20081754 Ver 1_Certified Return Receipt_20081218

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Michael F Easley, Governor
William G Ross Jr, Secretary
North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources
Coleen Sullins, Director
Division of Water Quality
December 18, 2008
CERTIFIED MAIL - RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED
Dr Greg Thorpe, PhD, Manager
Project Development and Environmental Analysis
North Carolina Department of Transportation
1548 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, North Carolina, 27699-1548
Subject Proposed improvements to NC 225/I-26 Connector from US 25 to I-26 in Henderson County,
Federal Aid Project No ADP-1954(1), Division 14, TIP Project No R-505
Dear Dr Thorpe
The Division of Water Quality has reviewed your submittal for a 401 Water Quality Certification for the
aforementioned project Review of your application revealed it is lacking necessary information required
for making an informed permit decision The permit application was deficient in the following areas
The application for the referenced project proposes to impact 1,251 linear feet of jurisdictional
stream This is three times the amount of stream impact proposed in the environmental documents
(399 linear feet) prepared for this project The application gives no explanation regarding why the
proposed impacts increased by 852 linear feet, where the new impacts would occur, and what
avoidance and minimization measures were implemented in the design of this project Please provide
information regarding the need of the impacts, where the impacts would occur, and avoidance and
nummization efforts conducted
Therefore, pursuant to 15A NCAC 2H 0507(a)(5), we will have to place the permit application on hold
until we are supplied the necessary information You have 21 days to respond in writing with the
requested information or notification to this office that the information is forthcoming If, at the end of
the 21 days, this office has not received this information in writing, we will assume you are withdrawing
your application and it will be returned Furthermore, until the information is received by the NC
Division of Water Quality, we request (by copy of this letter) that the US Army Corps of Engineers place
the permit application on hold
If you have any questions or require additional information, please contact Brian Wrenn at 919-733-5715
Sincerely,
Coleen Sullins
Director
Nose Carolina
rTransportation Permitting Unit " ' "-tuCa11y
1650 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1650
2321 Crabtree Boulevard, Suite 250, Raleigh, North Carolina 27604
Phone [phone] / FAX [phone] / Internet http //h2o enr state nc us/ncwetlands
An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer-50% Recycled/10% Post Consumer Paper
cc David Baker, US Army Corps of Engineers, Asheville Field Office
Kris Dramby, Natural Environment Unit, NCDOT
Mark Davis, Division 14 Environmental Officer
Kathy Matthews, Environmental Protection Agency
Marla Chambers, NC Wildlife Resources Commission
Marella Buncick, US Fish and Wildlife Service
Mike Parker, DWQ Asheville Regional Office
File Copy
N C Division of Water Quality 1650 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-1650 [phone]
Customer Service 1 800 623-7748