GC 3118

GENERAL CERTIFICATION FOR UNDERWATER ARCHAEOLOGICAL WORK
This General Certification is issued in conformity with the
requirements of Section 401, Public Laws 92-500 and 95-217 of the
United States and subject to the North Carolina Division of
Water Quality Regulations in 15A NCAC 2H .0500 and 15 NCAC 2B .0200
for the discharge of fill material to navigable water and wetlands to
remove sediment overburden associated with underwater investigations
of archaeological or historical sites and scientific salvage during
removal or redeposition of excavated hulls. This Certification
replaces Water Quality Certification Number 2680 issued on January 21,
1992. This WQC may be rescinded when deemed appropriate by the
Director of the DWQ.
The State of North Carolina certifies that the above
specified category of activity will not violate applicable portions of
Sections 301, 302, 303, 306 and 307 of the Public Laws 92-500 and
95-217 if conducted in accordance with the conditions hereafter set
forth.
Conditions of Certification:
1. Proposed activities under this General Certification
shall require written concurrence from the Division of
Water Quality;
2. The work shall be in accordance with written plans
developed in consultation with the State Historic
Preservation Office in the Department of Cultural
Resources and others as appropriate;
3. Excluded from this General Certification shall be work
in submerged aquatic vegetation beds, actively
managed shellfish beds and ORW waters classified by
the Division of Water Quality;
4. That the activity may be recurrent at a given location
during the length of this Certification;
5. Measures to control turbidity shall be proposed by the
applicant and may be specified in the written
concurrence from the~Division of Water Quality;
6. If an environmental document is required, this
Certification is not valid until a FONSI or ROD is
issued by the State Clearinghouse;
7. That additional site-specific conditions may be added
for projects proposed under this Certification in
order to ensure compliance with all applicable water
quality and effluent standards;
8. Concurrence by DWQ that this Certification applies to
an individual project shall expire three years from
the date of the cover letter from DWQ.
Non-compliance with or violation of the conditions herein
set forth by a specific fill project shall result in revocation
of this Certification for the project and may result in criminal
and/or civil penalties.
The Director of the North Carolina Division of Water Quality may
require submission of a formal application for certification for any
project in this category of activity, if it is determined that the

project is likely to have a significant adverse effect upon water
quality or degrade the waters so that existing uses are precluded.
Public Hearings may be held for specific applications or
group of applications prior to Certification if deemed in the
public's best interest by the Director of the North Carolina
Division of Water Quality.
Effective date: 11 February 1997.
Gencert.arc
A. Preston Howard, Jr. P.E.
Director
DIVISION OF WATER QUALITY
By ,%''
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WQC # 3118