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STATE of NORTH CAROLINA
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
JAMES B. HUNK JR. 11.0. 13ox 25201. RALEIGH. N.C. 27611-5201 DAVIU MCCoY"
Govr:RNOR SECRETARY
28 February 2000
US Army Corps of Engineers
Wilmington Regulatory Field Office
PO Box 1890
Wilmington, NC 28402-1890
ATTENTION: Mr. David Timpy
NC DOT Coordinator
Dcar Sir:
Subject: Permit Modification for Duplin County. Replacement of Bridge No. 74 over
Muddy Creek on NC 41-111, Federal Aid Project No. BRSTP-41(2), State Project
No. 8.1241601. T.I.P. No. B-2955. Action L.D. 199706490.
On November 20, 1997, your office issued a Section 404 Nationwide Permit 23 for the
replacement of the subject bridge over Muddy Creek. This permit expired on November 20.
1999. The project is scheduled to be let to construction on June 20, 2000. Consequently we
need to renew authorization for this work. Information regarding this project has changed since
the distribution of the Categorical Exclusion (CF) on May 30, 1997.
As described in the CE, document, bridge number 74 will be replaced in its existing
location with a new bridge 150 feet lone and 30 feet wide. Traffic will be maintained during
construction with an on-site detour. The on-site detour bridge will be 100 feet long, not 70 feet
long as proposed in the CE. The approach work will extend approximately 450 feet north and
500 feet south of the bridge, for a total project length of 1 100 feet, instead of 1700 feet as
described in the CE.
In addition. the Categorical Exclusion estimated permanent wetland impacts associated
with the bridge replacement to be 0.40 acres and temporary impacts resulting from the associated
on-site detour to be 1.73 acres for a total of 2.13 acres. Since the original documentation on this
project, the wetlands have been delineated (February 15. 2000, by Dale Suiter and Jared Gray)
and we have determined more precise wetland impacts. '['he revised wetland impacts will be 0.03
acres of permanent impacts. 0.34 acres of temporary impacts resulting from fill for the detour
bridge approaches and 0.32 acres of impacts related to mechanized clearing for a total of 0.69
acres of wetland impacts. Much of the project area is surrounded by high quality cypress-gum
swamp associated with Muddy Creek, with the exception of a 60 foot wide strip of previously
filled swamp on the east side of NC 41. This fill extends for most of the length of the project.
with the exception of the area immediately surrounding Muddy Creek and appears to have been
in place for some time. The on-site detour will be located on this till. NCDOT anticipates the
only till necessary will be for the approaches to the detour bridge adjacent to Muddy Creek. It
may also be necessary to add a small amount of Fill material on top of the existing till material on
the south side of Muddy Creek to bring that part of the detour up to a higher elevation. If this is
necessary, this fill will not exceed the eastern limits of the existing till.
In addition to removing all new fill material associated with the approaches to the
temporary detour bridge, NCDOT will also remove the till material that is already present down
to the elevation of the adjacent wetland. Then, the soil will then be ripped and the area planted
with the same tree species found in the swamp.
We request that the USAGE reauthorize this bridge replacement project in Duplin County
under a Section 404 Nationwide Permit 23. Reissuance of the Section 401 Water Quality
Certification by the N.C. Division of Water Quality is also requested. If you have any questions
or need additional information about this project, please contact Mr. Dale W. SLUter at (919) 733-
1197 or dsuiterk_?dot.state. nc.us.
Sincerelv.
C
William D. Gilmore, P.E., Manager
Project Development & Environmental Analysis Branch
cc: Mr. David Franklin, Corps of Engineers, Wilmington
Mr. John Dorney, NCDENR, Division of Water Quality
Mr. David Cox, NCWRC
Mr. Timothy V. Roundtree, P.E., Structure Design
Mr. John Alford, P.E., Roadway Design
Mr. Calvin Leggett, P.E. Program Development
Mr. Deborah Barbour, P.F.,., Highway Design
Mr. A.L. Hankins, P.E., Hydraulics Unit
D. J. Bowers , P.E. Division 3 Frngineer
Mr. Lubin Prevatt., P.E., PD&EA Consultant Engineering Unit Head
W DG/dws
North Carolina Department of Transportation
PROJECT ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTATION FORM
I. D. No. B-2955
GENERAL INFORMATION
a. Consultation Phase: CONSTRUCTION
b. Project Description: Replace Bridge No. 74 on NC 41-111 over Muddy
Creek in Duplin County
C. State Project: 8.1241601
Federal Project: BRSTP-41(2)
d. Document Type: Categorical Exclusion 3-97
Right of Way Consultation 2-99
Date
II. CONCLUSIONS
The above environmental document has been reevaluated as required by 23 CFR
771. It was determined that the current proposed action is essentially the same as the
original proposed action. Proposed changes, if any, are noted below in Section III. It has
been determined that anticipated social, economic, and environmental impacts were
accurately described in the above referenced document unless noted otherwise herein.
Therefore, the original Administration Action remains valid.
III. CHANGES IN PROPOSED ACTION AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES
There have been no major changes to the proposed project since the completion of
the Categorical Exclusion. As proposed in the Categorical Exclusion of February 1997,
Bridge No. 74 will be replaced with a bridge approximately 46 meters (150 feet) in length
at approximately the same location and roadway elevation as the existing bridge. Traffic
will be maintained during construction using a temporary on-site detour located east of
the existing bridge. The on-site detour will require a temporary bridge approximately
30 meters (100 feet) in length (slightly longer than the 21 meters [70 feet] proposed in the
Categorical Exclusion).
A biological conclusion of NO EFFECT was rendered for the red-cockaded
woodpecker (Picoides borealis) and American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) in the
Categorical Exclusion. The Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) list of protected species for
Duplin County has not changed since the completion of the Categorical Exclusion.
I
IV. COORDINATION
Wetlands in the project vicinity have been delineated. NCDOT has applied for a
renewal of the Section 404 Nationwide Permit (NWP) 23.
Project Development and Environmental Analysis Branch personnel have
discussed current project proposals with others as follows:
Roadway Design Engineer: Tim Jordan, P.E.
Permit Specialtist: Dale Suiter
V. N. C. D. O. T. CONCURRENCE
,.z ?.
/U/ 41
Project be?elopment " gineer
t Y
Manager of Project Development
and Environmental Analysis Branch
2-3-00
Date
2-22-00
Date
-_7 Z_ - CO
Date
2-2S-oa
Date
PROJECT COMMITMENTS
NC 41-111
Replace Bridge No. 74
Over Muddy Creek
Duplin Count}
Federal Aid Project BRSTP-41(2)
State Project 8.1241601
TIP Project No. B-2955
In addition to the standard Section 404 Nationwide Permit (NWP) 23 General
Conditions and Special Conditions, as well as Section 401 Water Quality Certification
(WQC) General Conditions, the following special commitments have been agreed to by
the NCDOT:
Division 3
In addition to removing all new fill material associated with the approaches to the
temporary detour bridge. NCDOT will also remove the fill material that is already present
down to the elevation of the adjacent wetland. Then. the soil will then be ripped and the
area planted with the same tree species found in the swamp.
This project has been cleared for bridge demolition. Best Management Practices
for Bridge Demolition will be followed during the removal of the existing structure.
The following commitment was stated in the Categorical Exclusion.
If stream channel relocation is required, and if the stream relocation is greater than
30 meters (100 feet) or greater than 15 meters (>50 feet) on one side, consultation with
the N.C. Wildlife Resource Commission (WRC) will be required, per the Fish and
Wildlife Coordination Act, as amended (16 USC 661-667d). Relocated streams will be
designed to have similar characteristics (depth, width, meanders, and substrate) as the
original stream.
Stream channel relocation greater than 30 meters (100 feet) or greater than 15
meters (>50 feet) on one side will not be required.
Construction Consultation - B-2955
February 2000