20151065 Ver 1_Public Notice_20151119

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US Army Corps of Engineers
BUILDING 5TRONGs
SAW- 2012 -01547
Posted 11/19/2015
DISCLAIMER. Please download the attached PDF
version of this notice for complete information, proper
formatting, and inclusion of tables and figures
PUBLIC NOTICE
Issue Date: November 18, 2015
Comment Deadline: December 18, 2015
Corps Action ID Number: SAW- 2012 -01547
ATTACHMENTS
60 SAW - 2012 - 01547 -PN
SAW- 2012 - 01547 -PN-
Supplemcnt
SAW- 2012 -01547 -Plans
The Wilmington District, Corps of Engineers (Corps) received an application from Piedmont Triad
Airport Authority (PTAA) seeking Department of the Army authorization to discharge fill material
into waters of the United States, associated with constructing access and infrastructure for Phase I of
the Piedmont Triad International Airport (PTIA) Northwest Site Development, in Greensboro,
Guilford County, North Carolina.
Specific plans and location information are described below and shown on the attached plans. This
Public Notice and all attached plans are also available on the Wilmington District Web Site at
http: / /wwNN,'.saNv usace.armv. mil / Missions /Re,ulatoryPerniitPros,ram aspx
Applicant:
Piedmont Triad Airport Authority
Mr. J. Alex Rosser
1000 -A Ted Johnson Parkway
Greensboro, North Carolina 27409
Agent:
Michael Baker Engineering, Inc.
Mr Richard B Darling
8000 Regency Parkway, Suite 600
Cary, North Carolina 27518
Authority
The Corps evaluates this application and decides whether to issue, conditionally issue, or deny the
proposed work pursuant to applicable procedures of the following Statutory Authorities:
X - Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.0 1344)
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- Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 (33 U.S.0 403)
- Section 103 of the Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act of 1972 (33 U.S.0 1413)
Location
Directions to Site: The proposed project area is located between the north side of PTIA/Bryan
Boulevard and Pleasant Ridge Road, approximately 0 25 mile east of NC Highway 68, in Greensboro,
Guilford County, North Carolina.
Project Area (acres): 153 acres (Phase I only) Nearest Town. Greensboro
Nearest Waterway: UT to Brush Creek River Basin: 03030002
Latitude and Longitude: 36.118619 N, - 79.945644 W
Existing Site Conditions
The proposed project area is located within the Charlotte Belt of the Piedmont Physiographic
Province. This region's geology is dominated by plutonic rocks with some large areas of
metavolcanic rocks. The site geomorphology generally includes broad uplands dissected by
occasional narrow drainages, a few of which include small unnamed tributaries (UTs) to Brush Creek.
The
northern extent of the project area includes several manmade ponds within natural drainage ways.
Elevation across the site ranges from approximately 957 feet above mean sea level (MSL) in the
northwest extent of the property, to 828 feet MSL in a stream valley along the existing runway. Soils
are mapped as Clifford sandy loam (CkB) and sandy clay loam (C1B2), Poplar Forest sandy loam
(PoC, PoD, PoE) and clay loam (PpC2, PpD2), Tomlin clay loam (ToB), and Nathalie sandy loam
(NaB).
The Clifford, Poplar Forest, Tomlin, and Nathalie series all consists of well drained, moderately
permeable soils occurring on slopes of varying steepness in Piedmont uplands. None of these series
are included on the 2014 National Hydric Soils List for Guilford County, North Carolina. Average
annual precipitation for Guilford County is 43.1 inches
Historically, the site was used primarily for farming, with forested areas on the steeper slopes and
bottomlands. Currently the northwestern portion of the property is managed as a golf course,
including several manmade ponds. The northeastern section is primarily forested. There are light
industrial or manufacturing businesses in the central portion of the project area along Caindale
Drive The project area is bisected from east to west by both Bryan Boulevard, a median divided
facility, and an interstate -grade highway (1 -73 connector) under construction immediately to its north.
The southern portion of the project area includes existing PTIA facilities, including a runway,
proposed runway, stormwater facilities, and radar installation Forested uplands of the
project area consist of canopy species such as red maple (Acer rubrum), sweetgum (Liquidambar
styraciflua), and Virginia pine (Pinus virginiana), understory species including red maple, southern
red oak (Quercus falcata), Chinese privet (Ligustrum sinense), and herbaceous species such as
greenbriar (Smilax rotundifolia), Chinese privet, Japanese stilt grass (Microstegium vimineum), and
poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans).
The project area is bordered to the north by Pleasant Grove Road, to the south by PTIA runway 5L-
23R, to the east by undeveloped forested land, and to the west by a golf course,
industrial /manufacturing facilities, and forested land. General area land use includes PTIA and
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associated development, commercial and industrial development to the south of the airport, and
residential land to the north.
ECS Carolinas, LLP conducted ajurisdictional delineation for the site in 2012. The jurisdictional
boundaries were verified by the Corps, and a Preliminary Jurisdictional Determination (PJD) was
approved on July 10, 2013 (Corps Action ID: SAW -2012- 01547). All streams on site are considered
Relatively Permanent Waters, which flow via Brush Creek and Reedy Branch to the Haw River, a
Traditionally Navigable Water. These streams all carry the NC Division of Water Resources
(NCDWR) best usage classification of
"WS -III "; this classification refers to those waters used as water supply for drinking, culinary, or food
processing purposes where a WS -1 or 11 classification is not feasible WS -IIl waters are generally in
low to moderately developed watersheds. There are no designated Outstanding Resource Waters
(ORW), High Quality Waters (HQW), Water Supply I (WS -1), or Water Supply (WS -lI) waters
within 1.0 mile of the project area The wetlands within or adjacent to the project area are all of the
Headwater Forest wetland type, according to the North Carolina Wetland Assessment Method
(NCWAM). These features are individually small and
variable, but generally have plant assemblages containing sweetgum, tulip poplar (Liriodendron
tulipifera), sycamore (Platanus occidentalis), red maple, Japanese stilt grass, spice bush (Lindera
benzoin), and poison ivy. Soils within this feature are primarily loamy with a low chroma (IOYR 5/2)
matrix and bright (5YR 5/6) redoximorphic concentrations. Typical of wetlands in small stream
valleys, these wetlands display hydrology indicators such as high water tables during periods of soil
saturation and drainage patterns.
Applicant's Stated Purpose
The purpose of the project, as stated by the applicant, is to provide suitable sites with airfield access
for new aviation - related development, achieve highest and best use of idle land, expand the
capabilities of the Airport, and meet schedule needs of potential tenants.
Project Description
The applicant has proposed to permanently discharge fill material into 391 linear feet of stream
channel and 5.96 acres of open water habitat (impoundments), to construct Phase I of the Northwest
Site Development The proposed stream impacts are the direct result of culvert and fill installation
associated with the construction of a cross -field taxiway to access the Northwest
Site. The applicant proposes to dewater the relevant section of UT to Brush Creek for installation of
the cross -field taxiway culvert via pump - around for construction access, install a 36 -inch, 320 -foot
long culvert, and backfill to taxiway grade using clean fill material. The side slopes would be
stabilized at an approximately 3:1 gradient. Impacts to open water impoundments result
from fill for building pads for two conceptual campuses for aviation industry- related businesses yet to
be determined.
The applicant submitted an Alternatives Analysis for taxiway alignment that includes four On -site
Alternatives. This information has been included with this Public Notice as well. Supplemental
documentation including project plans and a narrative can be found on the District Website at
littp. / /www saw.usace. army. mil / Missions/ RegulatoaPermitProgram /PublicNotices.aspx.
Avoidance and Minimization
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The applicant provided the following information in support of efforts to avoid and/or minimize
impacts to the aquatic environment:
• Construction of the taxiway stream crossing will minimize smothering of organisms by utilizing
pump- around methods, minimize construction time, controlling turbidity through adherence to the
Erosion and Sedimentation Control Plan, preventing creation of standing water, and preventing
drainage of wet areas;
• During construction, surface water physiochemical conditions will be maintained and potency
and availability of pollutants will be reduced via limiting material to be discharged, adding
treatment substances if necessary including chemical flocculants to enhance the deposition of
suspended particulates in appropriate disposal areas, if required,
• The effects of dredged or fill material may be controlled by selecting discharge methods and
disposal sites where the potential for erosion, slumping or leaching of materials into the
surrounding aquatic ecosystem will be reduced These methods include using containment levees,
sediment basins, and cover crops to reduce erosion;
• Discharge effects will also be controlled by containing discharged material properly to prevent
point and nonpomt sources of pollution, and timing the discharge to minimize impact;
• The effects of discharge will be minimized by orienting dredged /fill material to minimize
undesirable obstruction to the surface water or natural flow, utilizing natural contours to
minimize the size of the fill, using silt screens or other appropriate methods to confine suspended
particulates /turbidity to a small area where settling or removal can occur, confining and
minimizing the release of suspended particulates to decrease turbidity levels and maintain light
penetration for organisms, and setting limitations on the amount of material to be discharged per
unit of time or volume of receiving water;
• The applicant will employ appropriate maintenance and operation on equipment or machinery,
ensure adequate training, staffing, and working procedures, use machinery and techniques that are
especially designed to reduce damage to streams, design access roads using culverts, open channels,
and diversions that will pass both low and high water flows, accommodate fluctuating water levels,
and maintain circulation and faunal movement, and employ appropriate machinery and methods of
transport of the material for discharge.
• The applicant will minimize adverse effects on plant and animals populations by minimizing
changes in water flow patterns, avoiding the creation of airport wildlife hazards, timing
discharges to avoid spawning or migration seasons and other biologically critical time periods, and
avoiding the destruction of remnant natural sites within areas already affected by development.
Compensatory Mitigation
The applicant offered the following compensatory mitigation plan to offset unavoidable functional
loss to the aquatic environment:
Compensation for unavoidable, minimized impacts to jurisdictional stream channel is provided by
dedication of appropriate components of the successfully completed 1,123 linear feet of restored
stream channel at the Causey Farm mitigation site currently not applied to any specific impacts at
PTIA. This mitigation credit was originally purchased to compensate for impacts anticipated for
construction of the Runway SR Safety Area and related improvements (Corps Action ID SAW -2006-
41354). This project, however, has been put on indefinite hold and, rather than extend the Section 404
and 401 permits, PTAA has elected to abandon them. The mitigation specified in these permits has
been constructed and deemed successful by USACE and DWR. Applicable linear footage of the
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completed stream restoration component of this mitigation are proposed to compensate for the
current Phase I Northwest Site Development and Cross -Field Taxiway project impacts as follows:
• 646 Stream Mitigation Units (SMU) mitigation requirement is anticipated based on 136 linear
feet of intermittent channel at 1:1 impact ratio plus 255 linear feet of perennial channel at
2:1 impact ratio;
• There are 702 Stream Mitigation Units (SMU) available at the Causey Farm mitigation site based
on the 1.6: 1 ratio for off -site restoration applied to the 1,123 linear feet of perennial channel
specified in Corps Action ID SAW- 2006 -41354 (the Causey Farm restoration site was originally
described in Corps Action ID SAW- 2000 - 21655)
Essential Fish Habitat
Pursuant to the Magnuson- Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, this Public Notice
initiates the Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) consultation requirements. The Corps' initial determination
is that the proposed project would not effect EFH or associated fisheries managed by the South
Atlantic or Mid Atlantic Fishery Management Councils or the National Marine Fisheries
Service.
Cultural Resources
Pursuant to Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, Appendix C of 33 CFR
Part 325, and the 2005 Revised Interim Guidance for Implementing Appendix C, the District Engineer
consulted district files and records and the latest published version of the National Register of Historic
Places and initially determines that:
- Should historic properties, or properties eligible for inclusion in the National Register, be
present within the Corps' permit area; the proposed activity requiring the DA permit (the
undertaking) is a type of activity that will have no potential to cause an effect to an historic
properties.
X - No historic properties, nor properties eligible for inclusion in the National Register, are present
within the Corps' permit area, therefore, there will be no historic properties affected. The Corps
subsequently requests concurrence from the SHPO (or THPO).
- Properties ineligible for inclusion in the National Register are present within the Corps' permit
area; there will be no historic properties affected by the proposed work. The Corps subsequently
requests concurrence from the SHPO (or THPO)
- Historic properties, or properties eligible for inclusion in the National Register, are present
within the Corps' permit area; however, the undertaking will have no adverse effect on these
historic properties. The Corps subsequently requests concurrence from the SHPO (or THPO).
- Historic properties, or properties eligible for inclusion in the National Register, are present
within the Corps' permit area, moreover, the undertaking may have an adverse effect on these
historic properties. The Corps subsequently initiates consultation with the SHPO (or THPO).
- The proposed work takes place in an area known to have the potential for the presence of
prehistoric and historic cultural resources; however, the area has not been formally surveyed for
the presence of cultural resources. No sites eligible for inclusion in the National Register of
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Historic Places are known to be present in the vicinity of the proposed work. Additional work may
be necessary to identify and assess any historic or prehistoric resources that may be present
The District Engineer's final eligibility and effect determination will be based upon coordination with
the SHPO and /or THPO, as appropriate and required, and with full consideration given to the
proposed undertaking's potential direct and indirect effects on historic properties within the Corps -
mdentified permit area
Endangered Species
Pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973, the Corps reviewed the project area, examined all
information provided by the applicant and consulted the latest North Carolina Natural Heritage
Database Based on available information-
- The Corps determines that the proposed project would not affect federally listed endangered or
threatened species or their formally designated critical habitat.
- The Corps determines that the proposed project
may affect, not likely to adversely affect federally listed endangered or threatened species or
their formally designated critical habitat. The Corps initiates consultation under Section 7 of the
ESA and will not make a permit decision until the consultation process is complete.
X - The Corps is not aware of the presence of species listed as threatened or endangered or their
critical habitat formally designated pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA) within
the project area The Corps will make a final determination on the effects of the proposed project
upon additional review of the project and completion of any necessary biological assessment and /or
consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and/or National Marine Fisheries Service.
The applicant submitted additional site - specific information on federally protected threatened and
endangered species, which can be found on the District Website at
litty / /www.saw.usace army mil / Missions /Re2ulatorvPermitPro siram/PublicNotices asax.
Other Required Authorizations
The Corps forwards this notice and all applicable application materials to the appropriate State
agencies for review
North Carolina Division of Water Resources ( NCDWR). The Corps will generally not make a final
permit decision until the NCDWR issues, denies, or waives the state Certification as required by
Section 401 of the Clean Water Act (PL 92 -500). The receipt of the application and this public notice,
combined with the appropriate application fee, at the NCDWR Central Office in Raleigh constitutes
initial receipt of an application for a 401 Certification A waiver will be deemed to occur if the
NCDWR fails to act on this request for certification within sixty days of receipt of a complete
application Additional information regarding the 401 Certification may be reviewed at the NCDWR
Central Office, 401 and Buffer Permitting Unit, 512 North Salisbury Street, Raleigh, North Carolina
27604 -2260 All persons desiring to make comments regarding the application for a 401 Certification
should do so, in writing, by December 9, 2015 to:
NCDWR Central Office
Attention: Ms. Karen Higgins, 401 and Buffer Permitting Unit
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(USPS mailing address)- 1617 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699 -1617 Or,
(physical address): 512 North Salisbury Street, Raleigh, North Carolina 27604
North Carolina Division of Coastal Management (NCDCM):
- The application did not include a certification that the proposed work complies with and would be
conducted in a manner that is consistent with the approved North Carolina Coastal Zone Management
Program Pursuant to 33 CFR 325.2 (b)(2) the Corps cannot issue a Department of Army (DA) permit
for the proposed work until the applicant submits such a certification to the Corps and the NCDCM,
and the NCDCM notifies the Corps that it concurs with the applicant's consistency certification. As
the application did not include the consistency certification, the Corps will request, upon
receipt, concurrence or objection from the NCDCM.
E
X - Based upon all available information, the Corps determines that this application for a Department
of Army (DA) permit does not involve an activity which would affect the coastal zone, which is
defined by the Coastal Zone Management (CZM) Act (16 U S C. § 1453).
Evaluation
The decision whether to issue a permit will be based on an evaluation of the probable impacts
including cumulative impacts of the proposed activity on the public interest. That decision will reflect
the national concern for both protection and utilization of important resources. The benefit which
reasonably may be expected to accrue from the proposal must be balanced against its
reasonably foreseeable detriments. All factors which may be relevant to the proposal will be
considered including the cumulative effects thereof; among those are conservation, economics,
aesthetics, general environmental concerns, wetlands, historic properties, fish and wildlife values,
flood hazards, flood plain values (in accordance with Executive Order 11988), land use,
navigation, shoreline erosion and accretion, recreation, water supply and conservation, water quality,
energy needs, safety, food and fiber production, mineral needs, considerations of property ownership,
and, in general, the needs and welfare of the people. For activities involving the discharge of dredged
or fill materials in waters of the United States, the evaluation of the impact
of the activity on the public interest will include application of the Environmental Protection
Agency's 404(b)(1) guidelines.
Commenting Information
The Corps of Engineers is soliciting comments from the public; Federal, State and local agencies and
officials, including any consolidated State Viewpoint or written position of the Governor, Indian
Tribes and other interested parties in order to consider and evaluate the impacts of this proposed
activity. Any comments received will be considered by the Corps of Engineers to determine whether
to issue, modify, condition or deny a permit for this proposal. To make this decision, comments are
used to assess impacts on endangered species, historic properties, water quality, general
environmental effects and the other public interest factors listed above. Comments are used in the
preparation of an Environmental Assessment (EA) and /or an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Comments are also used to determine the
need for a public hearing and to determine the overall public interest of the proposed activity.
Any person may request, in writing, within the comment period specified in this notice, that a public
hearing be held to consider the application. Requests for public hearings shall state, with particularity,
the reasons for holding a public hearing. Requests for a public hearing shall be granted, unless the
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District Engineer determines that the issues raised are insubstantial or there is otherwise no valid
interest to be served by a hearing.
The Corps of Engineers, Wilmington District will receive written comments pertinent to the proposed
work, as outlined above, until 5pm, December 18, 2015 Comments should be submitted to David E.
Bailey,Raleigh Regulatory Field Office, 3331 Heritage Trade Drive, Suite 105 ,Wake Forest, North
Carolina 27587, at (919) 554 -4884 extension 30.
DISCLAIMER: Please download the attached PDF version of this notice for complete information,
proper formatting, and inclusion of tables and figures.
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o�- DqQ� v3
Homewood, Sue
From: Bailey, David E SAW < David E Bailey2 @usace army mil>
Sent: Friday, November 20, 2015 1109 AM
To: Brad Luckey, Brian Hall
Cc: Michael Brame, Homewood, Sue
Subject: Request for Additional Information Triad Business Park, Greensboro, Guilford Co, NC,
SAW- 2013 -00556 (UNCLASSIFIED)
Classification. UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE
Messrs Hall and Luckey,
Please reference your July 23, 2015 application for Department of the Army (DA) authorization for the permanent discharge of
fill material into wetlands and streams to providing safe and adequate industrial access to phase II of Triad Business Park in
Colfax, Guilford County, North Carolina.
Your proposal was advertised by public notice dated August 4, 2015, a letter was sent to you requesting responses to concerns
in the Public Notice dated September 16, 2015, and responses to our letter were received from your agent, Pilot Environmental,
Inc, via electronic mail on November 11, 2015 and November 16, 2015 Based on your most recent correspondence, the
following information is required prior to reaching a decision on your DA authorization request
1) Please provide the following revisions to the preferred alternative plans included in your November 11, 2015 response
a Unless otherwise justified, culvert pipe inverts must be buried at least one foot below stream bed elevation for
aquatic passage and stream channel stability purposes If redesign of culvert pipe size, fill limits, or proposed
impact amounts result from these changes, please clearly show those as well on plan and profile views,
b The current preferred alternative plans appear to show that the outlet channel, within and at the terminus of the
rip rap pad outlet, does not line up with the existing channel. As such, the Corps is concerned that indirect
impacts to the downstream channel will occur outside of the fill footprint, including increased scour and over -
widening of the downstream channel Clearly show or describe how indirect impacts to the downstream
channel will be prevented, particularly through alignment of the outlet channel Provide any plan/profile or
proposed impact revisions necessary;
c The current preferred alternative plans do not clearly clearly show the extent/footprint of permanent and
temporary wetland and stream channel impacts Typically, these differing impact types and footprints are
shown as different levels or types of shading When revising the plan sheet(s), also take into account
permanent and temporary construction impacts due to retaining wall installation Any alteration of the soil
surface elevation of the wetlands necessary for retaining wall stability must be taken into account as a
permanent wetland impact, shown on the plans, and included in revised impact totals,
2) Please submit a draft amended conservation area map and amended Declaration of Restrictions/Restrictive Covenants
language for the remaining wetland, stream, and buffer areas for Corps review The draft map must include a legible
metes and bounds table of the conservation areas, as such, consider breaking the map and metes and bounds table into
multiple sheets to retain legibility once recorded These documents are subject to Corps review and approval,
3) Please submit an updated NCDMS letter showing that they have the appropriate amount and type of stream and
wetland credits available in the 03030003 HUC The current NCDMS acceptance letter expired October 23, 2015
The above requested information is essential to the expeditious processing of your application, please forward this information
to the Corps on or before December 20, 2013 If you have any questions or require more time, please contact me at (919) 554-
4884, Ext. 30 or David E Bailey2 c usace army mil
Sincerely,
Dave Bailey