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HomeMy WebLinkAbout20120615 Ver 3_SAW-2011-00181-Public Notice_20201106Version 6.15.2017 Page 1 PUBLIC NOTICE Issue Date: November 6, 2020 Comment Deadline: December 7, 2020 Corps Action ID Number: SAW-2011-00181 The Wilmington District, Corps of Engineers (Corps) received an application on October 27, 2020, from Duke Energy (Applicant) seeking to modify the existing Department of the Army (DA) authorization for the Mayo Coal Combustion Product (CCP) Monofill Site – Phase 1. The existing permit authorized permanent impacts to 2,074 linear feet (lf) of stream channel for the constructi on of a synthetically lined industrial landfill (Coal Combustion Product Monofill) and associated infrastructure at the Mayo Plant in Person County, North Carolina. This authorization was issued on August 22, 2012 , which will expire on December 31, 2030. The Applicant requests to modify the existing DA authorization to permanently impact an additional 2.04 acres of wetlands and 1,273 lf of stream channel for the construction of a Lined Retention Basin (LRB) and for the Ash Basin Landfill (ABLF) project at the Mayo Plant. Note that impacts associated with the LRB (1.15 acres of wetland and 337 lf of stream) have already occurred and that the Applicant is requesting an after-the-fact permit modification for the impacts associated with the construction of the LRB. Specific plans and location information are described below and shown on the attached plans. This Public Notice and all attached plans are also available on the Wilmington District Web Site at: http://www.saw.usace.army.mil/Missions/RegulatoryPermitProgram.aspx Applicant: Ms. Lori Tollie Duke Energy 411 Fayetteville Street Raleigh, North Carolina 27601 Agent: Mr. Richard Harmon Wood Environment and Infrastructure Solutions, Inc. 4021 Stirrup Creek Drive, Suite 100 Durham, North Carolina 27703 US Army Corps Of Engineers Wilmington District Version 6.15.2017 Page 2 Authority The Corps evaluates this application and decides whether to issue, conditionally issue, or deny the proposed work pursuant to applicable procedures of the following Statutory Authorities: Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. 1344) Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 (33 U.S.C. 403) Section 103 of the Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act of 1972 (33 U.S.C. 1413) Location Location Description: The project site is located at the Duke Energy Mayo Plant and is situated southeast of the intersection of US-501 (Boston Road) and State Road 1501 (Mayo Lake Road), north of Roxboro, in Person County, North Carolina. Project Area (acres): 347 acres Nearest Town: Roxboro Nearest Waterway: Crutchfield Branch River Basin: Roanoke Latitude and Longitude: 36.521709 N, -78.906287 W Existing Site Conditions The proposed LRB and ABLF project areas are located in the piedmont physiographic region of North Carolina. The project area consists of an approximately 347-acre area within the 2,940-acre Duke Energy Mayo Plant property. The project area primarily encompasses portions of an existing ash basin and adjacent areas surrounding the ash basin which include both natural forestland and maintained open areas on the east side of US 501. The ash basin was created in 1982 in order to manage Coal Combustion Residuals (CCR) generated by the Mayo Plant. In 2013, the Mayo Plant was converted from a wet to a dry bottom ash handling system and all dry fly ash is now being disposed of within the CCR landfill (CCP Monofill Site – Phase 1 permitted under Corps Action ID SAW-2011-00181) that is located on the west side of US 501. The ABLF project discussed herein includes the proposed ABLF (42.2 acres), four borrow areas (39.4 acres) and associated haul roads, along with the area associated with the dam decommissioning area (17.5 acres). The LRB project includes the already constructed Lined Retention Basin comprised of 30.5 acres. Wood Environment and Infrastructure Solutions, Inc., (formerly Amec Foster Wheeler Environment & Infrastructure, Inc.) consultant for the applicant, conducted a jurisdictional delineation of the site in 2015. Thirteen wetlands and nine streams were located within the ABLF project area, including its four borrow Version 6.15.2017 Page 3 areas and ash basin dam decommissioning area. Three wetlands and 2 streams occurred within the LRB project area. The jurisdictional boundaries of these streams and wetlands were field verified by the Corps on March 14 and June 22 of 2016, August 30, 2017, and August 19, 2020. All streams and wetlands within the project area drain to either Crutchfield Branch naturally, or Mayo Reservoir via pumping, which are within the Roanoke River Basin; 8-digit hydrologic unit code (HUC) 03010104. All but two of the wetlands within the project areas are classified as Headwater Forest wetlands. One is classified as Hardwood Flat and the other is classified as Bottomland Hardwood Forest according to the North Carolina Wetland Assessment Method (NCWAM). The predominant terrestrial community within the project area is mixed pine- hardwood upland forest. This community surrounds most of the streams and wetlands that occur within the project area. The canopy stratum includes loblolly pine (Pinus taeda), white oak (Quercus alba), northern red oak (Q. rubra), southern red oak (Q. falcata), sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua), American beech (Fagus grandifolia), and mockernut hickory (Carya tomentosa). The shrub stratum consists of American holly (Ilex opaca), sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum), red maple (Acer rubrum), ironwood (Ostrya virginiana), eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana), saplings of the above listed hardwood species, and scattered occurrences of Chinese privet (Ligustrum sinense). The groundstory vegetation, although sparse, includes common greenbrier (Smilax rotundifolia), Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica), elephant's-foot (Elephantopus sp.), panic grasses (Panicum spp.), blackberry (Rubus sp.), wild onion (Allium canadense), Christmas fern (Polystichum acrostichoides), and hardwood seedlings. According to the Soil Survey of Person County, soils mapped within the ABLF project include: Cecil, Udorthents (the ash basin), and Wedowee soils in the ABLF, Cecil, Helena, Rion, Siloam, Udorthents, Vance, and Wedowee in the borrow and haul road areas, and Rion, Wedowee, and Chewacla and Wehadkee in the ash basin dam decommissioning area. Soils mapped within the LRB project are Udorthents. Of the soils that occur within the project area, only the Chewacla/Wehadkee soils (0-2% slopes, frequently flooded), Helena sandy loams (2-6% slopes), and the Siloam loam soils (8-15% slopes) are classified as hydric soils. Applicant’s Stated Purpose The purpose of the modification request, as stated by the applicant, is the following: “The purpose of the project (proposed action) is to build a 42.2-acre ABLF capable of containing 4.6-million cubic yards of CCR adjacent to the ash basin at the Mayo Plant. The construction of the ABLF would require the placement of fill material, which would be excavated from four borrow areas located in the vicinity of the ABLF. Version 6.15.2017 Page 4 The project would also include the construction of a haul road to transport CCR materials to the ABLF. As part of the overall project, the decommissioning, or closure, of the Ash Basin would entail the breach of the basin dam and the establishment of drainage channels. Finally, the project would require permitting after-the-fact impacts to wetlands and streams from the LRB construction and to provide a mechanism for providing compensatory mitigation requirements for the LRB. Based on the need to meet new EPA effluent limitation guidelines and regulations for CCR, Duke Energy is required to redirect plant wastewater, monofill leachate, cooling tower blowdown, and contact stormwater to the new LRB. The LRB needed to be completed prior to initiation of other ash basin closure activities”. Project Description The Coal Ash Management Act of 2014 (CAMA-14) has accelerated the excavation and removal of CCR materials from the ash basins at Duke Energy power generating plants with coal-fired facilities in the state of North Carolina. The bill, enacted on August 20, 2014, requires the Applicant to phase out wet ash handling. In conjunction with the CAMA-14, the NC Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) has amassed comprehensive data about coal ash facilities statewide and has prioritized closure plans for the facilities with coal ash storage ponds. The Mayo Plant is identified as one of these facilities with a coal ash storage pond. As a result of these developments, the Applicant has proposed the LRB construction and Ash Basin Closure in order to address North Carolina regulatory requirements as related to the redirection of process water away from the ash basin in order to help facilitate the closure activities of CCR materials at the Mayo Plant. The redirection of process water is necessary to ensure the long-term integrity of CCR materials and facilitate future ash basin closure activities at the Mayo Plant. The construction of the LRB is a component of The Mayo Plant Process Water Redirection Program associated with the Ash Basin Closure. The Process Water Redirection Program and Ash Basin Closure is a phased effort to bring the Mayo Plant into compliance with the new EPA effluent limitation guidelines and regulations for CCR materials. The Applicant is requesting authorization for two separate but related activities: 1. The Applicant requests after-the-fact authorization to permanently discharge fill material into 377 lf of stream channel and 1.15 acres of wetlands that occurred as a result of the construction of the LRB. The LRB has been designed as the treatment unit for process and low volume waste streams from the coal-fired Mayo Plant. The LRB would have two primary cells and a secondary polishing pond to promote solids settling. Version 6.15.2017 Page 5 2. To complete the construction of the proposed ABLF, four borrow areas, and haul road, as well as the dam decommissioning activities, permanent impacts to wetlands would be necessary. Impacts would include the ABLF (Wetlands B, C, UU, and ZZ, JJJ and LLL and Streams 9 and 10), Borrow Area 4 (Wetland OOO), and the Ash Basin dam decommissioning footprint (Wetlands F and H). The proposed total wetland impact is 0.89 acre. Activities associated with the dam decommissioning involve permanent impacts to Stream 1 and the southern half of Stream 3. The total proposed total stream impacts associated with this portion of the project is 896 lf. Avoidance and Minimization The Applicant provided the following information in support of efforts to avoid and/or minimize impacts to the aquatic environment: The Applicant indicated that they have considered appropriate and practicable steps to minimize potential adverse impacts to wetlands and streams through the analysis of development concepts during project planning for the LRB construction and for the ABLF. An alternative to construction of the ABLF would be to expand the existing Monofill landfill, Phase 1 approved on August 22, 2012 (USACE Permit No: SAW-2011-00181 and DWQ Project No: 20120615), located a mile west of US 501. That plan would require a second phase of development requiring impacts to 2,658 lf of streams compared with the proposed ABLF stream impacts of 896 linear feet. The proposed ABLF has also been reduced from 58.5 acres to 42.2 acres by proposing to utilize the remaining volume allowed in Phase I of the Monofill landfill. If approved, the ABLF would replace the proposed Monofill landfill and preclude the need for future phases and impacts to Waters of the United States (WotUS). The complete avoidance of WotUS was not practicable during construction of the LRB. All development projects in North Carolina that disturb an acre or greater of land require an approved Erosion & Sediment Control (E&SC) Plan. E&SC Plans must be produced in accordance with the North Carolina Erosion and Sediment Control Planning and Design Manual, dated May 2013. Person County is not in NPDES Phase II nor is the watershed in a regulated community, it does not have post-construction soil and erosion or stormwater control obligations. Person County relies upon the NCDEQ Raleigh Regional Office to oversee and enforce their federal soil and erosion control requirements for new construction. The process water redirection activities at the Mayo Plant would be completed in accordance with the NCDEQ Raleigh Regional Office water quality rules and regulations. Version 6.15.2017 Page 6 Compensatory Mitigation The Applicant evaluated the following compensatory mitiga tion options for the proposed action: (1) credit purchase from an approved private mitigation bank, or (2) credit purchase through the North Carolina Division of Mitigation Services (NCDMS) In-Lieu Fee Program. Note that mitigation requirements for the existing CCP Monofill Site – Phase 1 were satisfied by the purchase of mitigation credits from the former NC Ecosystem Enhancement Program (currently NCDMS). Based on the review of the mitigation options available, it was determined that credit purchase through the NCDMS In-Lieu Fee Program was necessary because there are currently no mitigation banks offering wetland and stream credits in the Roanoke River basin. On-site mitigation and off-site mitigation opportunities were not explored because the In -Lieu Fee option was available. Wetland and stream mitigation credits within HUC 03010104 are currently available through the NCDMS In-Lieu Fee Program. The proposed mitigation ratios for the proposed project are listed below: • A mitigation ratio of 1:1 was applied for riparian and non-riparian wetlands with a NC Wetland Assessment Method overall rating of low or medium (Wetlands B, C, E, F, JJJ, LLL, OOO, and UU). • A mitigation ratio of 1:1 was applied for intermittent streams with a NC Stream Assessment Method overall rating of low or medium (Streams 1, 3, 9, 10). • A mitigation ratio of 2:1 was applied for wetland and stream resources with an NC Wetland or Stream assessment method of high, and for after-the- fact impacts (Wetlands D, E, H, and ZZZ, and Streams 5 and 6). Essential Fish Habitat Pursuant to the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, this Public Notice initiates the Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) consultation requirements. The Corps’ initial determination is that the proposed project would not effect EFH or associated fisheries managed by the South Atlantic or Mid Atlantic Fishery Management Councils or the National Marine Fisheries Service. Cultural Resources Pursuant to Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, Appendix C of 33 CFR Part 325, and the 2005 Revised Interim Guidance for Implementing Appendix C, the District Engineer consulted district files and records and the latest published version of the National Register of Historic Places and initially determines that: Version 6.15.2017 Page 7 Should historic properties, or properties eligible for inclusion in the National Register, be present within the Corps’ permit area; the proposed activity requiring the DA permit (the undertaking) is a type of activity that will have no potential to cause an effect to an historic properties. No historic properties, nor properties eligible for inclusion in the National Register, are present within the Corps’ permit area; therefore, there will be no historic properties affected. The Corps subsequently requests concurrence from the SHPO (or THPO). Properties ineligible for inclusion in the National Register are present within the Corps’ permit area; there will be no historic properties affected by the proposed work. The Corps subsequently requests concurrence from the SHPO (or THPO). Historic properties, or properties eligible for inclusion in the National Register, are present within the Corps’ permit area; however, the undertaking will have no adverse effect on these historic properties. The Corps subsequently requests concurrence from the SHPO (or THPO). Historic properties, or properties eligible for inclusion in the National Register, are present within the Corps’ permit area; moreover, the undertaking may have an adverse effect on these historic properties. The Corps subsequently initiates consultation with the SHPO (or THPO). The proposed work takes place in an area known to have the potential for the presence of prehistoric and historic cultural resources; however, the area has not been formally surveyed for the presence of cultural resources. No sites eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places are known to be present in the vicinity of the proposed work. Additional work may be necessary to identify and assess any historic or prehistoric resources that may be present. The District Engineer’s final eligibility and effect determination will b e based upon coordination with the SHPO and/or THPO, as appropriate and required, and with full consideration given to the proposed undertaking’s potential direct and indirect effects on historic properties within the Corps-identified permit area. Endangered Species Pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973, the Corps reviewed the project area, examined all information provided by the applicant and consulted the latest North Carolina Natural Heritage Database. Based on available information: Version 6.15.2017 Page 8 The Corps determines that the proposed project would not affect federally listed endangered or threatened species or their formally designated critical habitat. The Corps determines that the proposed project may affect federally listed endangered or threatened species or their formally designated critical habitat. The Corps initiates consultation under Section 7 of the ESA and will not make a permit decision until the consultation process is complete. The Corps will consult under Section 7 of the ESA and will not make a permit decision until the consultation process is complete. The Corps has initiated consultation under Section 7 of the ESA and will not make a permit decision until the consultation process is complete. The Corps determines that the proposed project may affect federally listed endangered or threatened species or their formally designated critical habitat. Consultation has been completed for this type of activity and the effects of the proposed activity have been evaluated and/or authorized by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) in the South Atlantic Regional Biological Opinion or its associated documents, including 7(a)(2) & 7(d) analyses and Critical Habitat assessments. A copy of this public notice will be sent to the NMFS. The Corps is not aware of the presence of species listed as threatened or endangered or their critical habitat formally designated pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA) within the project area. The Corps will make a final determination on the effects of the proposed project upon additional review of the project and completion of any necessary biological assessment and/or consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and/or National Marine Fisheries Service. Other Required Authorizations The Corps forwards this notice and all applicable application materials to the appropriate State agencies for review. North Carolina Division of Water Resources (NCDWR): The Corps will generally not make a final permit decision until the NCDWR issues, denies, or waives the state Certification as required by Section 401 of the Clean Water Act (PL 92-500). The receipt of the application and this public notice, combined with the appropriate application fee, at the NCDWR Central Office in Raleigh constitutes initial receipt of an application for a 401 Certification. A waiver will be deemed to occur if the NCDWR fails to act on this request for certification within Version 6.15.2017 Page 9 sixty days of receipt of a complete application. Additional information regarding the 401 Certification may be reviewed at the NCDWR Central Office, 401 and Buffer Permitting Unit, 512 North Salisbury Street, Raleigh, North Carolina 27604-2260. All persons desiring to make comments regarding the application for a 401 Certification should do so, in writing, by November 30, 2020, to: NCDWR Central Office Attention: Mr. Paul Wojoski, 401 and Buffer Permitting Branch (USPS mailing address): 1617 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699- 1617 Or, (physical address): 512 North Salisbury Street, Raleigh, NC 27604 North Carolina Division of Coastal Management (NCDCM): The application did not include a certification that the proposed work complies with and would be conducted in a manner that is consistent with the approved North Carolina Coastal Zone Management Program. Pursuant to 33 CFR 325.2 (b)(2) the Corps cannot issue a Department of Army (DA) permit for the proposed work until the applicant submits such a certification to the Corps and the NCDCM, and the NCDCM notifies the Corps that it concurs with the applicant’s consistency certification. As the application did not include the consistency certification, the Corps will request, upon receipt,, concurrence or objection from the NCDCM. Based upon all available information, the Corps determines that this application for a Department of Army (DA) permit does not involve an activity which would affect the coastal zone, which is defined by the Coastal Zone Management (CZM) Act (16 U.S.C. § 1453). Evaluation The decision whether to issue a permit will be based on an evaluation of the probable impacts including cumulative impacts of the proposed activity on the public interest. That decision will reflect the national concern for both protection and utilization of important resources. The benefit which reasonably may be expected to accrue from the proposal must be balanced against its reasonably foreseeable detriments. All factors which may be relevant to the proposal will be considered including the cumulative effects thereof; among those are conservation, economics, aesthetics, general environmental concerns, wetlands, historic properties, fish and wildlife values, flood hazards, flood plain values (in accordance with Executive Order 11988), land use, navigation, shoreline erosion and accretion, recreation, water supply and conse rvation, water quality, energy Version 6.15.2017 Page 10 needs, safety, food and fiber production, mineral needs, considerations of property ownership, and, in general, the needs and welfare of the people. For activities involving the discharge of dredged or fill materials in WotUS, the evaluation of the impact of the activity on the public interest will include application of the Environmental Protection Agency’s 404(b)(1) guidelines. Commenting Information The Corps of Engineers is soliciting comments from the public; Federal, State and local agencies and officials, including any consolidated State Viewpoint or written position of the Governor; Indian Tribes and other interested parties in order to consider and evaluate the impacts of this proposed activity. Any comments received will be considered by the Corps of Engineers to determine whether to issue, modify, condition or deny a permit for this proposal. To make this decision, comments are used to assess impacts on endangered species, historic properties, water quality, general environmental effects and the other public interest factors listed above. Comments are used in the preparation of an Environmental Assessment (EA) and/or an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Comments are also used to determine the need for a public hearing and to determine the overall public interest of the proposed activity. Any person may request, in writing, within the comment period specified in this notice, that a public hearing be held to consider the application. Requests for public hearings shall state, with particularity, the reasons for holding a public hearing. Requests for a public hearing will be granted, unless the District Engineer determines that the issues raised are insubstantial or there is otherwise no valid interest to be served by a hearing. The Corps of Engineers, Wilmington District will receive written comments pertinent to the proposed work, as outlined above, until 5pm, December 7, 2020. Comments should be submitted to Mr. Chris Hopper, Raleigh Regulatory Field Office, 3331 Heritage Trade Drive, Suite 105 , Wake Forest, North Carolina 27587, at (919) 554-4884, ext. 35.