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HomeMy WebLinkAbout20200987 Ver 1_USACE Correspondence_20200917DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY WILMINGTON DISTRICT, CORPS OF ENGINEERS 69 DARLINGTON AVENUE WILMINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA 28403-1343 September 17, 2020 Regulatory Division Re: Request for Time Extension: North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) request for an Individual 401 Water Quality Certification for the Lake Adger Channel Maintenance Dredging Project (DWR # 20200987) in Polk County Mr. Jeffrey Poupart Division of Water Resources -Water Quality Permitting Section North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality 217 West Jones Street Raleigh, North Carolina 27603 Dear Mr. Poupart: Please reference the September 2, 2020 e-mail from Ms. Sue Homewood requesting an extension of time to review the subject project for the required individual 401 Water Quality Certification (WQC). DWR considers a reasonable period of time for consideration of the 401 application to be 60 days from receipt of a complete and adequate response to an additional information request sent to the NCWRC by DWR on August 26, 2020. As you are aware, the Corps of Engineers issued Regulatory Guidance Letter (RGL) No.19-02 titled: Timeframes for Clean Water Act Section 401 Water Quality Certifications and Clarification of Waiver Responsibility. Within that guidance, it is stated that the Corps may consider a 401 certification waived if the certifying agency fails or refuses to act on a request for certification within 60-days after receipt of such a request unless the District Engineer determines that a shorter or longer period of time is reasonable for the certifying agency to act. It also states that "any additional time granted should be the minimum amount of time necessary for the certifying agency to act on a 401 WQC request and should not default to one year from receipt of such request" as defined in 33 CFR 325.2 (b)(1)(ii). We have thoroughly reviewed the information contained in your request and have determined that the requested extension for the Lake Adger Channel Dredging project is consistent with the above referenced guidance and therefore the Corps agrees to extend the review period for 60-days from the date you receive a complete and adequate response to the additional information request sent to the NCWRC by DWR on August 26, 2020. -2- If you have any questions regarding this correspondence please do not hesitate to contact me by phone at: 910-251-4952 or by email at: Scott. C.Mclendon(a)usace.army.mil Sincerely, MCLENDON.0 Digitally signed by MCLENDON.C.SCOTT.12 .SCOTT.12296 29682071 Date: 2020.09.17 82071 14:18:05-04'00' Scott McLendon Chief, Regulatory Division Wilmington District Copy Furnished: Mr. Todd Allen Bowers (via e-mail) US EPA Region 4 Water Protection Division 61 Forsyth Street, SW Atlanta, Georigia 30303-8960