19970998 Ver 1_Complete File_19971112

FEB,-25'98(WED) 12:35 DEHNR COSTAL MGMT
State of North Carolina
Department of Environment,
Health and Natural Resources
Division of Coastal Management
James B. Hunt, Jr., Governor
Wayne Mcllevitt, Secretary
Roger N. Schecter, Director
9 VT
TEL:[phone] P. 001
ro;
s
21/07/97

KIM Fr7
r-k
MICEIVED
NOV 10 1997
WATER QUALITY SECTION
Non•aacharge Compliance 5nf.
Mr. John R. Dorney .
NC DEN&N.R
Division o-f Water Quality
P.C. Box 27687
. ?Raledgh, NC 276.1 2 :...:..... .. ... ::..:... _ ....._._, ,_ . , _. ., _:....,......? .;. ??_
REFERENCE. CD97-36 County: Perquimans
Applicant/spo.n.5r)r. U.S. Fish ,end Wildlife sex-v'iCe
Expansion of Pocosin Lakes Mational Wildlife Refuge
Dear Mr. Dorney:.
The attached consistency Dete;-mination, dated 30123197
descri.bing.a proposed Fedex-al Activity is being cirau24ted to
state agencies for comments concerning the proposales consistency
with the North caro2ina Coastal Management progzam.
Please indicate your viewpoint: on the proposal and return this
farm to me before .11125197
- )Siiecerely'
en en on
Consistency Coordinator
REPLY This office objects to the project as proposed,
Comments on this project are attached.
This offices s the project proposal.
-No comment.- wu6k-
Signed
Date. 2.
P.n. Box 27887, Raleigh. North Carolina 27611-7687 ' Telephone [phone]
An equal Opportunity Affirmative Aesion Employer 60% Recycled / 10% Post-Coneumer Paper

O? P??,gNT OF lh?,2m
o
-- 9
?ggCH 3 ,9A
W REPLY REFER TO:
FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE
1875 Century Boulevard
Atlanta, Georgia 30345
October 23, 1997
NOV 0 4 1997
COASTAL MANAGEMENT
PD-North Carolina
Pocosin Lakes NWR
Approvals
Mr. Roger N. Schecter, Director
Department of Environment, Health,
and Natural Resources
Division of Coastal Management
225 North McDowell Street
Raleigh, North Carolina 27602
Dear Mr. Schecter:
As required by the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 1451 gt M.), a
consistency determination was prepared by this agency for the expansion of the Pocosin Lakes
National Wildlife Refuge, in Tyrrell County, North Carolina.
Please find enclosed a copy of the consistency determination for your review. Should you
have any questions regarding the documents, please contact Ms. Rose Robinson at (404)
679-7247.
Sincerely yours,
14-t- Sam D. Hamilton
Regional Director
V ri <bi fka t c? ?? ?TU? M. Q't?
United States Department of the Interior -?-o 4"',-
RECEDIVED
Enclosure

Consistency Determination
Proposed Action: Expansion of the Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), Tyrrell
County, North Carolina
Proponent: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Region IV, Atlanta, Georgia
Project Description:
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) is proposing to accept a donation of
approximately 73 acres of land (four tracts) in Tyrrell County to expand the refuge (Figure
1). These lands lie just south of the town of Columbia and east of the Scuppernong River
on either side of Highway 94. The objectives of the Pocosin Lakes NWR include:
protection and restoration of wetlands;
2. protection of the watershed of nearby lakes, rivers, and estuaries;
3. protection and enhancement of production habitat for wood ducks;
4. protection and enhancement of wintering waterfowl habitat;
5. protection and enhancement of migratory songbird habitat;
6. protection and enhancement of habitat for endangered and threatened species and
species of special concern;
7. providing opportunities for wildlife-oriented interpretation and outdoor recreation;
and,
8. providing opportunities for environmental education.
Long-term management of the proposed expansion site would promote the revegetation of
a 26-acre tract with native forested wetland species to restore the area to its native state and
make it more productive for wildlife. A 38-acre tract of forested wetlands would be
managed to maintain productivity. The two smaller tracts have an interpretive trail and
an outdoor classroom. These tracts along with the restored wetland and natural wetland
tracts would provide an excellent environmental education opportunity for the refuge and
allow the refuge to protect and restore the wetland sites.
Consistency Determination
In accordance with the Federal Consistency requirements of Section 307 of the Coastal
Zone Management Act of 1972, as amended, the project has been reviewed for consistency
with the North Carolina Coastal Management Program. Based on that review it has been
determined that the project is consistent to the maximum extent practicable with the
program. The following information is provided to support this determination.
Areas of Environmental Concern (AECQ
Within the boundary of the refuge are estuarine system AECs. The project is consistent,
based on a review of the refuge objectives, the currently planned management action
(environmental education), and use standards for each estuarine system land and water
category.
15 NCAC 7H .0203 Management Objective of the Estuarine System
"It is the objective of the Coastal Resources Commission to give high priority to the
protection and coordinated management of estuarine waters, coastal wetlands, public trust
areas, and estuarine shorelines, as an interrelated group of AECs so as to safeguard and
perpetuate their biological, social, economic, and aesthetic values and to insure that
development occurring within these AECs is compatible with natural characteristics so as
to minimize the likelihood of significant loss of private property and public resources,
Furthermore, it is the objective of the Coastal Resources Commission to protect present
common-law and statutory public rights of access to the lands and waters of the coastal
area. "
In keeping with these objectives, the expansion of the refuge by the Service will provide
long term protection to the AECs within the refuge boundary. The effect of the refuge will
be to prevent unacceptable land uses and development on these AECS, tobprovide for the
protection of the natural resources of the area, and to provide for public access to these
lands and waters.
Conclusion
The stated objectives of the project and the planned management action are compatible with
the objectives of the Coastal Resources Commission. However, future management
actions affecting estuarine AECs will require Service review and consistency
determinations. Therefore, I have determined that the expansion of the Pocosin Lakes
National Wildlife Refuge is consistent with the North Carolina Coastal Management.
Program.
;Oe?
74 Sam D. Hamilton
Regional Director
Figure 1. Proposed expansion areas, Pocosin Lakes National
Wildlife Refuge, Tyrrell County, North Carolina.