HomeMy WebLinkAbout20071841 Ver 3_Other Agency Comments_2010072101-841 03
DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
WILMINGTON DISTRICT, CORPS OF ENGINEERS
151 PATTON AVENUE
ROOM 208
ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA 28801-5006
RMY TO
ATTENTION OF:
July 19, 2010
Regulatory Division
Action ID. SAW-2010-00036
JUL L' 1 20;0
Mr. Lew Bleisweis
Asheville Regional Airport Authority
61 Terminal Drive, Suite 1
Asheville, North Carolina 28732
Dear Mr. Bleisweis:
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,ENR . WATER QUO,LITY
WETLANDS AND STOR,%%-AcATER BRANCH
Reference is made to your May 2, 2010, Department of the Army permit application in
which you requested a permit for impacts to 1,260 linear feet of stream channels for the
construction of an air cargo transport facility at the Asheville Regional Airport, in Asheville,
Buncombe County, North Carolina. The purpose of this letter is to provide you with comments
received in response to the Public Notice dated May 20, 2010 and request that additional
information be submitted to continue the review of your permit request.
By letter dated June 18, 2010, the North Carolina Wildlife Resource Commission (NCWRC)
provided comments in response to the Public Notice which are attached for your review.
NCWRC noted that the French Broad River near the airport location supports a cool water
fishery to include smallmouth bass and muskellunge. NCWRC acknowledged that the stream
channels proposed for impact are considered poor quality and have been degraded due
to storm water run-off from the airport facility. NCWRC recommended that any airport
expansion projects be permitted collectively versus a phased approached. NCWRC also
recommended that the proposed mitigation plans should be supplemented with adequate storm
water management practices and restoration of a downstream, unstable/degraded stream channel.
We also received comments from the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) and the
North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) dated June 29, 2010 and June 11,
2010 respectively. EBCI commented that the project is located within the aboriginal territory of
the Cherokee People and that cultural resources important to the Cherokee may be
threatened/disturbed as a result of the project. EBCI requested that all archaeological and cultural
resources investigations, including a Phase I survey be forwarded to their office for review and
comment. SHPO commented that they have no record of past archaeological surveys in the
project area and that there is a high probability of the presence of prehistoric or historic
archaeological sites within the project area. SHPO recommended that the project area be
surveyed and the results be forwarded to their office for review. We concur with the comments
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provided by both the EBCI and SHPO and request that an archaeological survey be conducted on
the project site where new ground disturbance is proposed. The results of that survey should be
forwarded to both the EBCI and SHPO for review upon completion.
Based upon the application submitted, we believe that the project purpose/need and
alternatives analysis is adequate to continue the review of your application. However, please
provide clarification as to why the previously permitted General Aviation facilities which
includes hangars, parking, and office space on the east side of the runway would not provide the
needed facilities for the proposed cargo expansion area. In regards to avoidance and
minimization efforts, it appears Impact Area #2 (375 linear feet) could be avoided by reducing
the parking areas associated with the hangar facility. Please provide information regarding
further minimization efforts in this area. With regards to the use of fly ash as fill material, please
provide documentation indicating that this material will not be placed within 50-feet of any
surface water. Specifically, the stream channel located in the northwestern corner of the project
is proposed to be avoided; however, it is unclear as to how close the fill slopes will be to this
surface water. We have also reviewed your mitigation plan and believe it is adequate to
compensate for the proposed impacts. As proposed, your mitigation plan is in accordance with
the Wilmington District's Interagency Stream Mitigation Guidelines (2003) and the recently
published federal rule entitled Compensatory Mitigation for Losses of Aquatic Resources (33
CFR Part 332).
The requested information should be submitted within 30 days from the date you receive
this letter. If we do not receive a response, we will assume that you longer wish to pursue this
project and withdraw your permit request. If you have any questions, please contact me at (828)-
271-7980, extension 226.
Sincerely,
Tasha McCormick
Project Manager
Asheville Regulatory Field Office
Enclosures
Copy Furnished with enclosures:
Ms. Rebekah Newton
C1earWater Environmental Consultants, Inc.
718 Oakland Street
Hendersonville, North Carolina 28791
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Copies Furnished without enclosures:
Mr. Ian McMillan
North Carolina Division of Water Quality
401 Oversight/Express Review Permitting Unit
1650 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1650
Mr. Tyler Howe
Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians
Tribal Historic Preservation Office
Post Office Box 455
Cherokee, North Carolina 28719
Ms. Renee Gledhill-Early
State Historic Preservation Office
4617 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-4617