20071134 Ver 1_Biological Assessment_20150416

Carpenter,Kristi
From:Beckwith, Loretta A SAW <[e-mail]>
Sent:Thursday, April 16, 2015 10:02 AM
To:Baker, Virginia
Subject:RE: US 19 Expansion (R-2518A, R2518B, R-2519A, R-2519B) Biological Assessment
(UNCLASSIFIED)
Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

Received this, too.

-----Original Message-----
From: Baker, Virginia \[mailto:[e-mail]\]
Sent: Wednesday, April 15, 2015 1:14 PM
To: Beckwith, Loretta A SAW
Subject: \[EXTERNAL\] RE: US 19 Expansion (R-2518A, R2518B, R-2519A, R-2519B) Biological Assessment (UNCLASSIFIED)

-----Original Message-----
From: Beckwith, Loretta A SAW \[mailto:[e-mail]\]
Sent: Tuesday, March 24, 2015 9:57 AM
To: Baker, Virginia
Subject: RE: US 19 Expansion (R-2518A, R2518B, R-2519A, R-2519B) Biological Assessment (UNCLASSIFIED)

Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

Hi Ginny,

It looks like you worked really late!

Of the days you mentioned, I can talk the afternoon of April 13th (from 12-5), the 15th, or the 17th. I usually work 9-
5:30, so anytime between those hours on the 15th or 17th is good.

Thanks,

Lori

-----Original Message-----
From: Baker, Virginia \[mailto:[e-mail]\]
Sent: Monday, March 23, 2015 10:22 PM
To: Beckwith, Loretta A SAW
Subject: \[EXTERNAL\] Re: US 19 Expansion (R-2518A, R2518B, R-2519A, R-2519B) Biological Assessment (UNCLASSIFIED)

Hi Lori,
Thanks for getting back to me, yes I understand we are all busy. I wanted to follow up with you after the meeting on
Wed since there was some confusion as to my role at DWR. I do plan to meet with DOT on this project. I had not know
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about the meetings held on April 22 and July 15 until the day before the monitoring meeting which was a little
frustrating. I did follow up with Kevin after the wed meeting and he is going to send me some feedback/notes from that
meeting.

Our permit conditions had referred to the BA. I had spoken with Marella about getting a copy a few weeks ago and she
said the ACOE had the BA so that is why I followed up with you. I will try your contact at DOT. Thanks.

This week I am at a conference until Friday and next week I have training (in Asheville actually) from April 1-3. Also I
have some IRT deadlines coming up next week and the week after. Jason sent me all the files that were handed out at
one of the meetings last spring/summer which I have not had a chance to review and would like to do so beforehand (as
well as hear back from Kevin). Is there I time I could schedule to talk on the 10, 13, or 15-17 of April instead? I do
appreciate your availability.

Thanks,
Ginny

Sent from my iPad

> On Mar 23, 2015, at 6:00 PM, Beckwith, Loretta A SAW <[e-mail]> wrote:
>
> Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
> Caveats: NONE
>
> Hi Ginny,
>
> Sorry it's taken me so long to respond, but, as with everyone else, there's a lot going on right now. I'll be happy to talk
about it, although it hasn't been resolved yet and NCDOT is still looking into a few things. I've worked NCDOT for almost
5 years and this (R-2518 A&B, R-2519A) was permitted before my time, so I can only discuss it from that point of view.
Tomorrow is my last day in the office until April 1st, and I have mandatory training tomorrow and the field, etc. when I
return. Can you talk on April 3rd or 7th? Just let me know so that I can put it on my calendar. I don't know if you've
talked to NCDOT about this, but Jason Elliot can update you and give you background information before we talk.
>
> I understand that Kevin was new to the position but he attended the office meeting we had about this (Randy Griffin
and Jason Elliot met us at the USFWS in Asheville) on July 15, 2014. He either has notes or should be able to give you an
update as to his position. This is not a simple issue, so his input would be very helpful to you.
>
> The BA was written by NCDOT and we submitted it to USFWS to initiate ESA Section 7 consultation - it's not actually
our document but we're the lead federal agency on this project and we reviewed it and determined that it's sufficient to
initiate consultation. Marella (the USFWS POC) was at this meeting in July and was in agreement with our discussion
about reduced credit for the utility impacts, but you might want to talk to her too. I don't have an electronic version of
the BA, but Neil Medlin (NCDOT) may be able to point you in the right direction. Here's the DOT directory (in case you
don't have it) https://apps.dot.state.nc.us/dot/directory/
>
> Just let me know about the 3rd or 7th.
>
> Thank you,
>
> Lori
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Baker, Virginia \[mailto:[e-mail]\]
> Sent: Friday, March 20, 2015 4:45 PM
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> To: Beckwith, Loretta A SAW
> Cc: Barnett, Kevin
> Subject: \[EXTERNAL\] FW: US 19 Expansion (R-2518A, R2518B, R-2519A, R-2519B) Biological Assessment
>
> Hi Lori,
>
>
>
> I was at the meeting this past Wednesday on DOT monitoring sites. I had sent you comments on the monitoring plans
prior to the meeting as well but that was just a CC and I had not identified my position. Attached is an email I sent a few
weeks back. I realized in the meeting that my new position is a bit confusing to the other agencies as you indicated.
Kevin is relatively new in the Asheville position for DOT, but he has been in the Asheville office a long time. Maybe I
should send an email to the other agencies. DOT has an agency contact map that I should probably get added too the
next time they updated it. I have met some of you ACOE colleagues on site visits for EEP sites and on the IRT which I
assist with, including Henry. Still getting all the names and faces straight in my head.
>
>
>
> Could we set up a time sometime to talk about the US19 project in regards to mitigation? It would be super helpful.
>
>
>
> Thanks much!
>
> Ginny Baker
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> From: Baker, Virginia
> Sent: Monday, February 23, 2015 12:13 PM
> To: '[e-mail]'
> Subject: US 19 Expansion (R-2518A, R2518B, R-2519A, R-2519B) Biological Assessment
>
>
>
> Hi Lori,
>
>
>
> I work for DWR and am in a newer position that was set up to review and keep track of DOT funded mitigation (both
permittee responsible and EEP). I have been spending a lot of time going over documents associated with the US 19
Expansion project that has multiple mitigation sites (some that have not been built, those I am less familiar with). When
I reviewed the project in the field last summer I saw that some of the sites have buffers < then 30' plus a number of
utility crossings. Our regional staff person out of Asheville is new in his position so I have limited ability to get history on
this project. Our permit conditions say "All streams should have buffers in accordance with the Biological Assessment"
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which I understand to be an ACOE document. I mostly have access to soft copies associated with this project and have
been unable to find a copy of the biological assessment. I was wandering if you had a copy you could send me.
>
>
>
> I also am having trouble finding the original plansheets that DOT put together to go with the permit as I wanted to see
if the many utility lines I saw in the field were on the plans. I have not found any specific email communication related to
narrow buffer widths OR utility lines. However, there was some communication associated with the preservation sites.
I'm planning to approach DOT for plans. Do you have any recollection of concerns that may have been raised regarding
utility lines or buffer width during the planning stages of this project? EEP projects typically get 50% credit for utility line
corridors that have been planted with shrubs.
>
>
>
> Thanks,
>
>
>
> Ginny Baker
>
> Transportation Permitting Unit
>
> NCDENR-Division of Water Resources
>
> 1650 Mail Service Center
>
> Raleigh, NC 27699-1650
>
> Phone-[phone], Fax-[phone]
>
>
>
>
> Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
> Caveats: NONE
>
>

Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

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