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HomeMy WebLinkAbout20110136 Ver 1_Public Notice_20110309 US Army Corps PUBLIC NOTICE Of Engineers Wilmington District Issue Date: March 9, 2011 Comment Deadline: March 18, 2011 Corps Action ID #:1998-02180 TIP Project No. R-2812 The Wilmington District, Corps of Engineers (Corps) is issuing this supplemental Public Notice for a proposal by the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NC DOT) who is seeking Department of the Army authorization to discharge dredged or fill material into waters of the United States associated with the construction of NC 211 from NC 73 at West End to the traffic circle in Pinehurst, Moore County, North Carolina. The purpose of this supplemental Public Notice is to initiate the required review of the project by the NC Division of Water Quality pursuant to Section 401 of the Clean Water Act. This notice and all applicable application materials are being forwarded to the appropriate State agencies for review. The Corps will generally not make a final permit decision until the North Carolina Division of Water Quality (NCDWQ) issues, denies, or waives State certification required by Section 401 of the Clean Water Act (PL 92-500). The receipt of the application and this public notice combined with appropriate application fee at the North Carolina Division of Water Quality central office in Raleigh will constitute initial receipt of an application for a 401 Water Quality Certification. A waiver will be deemed to occur if the NCDWQ fails to act on this request for certification within sixty days of the date of the receipt of this notice in the NCDWQ Central Office. Additional information regarding the Clean Water Act certification may be reviewed at the NCDWQ Central Office, Transportation Permitting Unit, 512 N. Salisbury Street, Raleigh, North Carolina 27604, Archdale Building. All persons desiring to make comments regarding the application for certification under Section 401 of the Clean Water Act should do so in writing delivered to the North Carolina Division of Water Quality (NCDWQ), 1650 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1650 Attention: Mr. David Wainwright, by April 18, 2011, 60 days from date of public notice supplement. All other information, including the comment deadline, described in the original public notice issued on February 18, 2011 will remain the same and is still valid. ? t US Army Corps PUBLIC NOTICE Of Engineers Wilmington District Issue Date: February 18, 2011 Comment Deadline: March 18, 2011 Corps Action ID #:1 998-02 1 80 TIP Project No. R-2812 The Wilmington District, Corps of Engineers (Corps) has received an application from the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) seeking Department of the Army authorization to discharge dredged or fill material into waters of the United States associated with the construction of NC 211 from NC 73 at West End to the traffic circle in Pinehurst, Moore County, North Carolina. Specific plans and location information are described below and shown on the attached plans. This Public Notice with all attached plans and more detailed colored plans are also available on the Wilmington District Web Site at www.saw.usace.army.mil/wetlands Applicant: North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) c/o Dr. Gregory J. Thorpe, PhD, Manager Project Development and Environmental Analysis Branch 1598 Mail Service Center Raleigh, North Carolina, 27699-1598 Authority The Corps will evaluate this application and a decide whether to issue, conditionally issue, or deny the proposed work pursuant to applicable procedures under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. 1344 Location The proposed 7.2 mile roadway project is located beginning at NC 73 at West End, northwest of Pinehurst and ends at the traffic circle at US 15 in Pinehurst in Moore County, North Carolina. The proposed project is located in tributaries and adjacent wetlands that are hydrologically connected to the Cape Fear River. The project is more specifically located starting at Latitude 35.2368 N, Longitude 79.5679 W and ending at Latitude 35.2016, Longitude 79.4505. The Biotic resources surrounding the eastern half of the project area is indicative of an urban setting, with golf courses and residential development accounting for the majority of land uses. The western half of the project area is more rural in nature with pine forests, pine plantations, agricultural fields and scattered residential and commercial development occurring. Topography is characterized as slightly rolling to nearly level terrain. Elevations range from approximately 470 to 560 feet above mean sea level (MSL). Five dominant communities have been identified within the project area. They consist of maintained/disturbed, Pine/scrub oak sandhill, mixed pine/hardwood forest, xerie sandhill scrub, and streamhead pocosin/coastal plain small stream swamp (variant) blackwater subtype. Project Description The following description of the work is taken from data provided by the applicant. Two broad range alternatives are being considered for the proposed project. These alternatives include the No-build Alternative and the Build Alternative. The No-build Alternative would not increase traffic carrying capacity or correct existing roadway deficiencies along NC 211. The proposed Build Alternative (Best Fit Alternative) would widen NC 211 from the intersection with NC 73 at West End to the traffic circle in Pinehurst, a total of 7.2 miles. The proposed widening would be asymmetrical, either to the north or south of the existing roadway depending on engineering considerations as well as human and natural environmental constraints. The construction of a four lane divided facility with curb and gutter will be begin at the traffic circle in Pinehurst and will extend along existing NC 211 to terminate at SR 1291 (Archie Road). A four lane divided facility with grass shoulders will begin at SR 129 (Archie Road) and will extend along existing NC 211 to the project terminus at NC 73 in West End. The curb and gutter alternative will require approximately 100 feet of right-of-way, whereas the grass shoulder alternative will require approximately 150 feet of right-of-way. The project will also include a pedestrian tunnel, located at the intersection of NC 211 and Rattlesnake/Gun Club Road, and pedestrian sidewalks on both sides of NC 211 from just west of NC 5 to the traffic circle in Pinehurst. Summary of Impacts and Mitigation Stream Impacts: Stream impacts for R-2812 would occur at Sites 3 and 4. Impacts include 296 linear feet of permanent impacts that would result from extension or replacement of pipes and a culvert and the construction of the fill slopes necessary for the widening of NC 211. Bank stabilization would result in, 78 linear feet of permanent stream impacts. Additionally, 14 linear feet of temporary stream impacts would occur at Site 4 to allow for possible construction access for the extension of the 60 inch reinforced concrete pipe at that location. Jurisdictional stream impacts are summarized below in Table 1. Impacts to wetlands have increased since the FONSI was approved in June 2007. In 2010 NCDOT shifted the alignment to the south between stations -L- 39 + 05.52 and -L- 133 + 16.02,-L- 253 + 34.50 and -L- 317 + 10.00, in order to minimize impacts to an apartment building and utilities. The alignment shift will result in 8 fewer families relocated and a cost savings of $l, 875,000. Open Water Impacts: The proposed project would result in impacts to jurisdictional ponds at Sites 1 and 2. Impacts to 0.13 acres would result from the permanent placement of fill necessary for construction of the fill slopes for the widening of the NC 211. The proposed project would also result in 2.83 acres of temporary surface water impacts from the temporary dewatering of the pond at Site 1 to allow construction access for the extension of the 10 x 7 RCBC and the necessary fill slopes. Impacts to jurisdictional ponds are summarized in Table 3. Table 3: Surface Water Impacts to Jurisdictional Ponds Site Impact Type Impact Area acres 1 Temporary Dewaterin 2.83* Permanent Fill 0.12 2 Permanent Fill 0.01 Total 2.96 *Flow of the stream will be maintained during construction Other Required Authorizations This notice and all applicable application materials are being forwarded to the appropriate State agencies for review. The Corps will generally not make a final permit decision until the North Carolina Division of Water Quality (NCDWQ) issues, denies, or waives State certification required by Section 401 of the Clean Water Act (PL 92-500). Additional information regarding the Clean Water Act certification may be reviewed at the NCDWQ Central Office, 401 Transportation Permitting Unit, 2321 Crabtree Boulevard, Raleigh, North Carolina 27604-2260. Cultural Resources There are two properties (The Yadkin Road Markers #1 and 92) that are located within the project area that have been determined as eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. Both of these markers are located outside of the proposed project right-of- way and will not be impacted by the project. The State Historic Preservation Office (HPO) and NCDOT concurred that the project will have no effect on the National Register eligible properties located within the project area of potential effect. properties, water quality, general environmental effects and the other public interest factors listed above. Comments are used in the preparation of an Environmental Assessment (EA) and/or an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Comments are also used to determine the need for a public hearing and to determine the overall public interest of the proposed activity. Any person may request, in writing, within the comment period specified in this notice, that a public hearing be held to consider the application. Requests for public hearings shall state, with particularity, the reasons for holding a public hearing. Requests for a public hearing shall be granted, unless the District Engineer determines that the issues raised are insubstantial or there is otherwise no valid interest to be served by a hearing. Written comments pertinent to the proposed work, as outlined above, will be received by the Corps of Engineers, Wilmington District, until 5pm, March 18, 2011. Comments should be submitted to Mr. Ronnie Smith, Wilmington Regulatory Field Office, 69 Darlington Avenue, Wilmington, North Carolina 28403 or by email to Ronnie.d.smith@usace.army.mil. 290 0 Y r 08Z sane 0 jj4