20211213_NCWRC

9 North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission 9
Cameron Ingram, Executive Director
MEMORANDUM
TO: Adam Parr, Assistant State Mining Engineer
NCDEQ, Division of Energy, Mineral, and Land Resources, Land Quality Section
FROM: Andrea Leslie, Mountain Region Coordinator
Habitat Conservation Program
DATE: December 10, 2021
SUBJECT: Mining Permit Modification for Blue Ridge Quarries/Buechel Stone Corporation
MP 61-19, Steel Gray Mine, Mitchell County
Biologists with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) reviewed the
application for a permit modification for the Steel Gray Mine in Mitchell County. Our
comments on this permit action are offered for your consideration under provisions of the
Mining Act of 1971 (as amended, 1982; G.S. 74-46 through 74-68; 15 NCAC 5) and the North
Carolina General Statutes (G.S. 113-131 et. seq.).
Buechel Stone Corporation is requesting a modification to its permit to expand its permitted area
to include 1.35 new acres of land; it appears that 0.70 acre of this is along the North Toe River
and would be mined for quartzite. According to the permit, the expected depth of the mine will
be 80 ft. One sediment control pond exists. Rock would not be processed on site. The mining
area is set off from the North Toe River by a 50 ft buffer.
The North Toe River is part of the North Toe River/Nolichucky River Aquatic Habitat, a NC
Natural Heritage Program natural area rated as Very High due to the richness of rare species and
habitats it supports. The Sharphead Darter [Etheostoma acuticeps, US Federal Species of
Concern (FSC), NC Threatened] and Eastern Hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis, US
FSC, NC Special Concern) are found in the river in the project vicinity, and further downstream,
the river supports Appalachian Elktoe (Alasmidonta raveneliana, US and NC Endangered).
We offer the following recommendations:
• In order to protect the listed species in the North Toe River, the proposed 50-ft buffer should
be expanded to at least 100 ft along the river itself. If the buffer is not expanded, the 50-ft
buffer should be planted with native trees and shrubs, as it currently exists as a grassy area,
Mailing Address: Habitat Conservation • 1721 Mail Service Center • Raleigh, NC 27699-1721
Telephone: [phone] • Fax: [phone]

Steel Gray Mine Permit Page 2 December 10, 2021
Mitchell County
which does little to protect the stream from mining activities or erosion. A list of native
species is provided in NC State's riparian species list for the mountains:
htlps://www.bae.nesu.edu/wp-conten�t/uploads/2017/07/mountain riparian_species.pdf
• It is essential that effective erosion and sediment control is used on site. Disturbed areas
should drain to the sediment pond or away from the river.
• The planting list includes Sericea Lespedeza, Tall Fescue, and Bermuda Grass; these should
be avoided as they are highly invasive and inhibit the establishment of native plants that are
more valuable as wildlife forage and cover. A mixture of Creeping Red Fescue, Red Clover,
and Oats is a good alternative that will allow native grasses and other plants to volunteer over
time.
Thank you for the opportunity to review this permit action. Please contact me at [phone]
if you have any questions about these comments.
ec: Chris Bucy, Buechel Stone
Byron Hamstead, US Fish and Wildlife Service
Mitchell Anderson, NC Division of Water Resources