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HomeMy WebLinkAboutWQC 3632WQC #3632 GENERAL CERTIFICATION FOR PROJECTS ELIGIBLE FOR CORPS OF ENGINEERS NATIONWIDE PERMIT NUMBER 23 (APPROVED CATEGORICAL EXCLUSIONS) AND RIPARIAN AREA PROTECTION RULES (BUFFER RULES) This General Certification is issued in conformity with the requirements of Section 401, Public Laws 92-500 and 95-217 of the United States and subject to the North Carolina Division of Water Quality Regulations in 15A NCAC 2H, Section .0500 and 15A NCAC 2B .0200 for the discharge of fill material to waters and wetland areas as described in 33 CFR 330 Appendix A (B) (23) and for the Riparian Area Protection Rules (Buffer Rules) in 15A NCAC 2B .0200. This Certification replaces Water Quality Certification Number 2670 issued on January 21, 1992, Certification Number 2734 issued on May 1 1993, Certification Number 3107 issued on February 11, 1997 and Water Quality Certification Number 3361 issued March 18, 2002 and WQC Number 3403 issued March 28, 2003. This WQC is rescinded when the Corps of Engineers re- authorizes Nationwide Permit 23 or when deemed appropriate by the Director of the DWQ. The State of North Carolina certifies that the specified category of activity will not violate applicable portions of Sections 301, 302, 303, 306 and 307 of the Public Laws 92-500 and 95-217 if conducted in accordance with the conditions hereinafter set forth. Conditions of Certification: 1. Proposed fill or substantial modification of wetlands or waters (including streams) under this General Certification requires notification to the Division of Water Quality. Two copies shall be submitted to DWQ at the time of notification in accordance with 15A NCAC 2H .0501(a). Written concurrence from DWQ is not required unless any standard conditions of this Certification cannot be met; 2. Appropriate sediment and erosion control practices which equal or exceed those outlined in the most recent version of the "North Carolina Sediment and Erosion Control Planning and Design Manual" or the "North Carolina Surface Mining Manual" whichever is more appropriate (available from the Division of Land Resources (DLR) in the DENR Regional or Central Offices) shall be in full compliance with all specifications governing the proper design, installation and operation and maintenance of such Best Management Practices in order to assure compliance with the appropriate turbidity water quality standard; 3. In accordance with 15A NCAC 2H .0506 (h) compensatory mitigation may be required for impacts to 150 linear feet or more of streams and/or one acre or more of wetlands. In addition, buffer mitigation may be required for any project with Buffer Rules in effect at the time of application for buffer impacts resulting from activities classified as "allowable with mitigation" within the "Table of Uses" section of the Buffer Rules or require a variance under the Buffer Rules. A determination of buffer, wetland and stream mitigation requirements shall be made for any Certification for this Nationwide Permit. The most current design and monitoring protocols from DWQ shall be followed and written plans submitted for DWQ approval as required in those protocols. When compensatory mitigation is required for a project, the mitigation plans must be approved by DWQ in writing before the impacts approved by the Certification occur. The mitigation plan must be implemented and/or constructed before any permanent building or structure on WQC #3632 site is occupied. In the case of public road projects, the mitigation plan must be implemented before the road is opened to the travelling public; 4. Compensatory stream mitigation shall be required at a 1:1 ratio for not only perennial but also intermittent stream impacts equal to or exceeding 150 feet and that require application to DWQ in watersheds classified as ORW, HQW, Tr, WS-I and WS-II unless the project is a linear, publicly-funded transportation project, which has a 150-foot per-stream impact allowance; 5. All sediment and erosion control measures placed in wetlands or waters shall be removed and the original grade restored within two months after the Division of Land Resources has released the project; 6. Measures shall be taken to prevent live or fresh concrete from coming into contact with freshwaters of the state until the concrete has hardened; 7. In accordance with North Carolina General Statute Section 143-215.3D(e), any request for written concurrence fora 401 Water Quality Certification must include the appropriate fee. If a project also requires a CAMA Permit, one payment to both agencies shall be submitted and will be the higher of the two fees; 8. Impacts to any stream length in the Neuse, Tar-Pamlico, Randleman and Catawba River Basins (or any other river basins with Riparian Area Protection Rules [Buffer Rules] in effect at the time of application) requires written concurrence from DWQ in accordance with 15A NCAC 28.0200. Activities listed as "exempt" from these rules do not need to apply for written concurrence under this Certification. New development activities located in the protected 50-foot wide riparian areas (whether jurisdictional wetlands or not) within the Neuse, Tar- Pamlico, Randleman and Catawba River Basins shall be limited to "uses" identified within and constructed in accordance with 15A NCAC 2B .0200. All new development shall be located, designed, constructed, and maintained to have minimal disturbance to protect water quality to the maximum extent practicable through the use of best management practices; 9. Additional site-specific conditions may be added to projects for which written concurrence is required or requested under this Certification in order to ensure compliance with all applicable water quality and effluent standards; 10. Concurrence from DWQ that this Certification applies to an individual project shall expire three years from the date of the cover letter from DWQ or on the same day as the expiration date of the corresponding Nationwide and Regional General Permits, whichever is sooner; 11. When written concurrence is required, the applicant is required to use the most recent version of the Certification of Completion form to notify DWQ when all work included in the 401 Certification has been completed. Non-compliance with or violation of the conditions herein set forth by a specific fill project shall result in revocation of this Certification for the project and may result in criminal and/or civil penalties. WQC #3632 The Director of the North Carolina Division of Water Quality may require submission of a formal application for individual certification for any project in this category of activity that requires written concurrence under this certification, if it is determined that the project is likely to have a significant adverse effect upon water quality or degrade the waters so that existing uses of the wetland, stream or downstream waters are precluded. Public hearings may be held for specific applications or group of applications prior to a Certification decision if deemed in the public's best interest by the Director of the North Carolina Division of Water Quality. Effective date: 19 March 2007 DIVISION OF WATER QUALITY By Alan W. Klimek, P.E. Director WQC # 3632