Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout20191453 Ver 1_Fish-WildlifeComments_20191021United States Department of the Interior FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE Raleigh Field Office Post Office Box 33726 Raleigh, North Carolina 27636-3726 February 10, 2015 Tamara Makhlouf North Carolina Department of Transportation Project Development and Environmental Analysis 1548 Mail Service Center Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1548 Dear Ms. Makhlouf: This letter is in response to your request for comments from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) on the potential environmental effects of the following proposed bridge replacements in Division 2. TIP No. County Bridge No. Road Stream B-4414 Beaufort 43 US 264 Pungo Creek B-4433 Beaufort 40 SR 1932 Durham Creek Tributary B-4709 Beaufort 14 SR 1932 Branch of Durham Creek B-4603 Pitt 29 SR 1715 Fork Swamp B-4605 Pitt 5 SR 1777 Chicod Creek B-4606 Pitt 17 SR 1780 Chicod Creek B-4607 Pitt 43 SR 1923 Swift Creek B-4786 Pitt 38 US 13 Tar River B-4788 Pitt 171 SR 1418 Johnson Mill Run These comments provide information in accordance with provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(c)) and Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531-1543). The Service will not be attending the scheduled field scoping meetings. Specific Comments B-4414 Although there are no records in the vicinity of this location, it is possible the federally endangered West Indian manatee (Trichechus manatus) could be present in Pungo Creek from June to October. The Service's GUIDELINES FOR AVOIDING IMPACTS TO THE WEST INDIAN MANATEE: Precautionary Measures for Construction Activities in North Carolina Waters should be implemented during this timeframe. B-4786 The West Indian manatee has been observed in the Tar River immediately downstream of the City of Greenville. The aforementioned GUIDELINES should be implemented from June to October. General Comments For bridge replacement projects, the Service recommends the following general conservation measures to avoid or minimize impacts to fish and wildlife resources: 1. Wetland, forest and designated riparian buffer impacts should be avoided and minimized to the maximum extent practical; 2. If unavoidable wetland or stream impacts are proposed, a plan for compensatory mitigation to offset unavoidable impacts should be provided early in the planning process; 3. Off -site detours should be used rather than construction of temporary, on -site bridges. For projects requiring an on -site detour in wetlands or open water, such detours should be aligned along the side of the existing structure which has the least and/or least quality of fish and wildlife habitat. At the completion of construction, the detour area should be entirely removed and the impacted areas be replanted with appropriate tree species; 4. In streams utilized by anadromous fish, the NCDOT policy entitled "Stream Crossing Guidelines for Anadromous Fish Passage" should be implemented; 5. New bridges should be long enough to allow for sufficient wildlife passage along stream corridors; 6. Where possible, avoid the use of riprap on the top of the bank under bridges to allow for wildlife passage under the bridge; 7. "Best Management Practices (BMP) for Construction and Maintenance Activities" should be implemented; 8. Bridge designs should include provisions for roadbed and deck drainage to flow through a vegetated buffer prior to reaching the affected stream. This buffer should be large enough to alleviate any potential effects from run-off of storm water and pollutants; 9. Bridge designs should not alter the natural stream and stream -bank morphology or impede fish passage. To the extent possible, piers and bents should be placed outside the bank -full width of the stream; and 10. Bridges and approaches should be designed to avoid any fill that will result in damming or constriction of the channel or flood plain. If spanning the flood plain is not feasible, culverts should be installed in the flood plain portion of the approach to restore some of the hydrological functions of the flood plain and reduce high velocities of flood waters within the affected area. Section 7(a)(2) of the Endangered Species Act requires that all federal action agencies (or their designated non-federal representatives), in consultation with the Service, insure that any action federally authorized, funded, or carried out by such agencies is not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of any federally threatened or endangered species. To assist you, a county - by -county list of federally protected species known to occur in North Carolina and information on their life histories and habitats can be found on our web page at http://www.fws.gov/raleigh/species/entvlist/iic counties.html. Although the North Carolina Natural Heritage Program (NCNHP) database does not indicate any known occurrences of listed species near the project vicinities, use of the NCNHP data should not be substituted for actual field surveys if suitable habitat occurs near the project sites. The NCNHP database only indicates the presence of known occurrences of listed species and does not necessarily mean that such species are not present. It may simply mean that the area has not been surveyed. If suitable habitat occurs within the project vicinities for any listed species, surveys should be conducted to determine presence or absence of the species. If you determine that the proposed actions may affect (i.e. likely to adversely affect or not likely to adversely affect) a listed species, you should notify this office with your determination, the results of your surveys, survey methodologies and an analysis of the effects of the actions on listed species, including consideration of direct, indirect and cumulative effects, before conducting any activities that might affect the species. If you determine that the proposed actions will have no effect (i.e. no beneficial or adverse, direct or indirect effect) on listed species, then you are not required to contact our office for concurrence. The Service appreciates the opportunity to comment on these projects. If you have any questions regarding our response, please contact Mr. Gary Jordan at (919) 856-4520, ext. 32. Sincerely, got Pete Benjamin Field Supervisor Electronic copy: Tom Steffens, USACE, Washington, NC