20100857 Ver 1_DWR Comments on Technical Proposal_20090618

Kulz, Eric
From: Kulz, Eric
Sent: Thursday, June 18, 2009 2:48 PM
To: Adam Riggsbee; Risgaard, Jon
Cc: Zimmerman, Jay
Subject: FW: Butlers Branch: Nutrient Offset Buffer Restoration for City of Raleigh
Attachments: Neuse River Nitrogen Abatement Technical Proposal to the City of Raleigh 1-22-08.PDF
Adam/Jon:
Please note the attached Butlers branch Nutrient Abatement Buffer Restoration Project - Technical Proposal.
I have reviewed the proposal and found it to be technically acceptable for a nutrient offset project. Based on current
DWQ policy regarding nutrient offset projects, the successful completion of the project will result in approx. 54 acres of
riparian buffer along drainage features that currently have no buffers, or extension of existing buffer to a maximum of
200 feet from the top of bank. Successful completion of the project would entail the planting of trees in the restoration
areas, with survival of woody stems at a density of 320 stems per acre at the conculsion of five years of monitoring. The
restored buffer acreage would need to be protected by a conservation easement or other protective mechanism.
In accordance with current DWQ policy, completion of such a project would yield 122,742 pounds of nitrogen offset over
30 years (54 acres x 2,273 pounds/acre).
This site would be approvable by us for a nutrient offset bank site, i.e. we would allow the bank Sponsor to sell credits to
developers looking to offset nutrient loading on a development site. The project is technically the same as sites
throughout the Neuse basin that are being used by mitigation bankers and NCEEP to provide nitrogen offset credit.
One point to note with regard to the use of this site as a nutrient offset bank site. For standard nutrient offset credit
purchases by developers, Session Law 2007-438 (HB 859) states that "All nutrient offset projects authorized under this
section shall be consistent with rules adopted by the Environmental Management Commission for implementation of
nutrient management strategies in the Neuse River basin and the Tar-Pamlico basin and shall be located within the
same eight digit Cataloging Unit, designated by the USGS, in which the associated nutrient loading takes place". if the
proposed Butlers Branch site were approved as a nutrient offset bank, credits could only be used to offset nutrient
loading on development sites located within CU 03020202. Raleigh is in CU 03020201. 1 don't know if this applies to
the use of this site to offset loading from the Raleigh WWTP.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions regarding this issue.
Eric
From: Barrett Jenkins (mailto:BJenkins(brestorationsystems com1
Sent: Monday, May 11, 2009 9:47 AM
To: eric.kulzCa)ncmail.net
Cc: Adam Riggsbee
Subject: Butlers Branch: Nutrient Offset Buffer Restoration for City of Raleigh
Eric,
Please find attached the proposal from Restoration Systems to the City of Raleigh for the Butlers Branch Nutrient
Abatement Buffer Restoration Project. Note the project schedule will be pushed back to ideally begin at the end of this
summer.
I'm assuming you've spoken with Adam about this briefly and its part in the larger package for the City of Raleigh. Please
review and comment. We need to hear back from you by the end of the month if at all possible.
Thanks,
Barrett