs that must be removed should be cut near ground level, leaving the stump and roots in the bank for stability and to possibly sprout. 7. Natural materials should be used as much as possible to restore the streambank at the crossing. Riprap should be limited to the streambank below the high water mark; and native vegetation should be used for stabilization above high water. 8. All mechanized equipment operated in or near surface waters should be inspected and maintained regularly to prevent contamination of stream waters from fuels, lubricants, hydraulic fluids, or other toxic materials. 9. Old sewers should be removed at stream crossings since these may block fish passage and catch debris, which could result in erosion of banks. Thank you for the opportunity to review and comment on this project. Pending availability of field staff, the NCWRC may inspect the work site during or after construction. If there are any questions regarding these comments, please contact me at (828) 452-2546. Sincerely, Owen . Anderson Mountain Region Coordinator Habitat Conservation Program cc: Mr. Thomas E. Hartye, P.E.; MSDB NATIONWIDE PERMIT 12 DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS FINAL NOTICE OF ISSUANCE AND MODIFICATION OF NATIONWIDE PERMITS FEDERAL REGISTER 1MRCH 9. 2000 Utility Line Activities. Activities required for the construction, maintenance, and repair of utility lines and associated facilities in waters of the United States as follows: .(i) Utility lines: The construction, maintenance, or repair of utility lines, including outfall and intake structures and the associated excavation, backfill, or bedding for the utility lines, in all waters of the United States, provided there is no change in preconstruction contours. A "utility line" is defined as any pipe or pipeline for the transportation of any gaseous, liquid, liquefiable, or slurry substance, for any purpose, and any cable, line, or wire for the transmission for any purpose of electrical energy, telephone, and telegraph messages, and radio and television communication (see Note 1, below). Material resulting from trench excavation may be temporarily sidecast (up to three months) into waters. of the United States, provided the material is not placed in such a manner that it is dispersed by currents or other forces. The District Engineer may extend the period of temporary side casting not to exceed a total of 180 days, where appropriate. In wetlands, the top 6" to 12" of the trench should normally be backfilled with topsoil from the trench. Furthermore, the trench cannot be constructed in such a manner as to drain waters of the United States (e.g., backfilling with extensive gravel layers, creating a french drain effect). For example,.utility line trenches can be back-filled with clay blocks to ensure that the trench does not drain the waters of the United States through which the utility line is installed. Any exposed slopes and stream banks must be stabilized immediately upon completion of the utility line crossing of each waterbody. (ii) Utility line substations: The construction, maintenance, or expansion of a substation facility associated with a power line or utility line in non-tidal waters of the United States, excluding non-tidal wetlands adjacent to tidal waters, provided the activity does not result in the loss of greater than \1/2\ acre of non-tidal waters of the United States. (iii) Foundations for overhead utility line towers, poles; and anchors: The construction or maintenance of foundations for overhead utility line towers, poles, and anchors in all waters of the United States, provided the foundations are the minimum size necessary and separate footings for each tower leg (rather than a larger single pad) are used where feasible. (iv) Access roads: The construction of access roads for the construction and maintenance of utility lines, including overhead power lines and utility line substations,-in non-tidal waters. of the United States, excluding non-tidal wetlands adjacent to tidal waters, provided the discharge does not cause the loss of greater than \1/2\ acre of non-tidal waters of the United States. Access roads shall be the minimum width necessary (see Note 2, below). Access roads must be constructed so that the length of the road minimizes the adverse effects on waters of the United States and as near as possible to preconstruction contours and elevations (e.g., at grade corduroy roads or geotextile/gravel roads). Access roads constructed above preconstruction contours and elevations in waters of the United States must. be properly bridged or culverted to maintain surface flows. The term "utility line" does not include-activities which-drain a water of the United States, such as drainage tile or french drains; however, it does apply to pipes conveying drainage from another area. For the purposes of this NWP, the loss of waters of the United States includes the filled area plus waters of the United States that are adversely affected by flooding, excavation, or drainage as a result of the project. Activities authorized by paragraphs (i) through (iv) may not exceed a total of \1/2\ acre loss of waters of the United States. Waters of the United States temporarily affected by filling, flooding, excavation, or drainage, where the project area is restored to preconstruction contours and elevations, are not included in the calculation of permanent loss of waters of the United States. This includes temporary construction mats (e.g., timber, steel, geotextile) used during construction and removed upon completion of the work. Where certain functions and values of waters of the United States are permanently adversely affected, such as the conversion of a forested wetland to a herbaceous wetland in the permanently maintained utility line right-of-way, mitigation will be required to reduce the adverse effects of the project to the minimal level. Mechanized landclearing necessary for the construction, maintenance, or repair of utility lines and the construction, maintenance, and expansion of utility line substations, foundations for overhead utility lines, and access roads is authorized, provided the cleared area is kept to the minimum necessary and preconstruction contours are maintained as near as possible. The area of waters of the United States that is filled, excavated, or flooded must be limited to the minimum necessary to construct the utility line, substations, foundations, and access roads. Excess material must be removed to upland areas immediately upon completion of construction. This NWP may authorize utility lines in or affecting navigable waters of the United States, even if there is no associated discharge of dredged or fill material (See 33 CFR Part 322). Notification: The permittee must notify the District Engineer in accordance with General Condition 13, if any of the following criteria are met: (a) Mechanized land clearing in a forested wetland for the utility line right-of-way; (b) A Section 10 permit is required; (c) The. utility line in waters of the United States, excluding overhead lines, exceeds 500 feet; (d) The utility line is placed within a jurisdictional area (i.e., a water of the United States), and it runs parallel to a stream bed that is within that jurisdictional area; 2 (e) Discharges associated with the construction of utility line substations that result in the loss of greater than \ 1 / 10\ acre of waters of the. United States; (f) Permanent access roads constructed above grade in waters: of the United States for a distance of more than 500 feet; or . (g) Permanent access roads constructed in waters of the United States with impervious materials. (Sections 10 and 404) Note 1: Overhead utility lines constructed over Section 10 waters and utility lines that are routed in or under Section 10 waters without a discharge of dredged or fill material require a Section 10 permit; except for pipes or pipelines used to transport gaseous, liquid, liquefiable, or slurry substances over navigable waters of the United States, which are considered to be bridges, not utility lines, and may require a permit from the U.S. Coast Guard pursuant to Section 9 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899. However, any discharges of dredged or fill material associated with such pipelines will require a Corps permit under Section 404. Note 2: Access roads used for both construction and maintenance may be authorized, provided they meet the terms and conditions of this NWP. Access roads used solely for construction of the utility line must be removed upon completion of the work and the area restored to preconstruction contours, elevations, and wetland conditions. Temporary access roads for construction may be authorized by NWP 33. Note 3: Where the proposed utility line is constructed or installed in navigable waters of the United States (i.e., Section 10 waters), copies of the PCN and NWP verification will be sent by the Corps to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Ocean Service, for charting the utility line to protect navigation. 3 NATIONWIDE PERMIT #12: UTILITY LINE BACKFILL AND BEDDING SECTION 10 AND 404 PERMIT CONDITIONS 1..Navigation. .No activity may cause more than a minimal adverse effect on navigation. 2. Proper Maintenance. Any structure or fill authorized shall be properly maintained, including maintenance to ensure public safety. 3. Soil Erosion and Sediment Controls. Appropriate soil erosion and sediment controls must be. used and maintained in effective operating condition during construction, and all exposed soil and other fills, as well as any work below the ordinary high water mark or high tide line, must be permanently stabilized at the earliest practicable date. 4. Aquatic Life Movements. No activity may substantially disrupt the movement of those species of aquatic life indigenous to the waterbody, including those species which normally migrate through the area, unless the activity's primary purpose is to impound water. Culverts placed in streams must be installed to maintain low flow conditions. 5. Equipment. Heavy equipment working in wetlands must be placed on mats, or other measures must be taken to minimize soil disturbance. 6. Regional and Case-By-Case Conditions. The activity must comply with any regional conditions which may have been added by the Division Engineer (see 33 CFR 330.4(e)) and.with any case specific conditions added by the Corps or by the State or tribe in its Section 401 water quality certification and Coastal Zone Management Act consistency determination. 7. Wild and Scenic Rivers. No activity may occur in a component of the National Wild and Scenic River System; or in a river officially designated by Congress as a "study river" for possible inclusion in the system, while the river is in an official study status; unless the appropriate Federal agency, with direct management responsibility for such river, has determined in writing that the proposed activity will not adversely effect the Wild and Scenic River designation, or study status. Information on Wild and Scenic Rivers may be obtained from the appropriate Federal land management agency in the area (e.g., National Park Service, U.S: Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.) 8. Tribal rights. No activity or its operation may impair reserved tribal rights, including, but not limited to, reserved water rights and treaty fishing and hunting rights. 9. Water Quality Certification. The permittee must comply with all conditions of General Water Quality Certification No. 3288, issued by the North Carolina Division of Water Quality (NCDWQ) on June 1, 2000. 4 10. Coastal Zone Management.. The North Carolina Division of Coastal Management (NCDCM), has waived consistency. 11. Endangered Species. .. a. No activity is authorized under any NWP which is likely to jeopardize the continued existence of a threatened or endangered species or a species proposed for such designation, as identified under the Federal Endangered Species Act, or which is likely to destroy or adversely modify the critical habitat of such species. Non-Federal permittees shall notify the District Engineer if any listed species or designated critical habitat might be affected or is in the vicinity of the project, or is located in the designated critical habitat and shall not begin work on the activity until notified by the District Engineer that the requirements of the Endangered Species Act have been satisfied and that the activity is authorized. For activities that may affect Federally-listed endangered or threatened species or designated critical habitat, the notification must include the name(s) of the endangered or threatened species that may be affected by the proposed work or that utilize the designated critical habitat that may be affected by the proposed work. As a result of formal or informal consultation with the FWS or NMFS, the District Engineer may add species-specific regional endangered species conditions to the NWP's. b. Authorization of an activity by a NWP does not authorize the "take" of a threatened or endangered species as defined under the Federal Endangered Species Act. In the absence of separate authorization (e.g., an ESA Section 10 Permit, a Biological Opinion with "incidental take" provisions, etc.) from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service or the National Marine Fisheries Service, both lethal and non-lethal "takes" of protected species are in violation of the Endangered Species Act. Information on the location of threatened and endangered species and their critical habitat can be obtained directly from the offices of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service or their World Wide Web pages at http://www.fws.gov/r9endspp/endspp.html and http://nfms.gov/prot_res/esahome.html, respectively. 12. Historic Properties. No activity which may affect historic properties listed, or eligible for listing, in the National Register of Historic Places is authorized, until the District Engineer has complied with the provisions of 33 CFR part 325, Appendix C. The prospective permittee must notify the District Engineer if the authorized activity may affect any historic properties listed, determined to be eligible, or which the prospective permittee has reason to believe may be eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places, and shall not begin the activity until notified by the District Engineer that the requirements of the National Historic Preservation Act have been satisfied and that the activity is authorized. Informations on the location and existence of historic resources can be obtained from the State Historic Preservation Office and the National Register of Historic Places (see 33 CFR 330.4(g)). For activities that may affect historic properties listed in,. or eligible for listing in, the National Register of Historic Places, the notification must state which historic property may be affected by the proposed work or include a vicinity map indicating the location of the historic property. 5 I' . Notificatiom a. Timing. Where required by the terms of the NWP, the prospective permittee must notify the District Engineer with a PreConstruction Notification (PCN) as early as possible. The District Engineer must determine if the PCN is complete within 30 days of the date of receipt and can request the additional information necessary to make the PCN complete only once. However, if the prospective permittee does not provide all of the requested information, then the District Engineer will notify the prospective permittee that the PCN is still incomplete and-the PCN review process will not commence until all of the requested information has been received by the District Engineer. The prospective permittee shall not begin the activity: (1) Until notified in writing by the District Engineer that the activity may proceed under the NWP with any special conditions imposed by the District or Division Engineer; or (2) If notified by the District or Division Engineer that an individual permit is required; or (3) Unless 45 days have passed from the District Engineer's receipt of the complete notification and the prospective permittee has not received written notice from the District or Division Engineer. Subsequently, the permittee's right to proceed under the NWP may be modified, suspended, or revoked only in accordance with the procedure set forth in 33 CFR 330.5(d)(2); and b. Contents of notification. The notification must. be in writing and include the following information: (1) Name, address and telephone numbers of the prospective permittee; (2) Location of the proposed project; and (3) Brief description of the proposed project; the project's purpose; direct and indirect adverse environmental effects the project would cause; and other NWP(s), regional general permit(s) or individual permit(s) used or intended to be used to authorize any part of the proposed project or any related activity. (4) The'PCN must also include a delineation of affected special aquatic sites, including wetlands, vegetated. shallows (e.g., submerged aquatic vegetation, seagrass beds), and riffle and pool complexes (see paragraph 13(f)); c. Form of Notification: The standard individual permit application form (Form. ENG 4345) may be used as the notification but must clearly indicate that it is a PCN and must include all the information required in b.(1)-(4) of General Condition 13. A letter containing the 6 requisite information may also be used. . d. District Engineer's Decision: In reviewing the PCN for the proposed- activity, the District Engineer will determine whether the activity authorized by the NWP will result in more than minimal individual or cumulative adverse environmental effects or may be contrary to the public interest. The prospective permittee may, optionally, submit a proposed mitigation plan with the PCN to expedite the process and the District Engineer will consider any proposed compensatory mitigation the applicant has included in the proposal in determining whether the net adverse environmental effects to the Aquatic environment of the proposed work are minimal. If the District Engineer determines that the activity complies with the terms and conditions of the NWP and that the effects on the aquatic environment are minimal, the District Engineer will notify the permittee and include any conditions the District Engineer deems necessary. Any compensatory mitigation proposal must be approved by the District Engineer prior to commencing work. If the prospective permittee is required to submit a compensatory mitigation proposal with the PCN, the proposal may be either conceptual or detailed. If the prospective permittee elects to submit a compensatory mitigation plan with the PCN, the District Engineer will expeditiously review the proposed compensatory mitigation plan. The District Engineer must review the plan within 45 days of receiving a complete PCN and determine whether the conceptual or specific proposed mitigation would ensure no more than minimal adverse effects on the aquatic environment. If the net adverse effects of the project on the aquatic environment (after consideration of the compensatory mitigation proposal) are determined by the District Engineer to be minimal, the District Engineer will provide a timely written response to the applicant stating that the project can proceed under the terms and conditions of the nationwide permit. If the District Engineer determines that the adverse effects of the proposed work are more than minimal, then he will notify the applicant either: (1) that the project does not qualify for authorization under the NWP and instruct the applicant on the procedures to seek authorization under an individual permit; (2) that the project is authorized under the NWP subject to the applicant's submission of a mitigation proposal that would reduce the adverse effects on the aquatic environment to the minimal level; or (3) that the project is authorized under the NWP with specific modifications or conditions. Where the District Engineer determines that mitigation is required in order to ensure no more than minimal adverse effects on the aquatic environment, the activity will be authorized within the 45-day PCN period, including the necessary conceptual or specific mitigation or a requirement that the applicant submit a mitigation proposal that would reduce the adverse effects on the aquatic environment to the minimal level. When conceptual mitigation is included, or a mitigation plan is required under item (2) above, no work in waters of the United States will occur until the District Engineer has approved a specific mitigation plan. 7 e. Agency Coordination. The District Engineer will consider any comments from Federal and State agencies concerning the proposed activity's compliance with the terms and conditions of the NWPs and the need for mitigation to reduce the project's adverse effects on the aquatic environment to a minimal- level. For activities requiring notification to the District Engineer that result in the loss of greater than % acre of waters of the United States, the District Engineer will, upon receipt of a notification, provide immediately (e.g., via facsimile transmission, overnight mail, or other expeditious manner), a copy to the appropriate offices of the Fish and Wildlife Service, State natural resource or water quality agency, EPA, State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO), and, if appropriate, the National Marine Fisheries Service. { With the exception of NWP 37) These agencies will then have 10 calendar days from the date the material is transmitted to telephone or fax the District Engineer notice that they intend to provide substantive, site-specific comments. If so contacted by an agency, the District Engineer will wait an additional 15 calendar days before making a decision on the notification. The District Engineer will fully consider agency comments received within the specified time frame, but will provide no response to the resource agency, except as provided below. The District Engineer will indicate in the administrative record associated with each notification that the resource agencies' concerns were considered. As required by Section 305(b)(4)(B) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the District Engineer will provide a response to National Marine Fisheries Service within 30 days of receipt of any Essential Fish Habitat conservation recommendations. Applicants are encouraged to provide the Corps multiple copies of notifications to expedite agency notification. f.. Wetlands Delineations. Wetland delineations must be prepared in accordance with the current method required by the Corps. {For NWP 29 see paragraph (b)(9)(iii) for parcels less than % acre in size.) The permittee may ask the Corps to delineate the special aquatic site. There may be some delay if the Corps does the delineation. Furthermore, the 45-day period will not start until the wetland delineation has been completed and submitted to the Corps, where appropriate. g. For activities that may adversely affect Federally-listed endangered or threatened species, the PCN must include the name(s) of those endangered or threatened species that may be affected by the proposed work or utilize the designated critical habitat that may be affected by the proposed work. h. For activities that may affect historic properties listed in, or eligible for listing in, the National Register of Historic Places, the PCN must state which historic property may be affected by the proposed work or include a vicinity map indicating the location of the historic property. is For NWP 12, where the proposed work involves discharges of dredged or fill into waters of the United States resulting in permanent, above-grade fills within I00-year floodplains (as identified on FEMA's Flood Insurance Rate Maps or FEMA-approved local floodplain maps), 8 the notification must include documentation demonstrating that the proposed work complies with the appropriate FEMA or FEMA-approved local floodplain construction requirements. . j. For activities-that may adversely affect Federally-listed endangered or threatened species, the PCN must include the name(s) of those endangered or threatened species that may be affected by the proposed work or utilize the designated critical habitat that may be affected by the proposed work. k. For activities that may affect historic properties listed in, or eligible for listing in, the National Register of Historic Places, the PCN must state which historic property may be affected by the proposed work or include a vicinity map indicating the location of the historic property. 14. Compliance Certification. Every permittee who has received a Nationwide permit . . verification from the Corps will submit a signed certification regarding the completed work and any required mitigation. The certification will be forwarded by the Corps with the authorization letter. The certification will include: a. A statement that the authorized work was done in accordance with the Corps authorization, including any general or specific conditions; b. A statement that any required mitigation was completed in accordance with the permit conditions; and c. The signature of the permittee certifying the completion of the work and mitigation. 15. Use of Multiple Nationwide Permits. The use of more than one NWP for a single and complete project is prohibited, except when the acreage loss of waters of the United States authorized by the NWPs does not exceed the acreage limit of the NWP with the highest specified acreage limit. For example, if a road crossing over tidal waters is constructed under NWP 14, with associated bank stabilization authorized by NWP 13, the maximum acreage loss of waters of the United States for the total project cannot exceed 1/3 acre. 16. Water Supply Intakes. No activity, including structures and work in navigable waters of the United States or discharges of dredged or fill material, may occur in the proximity of a public water supply intake except where the activity is for repair of the public water supply intake structures or adjacent bank stabilization. 17. Shellfish Beds. No activity, including structures and work in navigable waters of the United . States or discharges of dredged or fill material, may occur in areas of concentrated shellfish populations,. unless the activity is directly related to a shellfish harvesting activity authorized by NWP 4. 18. Suitable Material. No activity, including structures and work in navigable waters of the United States or discharges of dredged or fill material, may consist of unsuitable material (e.g., 9 trash, debris, car bodies, asphalt, etc.) and material used for construction or discharged must be free from toxic pollutants in toxic amounts (see Section 307 of the Clean Water Act). 19. Mitigation. The project must be designed and constructed to avoid and minimize adverse effects to waters of the United States to. the maximum extent practicable at the project site (i.e., on site). Mitigation will be required when necessary to ensure that the adverse effects to the aquatic environment. are minimal. The District Engineer will consider the factors discussed below when determining the acceptability of appropriate and practicable mitigation necessary to offset adverse effects on the aquatic environment that are more than minimal a. Compensatory mitigation at a minimum 1:1 ratio will be required for all wetland impacts requiring a PCN. Consistent with National Policy, the District Engineer will establish a preference for restoration of wetlands to meet the minimum compensatory mitigation ratio, with preservation used only in exceptional circumstances. b. To be practicable, the mitigation must be available and capable of being done considering costs, existing technology, and logistics in light of the overall project purposes. Examples of mitigation that may be appropriate and practicable include, but are not limited to: reducing the size of the project; establishing and maintaining wetland or upland vegetated buffers to protect open waters such as streams; and replacing losses of aquatic resource functions and values by creating, restoring, enhancing, or preserving similar functions and values, preferably in the same watershed; c. The District Engineer will require restoration, creation, enhancement, or preservation of other aquatic resources in order to offset the authorized impacts to the extent necessary to ensure that the adverse effects on the aquatic environment are minimal. An important element of any compensatory mitigation plan for projects in or near streams or other open waters is the establishment and maintenance, to the maximum extent practicable, of vegetated buffers next to open waters on the project site. The vegetated buffer should consist of native species. The District Engineer will determine the appropriate width of the vegetated buffer and in which cases it will be required. Normally, the vegetated buffer will be 25 to 50 feet wide on each side of the stream, but the District Engineer may require wider vegetated buffers to address documented water quality concerns. If there are open waters on the project site and the District Engineer requires compensatory mitigation for wetland impacts to ensure that the net adverse effects on the aquatic environment are minimal, any vegetated buffer will comprise no more than 1/3 of the remaining compensatory mitigation acreage after the permanently filled wetlands have been replaced on a one-to-one acreage basis. In addition; compensatory mitigation must address adverse effects on wetland functions and values and cannot be used to offset the acreage of wetland losses that would occur in order to meet the acreage limits of some of the NWPs (e.g., for NWP 39, 1/4 acre of wetlands cannot be created to change a %2 acre loss of wetlands to a'i/4 acre loss; however, % acre of created wetlands can be used to reduce the impacts of a 1/3 acre loss of wetlands). If the prospective permittee is required to submit a compensatory mitigation proposal with the PCN, the proposal may be either conceptual or detailed. 10 d. To the extent appropriate, permittees should consider mitigation banking and other appropriate forms.of compensatory mitigation. If the District Engineer determines that compensatory mitigation.is necessary to offset losses of waters of the United States and ensure that the net adverse effects of the authorized work on the aquatic environment are minimal, consolidated mitigation approaches, such as mitigation banks, will be the preferred method of providing.compensatory mitigation, unless the District Engineer determines that activity-specific compensatory mitigation is more appropriate, based on which is best for the aquatic environment. These types of mitigation are preferred because they involve larger blocks of protected aquatic environment, are more likely to meet the mitigation goals, and are more easily checked for compliance. If a mitigation bank or other consolidated mitigation. approach is not available in the water shed, the District Engineer will consider other appropriate forms of compensatory mitigation to offset the losses of waters of the United States to ensure that the net adverse effects of the authorized work on the aquatic environment are minimal. 20. Spawning Areas. Activities, including structures and work in navigable waters of the United States or discharges of dredged or fill material, in spawning areas during spawning seasons must be avoided to the maximum extent practicable. Activities that result in the physical destruction (e.g., excavate, fill, or smother downstream by substantial turbidity) of an important spawning area are not authorized. 21. Management of Water Flows. To the maximum extent practicable, the activity must be designed to maintain preconstruction downstream flow conditions (e.g., location, capacity, and flow rates). Furthermore, the activity must not permanently restrict or impede the passage of . normal or expected high flows (unless the primary purpose of the fill is to impound waters) and the structure or discharge of dredged or fill material must withstand expected high flows. The activity must, to the maximum extent practicable, provide for retaining excess flows from the site, provide for maintaining surface flow rates from the site similar to preconstruction conditions, and must not increase water flows from the project site, relocate water, or redirect water flow beyond preconstruction conditions. In addition, the activity must, to the maximum extent practicable, reduce adverse effects such as flooding or erosion downstream and upstream of the project site, unless the activity is part of a larger system designed to manage water flows. 22. Adverse Effects From Impoundments. If the activity, including structures and work in navigable waters of the United States or discharge of dredged or fill material, creates an impoundment of water, adverse effects on the aquatic system caused by the accelerated passage of water and/or the restriction of its flow shall be minimized to the maximum extent practicable 23. Waterfowl Breeding Areas. Activities, including structures and work in navigable waters of the United States or discharges of dredged or fill material, into breeding areas for migratory waterfowl must be avoided to the maximum extent practicable. 24. Removal of Temporary Fills. Any temporary fills must be removed in their entirety and the affected areas returned to their preexisting elevation. 11 25. Designated Critical Resource Waters. Critical resource waters include, NOAA-designated marine sanctuaries, National Estuarine Research Reserves, National Wild and Scenic Rivers, critical habitat for Federally listed threatened and endangered species, coral reefs, State natural heritage sites, and outstanding national resource waters or other waters officially designated by a- State as having particular environmental or ecological significance and identified by the District Engineer. after notice and opportunity for public comment. a. Except as noted below, discharges of dredged or fill material into waters of the United States are not authorized by NWP 12 for any activity within, or directly affecting, critical resource waters, including wetlands adjacent to such waters. Discharges of dredged or fill materials into waters of the United States may be authorized by the above NWP in National Wild and Scenic Rivers if the activity complies with General Condition 7. Further, such discharges may be authorized in designated critical habitat for Federally listed threatened or endangered species if the activity complies with General Condition 11 and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service or the National Marine Fisheries Service has concurred in a determination of compliance with this condition. 26. Fills within 100-year floodplains. For purposes of this general condition, 100-year floodplains will be identified through the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Flood Insurance Rate Mps or FEMA-approved local floodplain maps. a. Discharge Below Headwaters. Discharges of dredged or fill material into waters of the United States resulting in permanent, above-grade fills within the 100-year floodplain at or below the point on a stream where the average annual flow is five cubic feet per second (i. e., below headwaters), the prospective permittee must notify the District Engineer in accordance with General Condition 13 and the notification must include documentation that any permanent, above-grade fills in waters of the United States within the 100-year floodplain below headwaters comply with FEMA or FEMA-approved local floodplain construction requirements. b. Discharges in Headwaters (i.e., above the point on a stream where the average annual flow is five cubic feet per second). (1) Flood Fringe. Discharges of dredged or fill material into waters of the United States resulting in permanent, above-grade fills within the flood fringe of the 100-year floodplain of headwaters are not authorized by NWPs 12, unless the prospective permittee notifies the District Engineer in accordance with General Condition 13. The notification must include documentation that such discharges comply with FEMA or FEMA-approved local floodplain construction requirements. (2) Floodway. Discharges of dredged or fill material into waters of the United States resulting in -permanent, above-grade fills with the floodway of the 100-year floodplain of headwaters, the permittee must notify the District Engineer in accordance with General Condition 13 and the notification must include documentation that any permanent, above grade 12 fills proposed in the floodway comply with FEMA or FEMA-approved local floodplain construction requirements. 27: The permitee understands and agrees that, if future operations by the United States require the removal, relocation, or other alteration, -of the structure or work herein authorized, or if, in the opinion of the Secretary of the Army or his authorized representative, said structure or work shall cause unreasonable obstruction to the free navigation of the navigable waters, the permittee will be required, upon due notice from the Corps of Engineers, to remove, relocate, or alter the structural work or obstructions caused thereby, without expense to the United States. No claim shall be made against the United States on account of any such removal or alteration. Special Regional Conditions 1. The following waters within the State of North Carolina will be excluded from use of Nationwide Permits #12: Discharges into Waters of the United States designated by the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries as anadromous fish spawning area are prohibited during the period between March 1 and May 30. II. The following waters within the State of North Carolina will be subject to additional notification requirements for activities authorized by Nationwide Permits # 12: Before the nationwide permits listed above can be utilized in a designated "Outstanding Resource Water" (ORW) (as defined by the North Carolina Division of Water Quality) or a "Primary Nursery Area" (PNA) (as defined by the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries) within the State of North Carolina, the prospective permittee must notify the District Engineer with a preconstruction notification pursuant to the procedures identified in Nationwide Permit General Condition # 13. III. The following waters within the State of North Carolina will be subject to additional notification requirements for activities authorized by Nationwide Permits #12: A. Before the nationwide permits listed above can be utilized in a designated "Area of Environmental Concern" (AEC) in the twenty (20) counties of Eastern North Carolina covered by the North Carolina Coastal Area Management Act (CAMA), a proponent must first obtain the required CAMA permit and furnish a copy of the CAMA permit to the appropriate Wilmington District Regulatory Field Office (Wilmington Field Office - P.O. Box 1890, Wilmington, NC 28402 or Washington Field Office - P.O. Box 1000, Washington, NC 27889). 13 B. Before the nationwide permits listed above can be utilized on a barrier island of North Carolina, proponents must notify the Wilmington District Engineer in accordance with General Condition 13 and furnish a written statement of compliance with.all of the conditions of the applicable nationwide permit. C. Before the nationwide permits listed above can be utilized in a "Mountain or Piedmont Bog" of North Carolina, proponents must notify the Wilmington District Engineer in accordance with General Condition 13 and furnish a written statement of compliance with all of-the conditions of the applicable nationwide permit. Note: The following wetland community types as identified by the N.C. Natural Heritage Program document entitled, "Classification of Natural communities of North Carolina (Michael P. Schafale and Alan S. Weakley, 1990), are subject to this regional condition. Mountain Bogs Swamp Forest-Bog Complex Swamp Forest-Bog Complex (Spruce Subtype Southern Appalachian Bog (Northern Subtype) Southern Appalachian Bog (Southern Subtype) Southern Appalachian Fen Piedmont Bo Upland depression Swamp Forest D. Before the nationwide permits listed above can be utilized within twenty-five (25) designated counties of North Carolina that contain trout waters, proponents must notify the Wilmington District Engineer in accordance with General Condition. 13 and furnish a written statement of compliance with all of the conditions of the applicable nationwide permit. Notification will include a letter of comments and recommendations from North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC), the location of work, a delineation of wetlands, a discussion of alternatives to working in the mountain trout waters and why alternatives were not selected, and a plan to provide compensatory mitigation for all unavoidable adverse impacts to the mountain trout waters. To facilitate coordination with the NCWRC, the proponent may provide a copy of the notification to the NCWRC concurrent with the notification to the District Engineer. The NCWRC will respond both to the proponent and directly to the Corps of Engineers. The twenty-five (25) designated counties are: Alleghany Ashe Avery 14 Buncombe Burke Caldwell Cherokee Clay Graham Haywood Henderson Jackson Macon Madison McDowell Mitchell Polk Rutherford Stokes Surry Swain Transylvania Watauga Wilkes Yancey To obtain the required letter from the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, a proponent should contact: North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission Habitat Conservation Program Manager 1721 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-1721 Telephone (919) 733-7638 IV. Regional conditions for specific Nationwide Permits within the State of North Carolina are as follows: a. Measures will be taken to prevent live or fresh concrete, including bags of uncured concrete, from coming into contact with waters of the United States until the concrete has hardened. b. Where riprap material is utilized to stabilize banks and to comply with Nationwide Permit General Condition #3, Soil Erosion and Sediment Controls, the permittee is required to utilize filter cloth prior to the placement of the riprap material. C. Pipeline/utility line construction through jurisdictional waters and wetlands will be accomplished utilizing directional drilling/boring methods to the maximum extent practicable. d. Temporary discharge of excavated or fill material into waters of the United States including wetlands will be for the absolute minimum period of time necessary to accomplish the work. Temporary discharges will be fully contained with appropriate erosion control/containment methods or otherwise such fills will consist of non-erodible materials. e. The areas of waters of the United States that are disturbed will be limited to the minimum necessary to install the utility line. The work area authorized by this permit, including temporary access roadways and permanent fills will be minimized to the greatest extent practicable. Justification for work corridors exceeding forty (40) feet in width is required 15 and will be based on pipeline diameter and length, size of equipment required to construct the utility line, and other construction information deemed necessary to support the request. The applicant is required to provide this information to the District Engineer with the initial notification package. f. Temporary access roadways will not span more than one-half the distance across any waters of the United States including wetlands at any one time. g. In areas where a subaqueous utility line is to cross a Federally maintained channel, i.e., the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (AIWW), it will be buried at a minimum depth of six (6) feet below the depth of the authorized channel. In other areas where subaqueous lines are subject to interfere with navigation, they will be installed at a minimum depth of two (2) feet below the substrate. h. The minimum clearance for aerial communication lines, or any lines not transmitting electrical power, will be ten (10) feet above the clearance required for stationary bridges in the vicinity as established by the U.S. Coast Guard. In the event the U.S. Coast Guard has not established a bridge clearance, minimum vertical clearances for power and aerial lines will not be less than required by Section 23, Rule 232, of the latest revision of the National Electrical Safety Code (ANSI C2). Clearances will not be less than shown in Table 232-1, Item 7, ANSI C2. i. The clearance for an aerial line is based on the low point of the line under conditions that produce the greatest sag, taking into consideration temperature, load, wind, length or span and the type of supports. The minimum clearance for an aerial electrical power transmission line will be governed by the system voltage as indicated below: Nominal System Voltage, kilovolt 115 and below 138 161 230 350 500 700 750 to 765 Minimum Clearance Above Bridge Clearance (As Established by the U.S. Coast Guard) 20 feet 22 24 26 30 35 42 45 j. A plan to restore and revegetate wetland areas cleared for construction must be submitted with the required preconstruction notification. Cleared wetland areas will be revegetated to 16 written concurrence from DWQ in accordance with 15A NCAC 2B.0233, 15A NCAC 2B .0259 and .0250 and 15A NCAC 2H .0500. New development activities located in the protected 50- foot wide riparian areas (whether jurisdictional wetlands or not) within the Neuse, Tar-Pamlico and Randleman River Basins shall be limited to "uses" identified within and constructed in accordance with 15A NCAC 2B .0233, 15A NCAC 2B .0259 and .0250. All new development shall be located, designed, constructed, and maintained to have minimal disturbance to protect water quality to the maximum extent practicable through the use of best management practices. Activities listed as "exempt" from these rules do not need to apply for written concurrence under this Certification; 7. Measures shall be taken to prevent live or fresh concrete from coming into contact with waters of the state until the concrete has hardened; 8. Herbicides can be applied in wetlands or other waters only when applied by a certified applicator and in strict accordance with product labeling; 9. Placement of riprap is restricted to the stream bottom and banks directly impacted by the placement of the utility line. Riprap may only be used below the normal high water level. The stream berm must be restored to the original contour after construction. Placement of rip rap or other materials shall not result in de-stabilization of the stream bed or banks upstream of downstream of the crossing; 10. That appropriate sediment and erosion control practices which equal or exceed those outlined in the most recent version of the "North Carolina Sediment and Erosion Control Planning and Design Manual" or the "North Carolina Surface Mining Manual" whichever is more appropriate (available from the Division of Land Resources (DLR) in the DENR Regional or Central Offices) shall be in full compliance with all specifications governing the proper design, installation and operation and maintenance of such Best Management Practices in order to assure compliance with the appropriate turbidity water quality standard; 11. All sediment and erosion control measures placed in wetlands or waters shall be removed and the natural grade restored within two months after the Division of Land Resources has released the project; 12. Annual species suitable for wet locations shall be planted and established within jurisdictional wetlands for soil and erosion control. Perennials such as fescue are prohibited; 13. No fertilizer shall be applied within 10 feet (3 meters) of streams; 14. The construction corridor (including access roads and stockpiling of materials) is limited to 40 feet (12.2 meters) in width in wetlands and across stream channels and must be minimized to the maximum extent practicable; 15. Permanent, maintained access corridors shall be restricted to the minimum width practicable 18 the maximum extent practicable with native species of canopy, shrub, and herbaceous species. Fescue grass will not be utilized. k. A compensatory mitigation plan for activities under this nationwide permit will be submitted with all required preconstruction notifications. STATE CONSISTENCY CONDITION Consistency waived. WATER QUALITY CERTIFICATIONS CONDITIONS 1. Activities covered by this General Certification do not require written concurrence from the Division of Water Quality as long as they comply with all conditions of this General Certification and the conditions of Nationwide 12 or Regional Permit 198100049 as appropriate. Any condition in this Certification which the applicant believes cannot be met requires an application and written concurrence from DWQ. Also, Condition No. 6 is applicable to all streams in basins with riparian area protection rules; 2. In accordance with North Carolina General Statute Section 143-215.3D(e), any request for written concurrence for a 401 Water Quality Certification must include the appropriate fee. If a project also requires a CANIA Permit, one payment to both agencies shall be submitted and will be the higher of the two fees; 3. In accordance with 15A NCAC 21-1.0506 (h) compensatory mitigation may be required for stream and/or wetland impacts. Streamside buffer mitigation may be required for any project with Buffer Rules in effect at the time of application. A determination of buffer, wetland and stream mitigation requirements shall be made by DWQ for any Certification involving written concurrences including those for relevant Buffer Rules; 4. The edge of the construction corridor shall not be installed parallel to and closer than 10 feet (3 meters) to a stream. Utility lines shall not cross a stream channel at other than a near- perpendicular direction (i.e., stream channel crossings shall not be at an angle of less than 75 degrees or more than 105 degrees to the stream bank); 5. Any wastewater line that crosses any stream shown on the most recent version of the 1:24,000 USGS topographic map or NRCS (SCS) County Soil Survey as permanent or intermittent shall be installed with no joints connected within the footprint of a stream channel or within 2 feet of the stream banks. Otherwise, written concurrence from DWQ is required; 6. Impacts to any stream length in the Neuse, Tar-Pamlico and Randleman River Basins requires 17 and shall not exceed 10 feet (3 meters) in width except at manhole locations. A 10 feet (3 meters) by 10 feet (3 meters) perpendicular vehicle turnaround must be spaced at least 500 feet (152.4 meters) apart. Written concurrence is required if the maintenance corridor is greater than 10 feet (3 meters) wide except that a maintenance corridor larger than ten feet is acceptable for gas pipelines as long as mitigation is provided for additional wetland fills to the maintenance corridor beyond those widths specified in this General Certification; 16. An anti-seep collar shall be placed at the downstream (utility line gradient) wetland boundary and every 150 feet (45.7 meters) up the gradient until the utility exits the wetland for buried utility lines. Anti-seep collars may be constructed with class B concrete, compacted clay, PVC pipe, or metal collars. Wetland crossings that are directionally drilled, and perpendicular wetland crossings that are open cut and less than 150 feet (45.7 meters) long do not require anti-seep collars. The compacted clay shall have a specific discharge of 1 X 10- 5 cm/sec or less. A section and plan view diagram is attached for the anti-seep collars; The following specifications shall apply to class B concrete: a. Minimum cement content, sacks per cubic yard with rounded course aggregate 5.0 b. Minimum cement content, sacks per cubic yard with angular course aggregate 5.5 c. Maximum water-cement ratio gallons per sack 6.8 d. Slump range 2" to 4" e. Minimum strength - 28 day psi 2,500 17. This General Certification does not authorize any permanent changes in pre-construction elevation contours in waters or wetlands or stream dimension, pattern or profile. The permittee will have a specific plan for restoring wetland contours. Any excess material will be removed to a high ground disposal area; 18. If an environmental document is required, this Certification is not valid until a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) or Record of Decision (ROD) is issued by the State Clearinghouse. All water quality-related conditions of the FONSI or ROD shall become conditions of this Certification; 19. Stormwater management will not be required for this Certification as long as all other Conditions are met. However, in the twenty coastal counties, the appropriate DWQ Regional Office must be contacted to determine if Coastal Stormwater Regulations still apply; 20. Compensatory mitigation (i.e., restoration, creation or preservation) for wetland losses will not be required for this Certification if written concurrence is not needed; 19 21. Payment of a dollar per acre figure into the Wetland Restoration Program for these impacts is acceptable when compensatory mitigation is required as long as the Wetlands Restoration Program agrees in writing to accept this payment. Other mitigation plans must receive written DWQ concurrence; 22. This Certification does not relieve the applicant of the responsibility to obtain all other required Federal, State or local approvals; 23. Additional site-specific conditions may be added to projects for which written concurrence is required or requested under this Certification in order to ensure compliance with all applicable water quality and effluent standards; 24. Concurrence from DWQ that this Certification applies to.an individual project shall expire three years from the date of the cover letter from DWQ or on the same day as the expiration date of the corresponding Nationwide Permit 12 or Regional Permit 198100049 whichever is sooner; 25. When written concurrence is required, the applicant is required to use the enclosed Certification of Completion form to notify DWQ when all work included in the 401 Certification has been completed. Non-compliance with or violation of the conditions herein set forth by a specific fill project may result in revocation of this Certification for the project and may also result in criminal and/or civil penalties. 20