20050785 Ver _Information Letter_20090430

SG73 S
Regulatory Division
ORM ED SAW-199301143
DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
WILMINGTON DISTRICT, CORPS OF ENGINEERS
Washington Regulatory Field Office
P.O. BOX 1000
Washington, North Carolina 2 7 889-1 000
April 30, 2009
Dr. Gregory J. Thorpe, Ph. D.
Environmental Manager Director
Project Development and Environmental Analysis Branch
NC Department of Transportation
1548 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1548
Dear Dr. Thorpe:
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Reference the Department of the Army permit issued to you on January 17, 2006, for Section
A and January 17, 2007, for Section B of the U.S. Highway 17 Washington Bypass project (R-
2510), starting from 0.5 mile south of Possum Track Road (NCSR 1127) south of Chocowinity,
in Beaufort County and ending at U.S. 17 north of SR 1509 (Springs Road). Also reference the
February 19, 2009 modification of the Section B permit to allow for in-water construction work
within the fisheries moratorium period provided an in-water work study plan was approved and
implemented. NCDOT submitted a revised in-water work study plan on April 13, 2009 to
regulatory agencies and resource agencies.
Your in-water work study plan was coordinated and discussed in detail with the appropriate
State and Federal resource agencies. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) approves of the
revised study plan dated April 8, 2009 and concurs that in-water work may resume once
background sound measurements and fish passage baseline measurements at the study site have
been collected as specified in the plan. The Corps also concurs that in-water pile driving work
may continue through the remainder of the moratorium.
Thank you for your time and cooperation. If you have any questions, please contact Mr.
William Wescott of my Washington Regulatory Field Office Staff at telephone [phone].
Sincerely, (?/?
`c? M'. 6?
0 IN REPLY REFER TO
David M. Lekson, P.W.S.
Chief, Washington Regulatory Field Office

Copies Furnished:
Mr. Steve Sollod
Division of Coastal Management
1638 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-16387
Mr. Brian Wrenn
Water Quality Section
Division of Environmental Management
North Carolina Department of Environment
and Natural Resources
1650 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1650
Mr. Travis Wilson
Eastern Region Highway Project Coordinator
Habitat Conservation Program
1142 I-85 Service Road
Creedmoor, North Carolina 27522
Mr. Pete Benjamin
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Fish and Wildlife Enhancement
Post Office Box 33726
Raleigh, North Carolina 27636-3726
Mr. Ron Sechler
National Marine Fisheries Service
101 Pivers Island
Beaufort, North Carolina 28516
Mr. Louis B. Daniel III
NC Division of Marine Fisheries
North Carolina Department of Environment
and Natural Resources
Post Office Box 769
Morehead City, North Carolina 28557