20080868 Ver 2_Stream Buffer Impact and Mitigation Calculations_20100401

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Beverly Eaves Perdue, Governor
Dee Freeman, Secretary
North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources
Coleen H. Sullins, Director
Division of Water Quality
April 1, 2010
Mr. Ross Smith
PCS Phosphate Company, Inc.
P.O. Box 48
Aurora, NC 27806
Dear Mr. Smith:
RE: DWQ review of your March 2, 2010 submittal concerning stream buffer mitigation
requirements for PCS mine expansion
Division staff have reviewed your submittal discussed above. Before we make a
decision on your request, we will need the following information:
1) Please provide a narrative to accompany the revised information. The March 2
submittal provided data and maps but no explanatory narrative which is essential to
understanding your request.
2) From conversations with representatives of the Corps of Engineers which I have
confirmed from site visits to particular sites over the past several years, it is clear that
there are areas of uplands within 50 feet of streams mainly on the NCPC and
Bonnerton tracts which are depicted on the Corps delineation maps as wetlands.
These tend to be relatively narrow areas of dredge spoil, areas next to channels
which have had their hydrology removed by the drainage effect of the channel itself,
and/or are natural berms adjacent to the channel created by overbank flooding.
During the Corps delineation process for the three large tracts (NCPC, Bonnerton
and South of 33), these areas were not separately delineated mainly due to map
scale concerns. However for the purpose of determining whether these areas are
wetlands or uplands with respect to mitigation for the buffer rules, you will need to
more carefully and precisely determine the extent of wetlands and uplands along all
streams on these three tracts which are depicted as being in a wetland community.
These areas will need to be flagged and then DWQ staff will need to visit the sites to
confirm the delineation. Once that has been done, the upland areas will need to be
GPS'ed or surveyed so their exact extent can be determined. Please submit a study
plan to us for written approval before this work is done so we can make certain it will
answer the question about uplands versus wetlands adjacent to stream channels on
these three tracts.
Once this information is received, then the Division can complete our review of your
request. I can be reached at 9190733-9646 if you have any questions.
Cc: John Payne, NC Attorney moral's Office
Tom Walker, US Army Corps of Engineers
File copy
Mailing Address Phone [phone]
1617 Mail Service Center Fax [phone]
Raleigh, NC 27699-1617

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