20051544 Ver 1_More Info Received_20050627 (3)

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STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
MICHAEL F. EASLEY
GOVERNOR
Mr. William D. Gilmore, P.E.
EEP Transition Manager
Ecosystem Enhancement Program
1652 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1652
Dear Sir:
June 23, 2005
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LYNDO TIPPETT
SECRETARY
Subject: The replacement of Bridge No. 195 over Bear Creek (Lake James Creek) on
SR 1552 in McDowell County, Federal Aid Project No. BRZ-1552(8), State
Project No. 8.2872001, TIP No. B-3872.
The purpose of this letter is to request that the North Carolina Ecosystem Enhancement Program
(EEP) provide confirmation that you are willing to provide compensatory mitigation for the project
in accordance with the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signed July 22, 2003 by the USACE, the
NCDENR and the NCDOT.
The NC Department of Transportation (NCDOT) proposes to replace the Bridge No. 195 over Bear
Creek on SR 1552, with a new bridge just east of the existing structure at approximately the same
elevation. Bridge No. 195 is a single lane, four span structure 80 feet long with a timber deck on
steel I-beams and timber piles. The new bridge will be a two-lane structure approximately 125 feet in
length and 28 feet in width. A travel way of 22 feet will be accommodated, with an offset of 3 feet
on each side of the bridge. The approach roadway will consist of two 11-foot travel lanes. Grass
shoulder widths will be 4 feet on each side and increased to 7 feet where guardrail is warranted. One
lane of traffic will be maintained along the existing roadway during construction. The design speed
will be approximately 20 mph. A design exception will be required for the horizontal alignment.
Total project length will be approximately 600 feet.
RESOURCES UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF SECTION 404 AND 401 OF THE CLEAN
WATER ACT.
We have avoided and minimized the impacts to jurisdictional resources to the greatest extent
possible as described in the permit application. A copy of the permit application can be found at
http://www.ncdot.org/planning//pe/naturalunit/Applications.html. The remaining impacts to
jurisdictional resources will be compensated for by mitigation provided by the EEP program. We
estimate that 5,096.9 square feet of riparian buffers will be impacted.

The project is located in the Blue Ridge Physiographic Province in McDowell County in the
Catawba River basin in Hydrological Cataloguing Unit 03050101. Bear Creek is listed as a cool
water perennial stream.
Please send the letter of confirmation to Angie Pennock (USAGE Coordinator) at U. S. Army Corps
of Engineers Regulatory Field Office, 151 Patton Avenue, Room 208 Asheville, NC 28801-5006.
Ms. Pennock's FAX number is [phone]. The current let date for the project is 11/15/2005 for
which the let review date is 9/27/2005.
RESOURCES UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF THE NORTH CAROLINA
RIPARIAN BUFFER PROGRAM
We propose to mitigate for the Catawba Buffer impacts by using the EEP for the 5,096.9 square feet
of impacts.
Summary of Catawba Buffer Impacts and Mitigation:
Section Zone 1
Im acts Zone 2
Im acts Total
B-3872 910.3 4,186.6 5,096.9
"This amount of mitigation is what NCDOT anticipates is needed to satisfy permit requirements of
the North Carolina Division of Water Quality (NCDWQ) for buffer impacts. Upon receipt of the 401
Water Quality Certification from NCDWQ, NCDOT will transfer funds to EEP for buffer mitigation.
In order to satisfy regulatory assurances that mitigation will be performed; the NCDWQ requires a
formal letter from EEP indicating their willingness and .ability to provide the mitigation work
requested by NCDOT. The NCDOT also requests a copy of the confirmation letter be sent to Mr.
John Hennessy of NCDWQ.
If you have any questions or need additional information please call or email Chris Manley at (919)
715-1487 or cdmanle cr,dot.state.nc.us.
Sincerely,
Gregory J. Thorpe, Ph.D.,
Environmental Management Director
Project Development & Environmental Analysis Branch
The "cc" list:
Mr. John Hennessy, NCDWQ
Mr. Brian Wrenn, NCDWQ
Ms. Angie Pennock, USAGE
Ms. Linda Fitzpatrick, NCDOT Natural Environment Unit
Mr. Omar S. Sultan, NCDOT Project Management/Scheduling Unit
Mr. Todd Jones, NCDOT External Audit Branch