GC 3371

WQC #3371
CAMA PERMIT CERTIFICATION
GENERAL CERTIFICATION FOR PROJECTS ELIGIBLE FOR CORPS QF ENGINEERS
GENERAL PERMIT NUMBER 198000291 (ISSUED TO THE NORTH CAROLINA DII/IStON OF
COASTAL MANAGEMENT AND RIPARIAN AREA PROTECTION RULES (BUFFER RULES)
This General Certification is issued in conformity with requirement of Section 401, Public
Laws 92-500 and 95-2.17 of the United States and subject to the North Carolina Division of Water
Quality Regulations in 15 NCAC 2H, Section .0500 and 15 NCAC 2B .0200 for the discharge of
fill material as described in General Permit 198000291 and for the Riparian Area Protection Rules
(Buffer Rules) in 15A NCAC 2B .0200. This Certification replaces Water Quality Certification
Number 3025 issued on September 6,1995, Water Quality Certification Number 3112 issued on
February 11, 1997, and Water Quality Certification Number 3274 issued June 1, 2000. This
WQC is rescinded when the Corps of Engineers re-authorizes Regional General Permit 0291 or
when deemed appropriate by the Director of DWQ.
The State of North Carolina certifies that the 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 conditions hereinafter set forth.
Conditions of Certification:
1. Activities authorized by CAMA major permits require written concurrence from the
Division of Water Quality as well as compliance with all conditions of this General
Certification;
2. Activities authorized by Coastal Area Management. Act (CAMA} Minor or General
Permits do not require written authorization from the Division of Water Quality as long
as they comply with all other conditions of this General Certification;
3. In accordance with North Carolina General Statute Section 143-215.3D(e), any
request for written concurrence fora 401 Water Quality Certification must include the
appropriate fee. If a project also requires a CAMA Permit, ane payment to both
agencies shall be submitted and will be the higher of the two fees. The fee shall be
collected and distributed between the two agencies in accordance with agreements
reached between the Division of Water Quality and the Division of Coastal
Management;
4. In accordance with 15A NCAC 2H .0506 (h) compensatory mitigation may be
required for impacts to 150 linear feet or more of streams and/or one acre or more of
wetlands. In addition, buffer mitigation maybe required for any project with Buffer
Rules in effect at the time of application for buffer impacts resulting from activities
classified as "allowable with mitigation" within the "Table of Uses" section of the
Buffer Rules or require a variance under the Buffer Rules. A determination of buffer,
wetland and stream mitigation requirements shall be made for any Certification for
this Nationwide Permit. The most current design and monitoring protocols from DWQ
shall be followed and written plans submitted for DWQ approval as required in those
protocols. When compensatory mitigation is required for a project, the mitigation
plans must be approved by DWQ in writing before the impacts approved by the
Certification occur. The mitigation plan must be implemented and/or constructed
before any permanent building or structure on site is occupied. In the case of public
road projects, the mitigation plan must be implemented before the road is opened to
the travelling public;

WQC #3371
5. Compensatory stream mitigation shall be required at a 1;1 ratio for all perennial and
intermittent stream impacts that require application to DWQ in watersheds classified
as ORW, HQW, Tr, WS-I and WS-II;
6. Impacts to any stream length in the Neuse and Tar-Pamlico River Basins (or any
other major river basins with Riparian Area Protection Rules [Buffer Rules] in effect at
the time of application) requires written concurrence from DWQ in accordance with
15A NCAC 26.0200. New development activities located in the protected 50-foot
wide riparian areas (whether jurisdictional wetlands or not) within the Neuse and Tar-
Pamlico River Basins shall be limited to "uses" identified within and constructed in
accordance with 15A NCAC 2B .0200. All new development shall be located,
designed, constructed, and maintained to have minimal disturbance to protect water
quality to the maximum extent practicable through the use of best management
practices. Activities listed as "exempt" from these rules do not need to apply for
written concurrence under this Certification;
7. All sediment and erosion control measures placed in wetlands or waters shall be
removed and the original grade restored after the Division of Land Resources has
released the project;
8. If an environmental document is required, this Certification is not valid until a Finding
of No Signficant Impact (FONSI) or Record of Decision (ROD) is issued by the State
Clearinghouse;
9. That appropriate sediment and erosion control practices which equal or exceed those
outlined in the most recent version of the "North Carolina Sediment and Erosion
Control Planning and Design Manual" or the "North Carolina Surface Mining Manual"
whichever is more appropriate (available from the Division of Land Resources (DLR)
in the DENR Regional or Central Offices) shall be in fu{I compliance with all
specifications governing the proper design, installation and operation and
maintenance of such Best Management Practices in order to assure compliance with
the appropriate turbidity water quality standard;
10. Measures shall be taken to prevent live or fresh concrete from coming into contact
with waters of the state until the concrete has hardened;
11. Additional site-specific conditions may be added to projects which have applied for
CAMA major permits which are proposed under this Certification in order to ensure
compliance with all applicable water quality and effluent standards;
12. When written concurrence is required, the applicant is required to use the most
recent version of the Certification of Completion form to notify DWQ when all work
included in the 401 Certification has been completed;
13. Concurrence from DWQ that this Certification applies to an individual project shall
expire three years from the date of the cover letter from DWQ or on the same day as
the expiration date of the corresponding General Permit 198000291, whichever is
sooner.
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.

WQC #3371
The Director of the North Carolina Division of Water Quality may require submission of a
formal application for individual certification for any project in this category of activity that requires
written concurrence under this certification, 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 of the
wetland or downstream waters are precluded.
Public hearings may be held for specific applications or group of applications prior to a
Certification decision if deemed in the public's best interest by the Director of the North Carolina
Division of Water Quality.
Effective date: l8 March 2002
DIVISION OF WATER QUALITY
By
WQC # 3371