HomeMy WebLinkAbout20191132 Ver 1_Initial Credit Release SAW-2019-01296_20201216Strickland, Bev
From: Kichefski, Steven L CIV USARMY CESAW (USA) <Steven.L.Kichefski@usace.army.mil>
Sent: Wednesday, December 16, 2020 4:37 PM
To: Andrea Eckardt; Shawn Wilkerson
Cc: Davis, Erin B; Hamstead, Byron A; Bowers, Todd; Leslie, Andrea J; Wilson, Travis W.;
Tugwell, Todd J CIV USARMY CESAW (US); Kim Browning; Haywood, Casey M CIV
(USA); Jones, M Scott (Scott) CIV USARMY CESAW (USA); McLendon, C S CIV USARMY
CESAW (USA); Smith, Ronnie D CIV USARMY CESAW (USA)
Subject: [External] Wildlands Little Tennessee Umbrella Mitigation Bank Initial Credit Release
for the East Buffalo Mitigation Site (SAW-2019-01296)
Attachments: SAW-2019-01296_Wildla ndsLittleTen nesseeU M B-EastBuffalo_I nitialCreditRelease.pdf,
RE: East Buffalo - Wildlands Little Tennessee - Endowment
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Andrea/Jake,
Please find attached the Initial Credit Release letters for the Wildlands Little Tennessee Umbrella Mitigation
Bank: East Buffalo Mitigation Site (SAW-2019-01296). As requested, 15% credit is being released for approved
restoration and enhancement activities, as well as, approximately 89% of credit released for preservation
activities that satisfy the initial release requirements pursuant to the Mitigation Banking Instrument (UMBI)
entitled, Agreement to Establish the Wildlands Little Tennessee Umbrella Mitigation Bank, signed November
4, 2020 and the final site -specific mitigation plan dated October 5, 2020 and the December 16, 2020 email
with minor plan revisions (see email attached). In accordance with the plan (as clarified by the attached email
revisions), 1,653.3 cold stream mitigation units and 0.26 wetland mitigation units are now available for the
East Buffalo Mitigation Site. Feel free to contact me with any questions.
This electronic copy is an official Department of the Army Notification.
Regards,
Steve Kichefski
Regulatory Project Manager
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Wilmington District, Asheville Field Office
151 Patton Avenue, Suite 208
Asheville, NC 28801
(828)-271-7980 Ext. 4234
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DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
WILMINGTON DISTRICT, CORPS OF ENGINEERS
151 PATTON AVENUE
ROOM 208
ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA 28801-5006
December 16, 2020
Regulatory Division
Action ID No. SAW-2019-01296
Re: Initial Credit Release associated with the Wildlands Little Tennessee Umbrella Mitigation
Bank — East Buffalo Mitigation Site
Mr. Shawn Wilkerson
Wildlands Engineering, Inc.
1430 South Mint Street, Suite 104
Charlotte, North Carolina 28203
Dear Mr. Wilkerson:
This correspondence is in response to your November 24, 2020 request for the initial
credit release and your December 16, 2020 email with credit clarification and approved plan
revisions for the East Buffalo Mitigation Site, part of the Wildlands Little Tennessee Umbrella
Mitigation Bank. The 259.84-acre site is located within the Little Tennessee River Basin
Hydrologic Unit 06010204, at 1157 East Buffalo Road in Robbinsville, Graham County, North
Carolina. The project was approved to generate 4,432 cold stream mitigation units (SMU's)
through the restoration, enhancement, and preservation of 13,662 linear feet of stream on East
Buffalo Creek and ten unnamed tributaries to East Buffalo Creek. It was also approved to
generate 1.75 wetland mitigation units (WMU's) through the re-establishment, rehabilitation and
enhancement of 2.46 acres of wetland. The purpose of this letter is to confirm the initial release
of credits for this mitigation site.
Pursuant to the Mitigation Banking Instrument (UMBI) entitled, Agreement to Establish
the Wildlands Little Tennessee Umbrella Mitigation Bank, signed November 4, 2020, the site -
specific East Buffalo Final Mitigation Plan dated October 5, 2020 and the December 16, 2020
email with approved plan revisions, fifteen percent (15%) of the sites total restoration and
enhancement credits, as well as, all but 150 SMU's (approximately 89%) of the sites total
preservation credit shall be available for sale immediately upon completion of the following:
a. Execution of the MBI by the Sponsor, the Corps, and other agencies eligible for
membership in the IRT who chose to execute the agreement.
b. Approval of the Final Mitigation Plan.
c. The mitigation site must be secured.
d. Delivery of the executed financial assurance documents as described in Section 15.0,
page 59 and Appendix 8, of the East Buffalo Mitigation Plan dated October 5, 2020.
e. Recordation of the Corps -approved site protection mechanism described in Section 8.0
page 43 and Appendix 1 of the East Buffalo Final Mitigation Plan dated October 5, 2020,
including a title opinion covering the property.
f. Issuance of the 404-permit authorization for site construction.
By copy of this correspondence, we confirm that you have satisfied the above
requirements for initial release for all parcels within the bank; and 1,653.3 stream mitigation
units (SMU's) constituting 15% of the mitigation site's total restoration and enhancement
credits, as well as, approximately 89% of the bank site's stream preservation credits (all
preservation except for 150 SMU's) are now available for sale. Also, 0.26 WMU's are now
available for sale.
Thank you for your time and cooperation. If you have any questions, please contact
Steve Kichefski at (828) 271-7980 extension 4234.
Sincerely,
KICHEFSKI.STEVEN.L.1386 Digitally signed by
for KICHEFSKI.STEVEN.L.1386908539
908539 Date: 2020.12.1616:19:36-05'00'
Scott Jones, Chief
Asheville and Charlotte Regulatory Field Offices
Electronic Copies Furnished:
Erin Davis (NCDWR)
Andrea Leslie (NCWRC)
Travis Wilson (NCWRC)
Byron Hamstead (USFWS)
Todd Bowers (USEPA)
Renee Gledhill -Earley (NCSHPO)
Todd Tugwell (USACE)
Kim Browning (USACE)
Casey Haywood (USACE)
Scott Jones (USACE)