20110896 Ver 1_More Info Received_20120523 (12)

Strickland, Bev
From: Mcmillan, Ian
Sent: Wednesday, May 23, 2012 10:38 AM
To: Dennison, Laurie; Strickland, Bev
Subject: FW: WRC Comments for Orton Plantation Holdings, LLC
Attachments: Final Orton CAMA.pdf
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E -mail correspondence to and from this address may be subject to the
North Carolina Public Records La-,v and may he disclosed to third parties.
From: Coburn, Chad
Sent: Wednesday, May 23, 2012 9:27 AM
To: Mcmillan, Ian; Higgins, Karen
Subject: FW: WRC Comments for Orton Plantation Holdings, LLC
From: Ellwood, Molly M.
Sent: Tuesday, May 22, 2012 5:13 PM
To: Huggett, Doug
Cc: Padgett, Thomas M; Cox, David R.; Coats, Heather; Wilson, Debra; Coburn, Chad; Gregson, Jim; John Ellis()fws.gov;
Emily. B.HughesCa)usace.army.mi1; Steve Morrison (smorrison(a)lm (iroup.net); Peter.Talty(a)bllc.com
Subject: WRC Comments for Orton Plantation Holdings, LLC
Doug,
Please find NCWRC's comments attached pertaining to Orton Plantation Holdings' CAMA Major Dredge and Fill Permit
Application for the repair of the dike walls, construction of riprap revetments and associated work for rice cultivation at
Orton Plantation in Brunswick County. Please feel free to contact me if there are any questions or concerns.
Best regards,
Molly
Molly Ellwood
Southeastern Permit Coordinator
North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission
127 Cardinal Drive Ext.
Wilmington, NC 28405
(910) 796 -7427

P North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission 9
Gordon Myers, Executive Director
MEMORANDUM
To: Doug Huggett
NC DCM Major Permits Coordinator
From: Molly Ellwood
Southeastern Permit Coordinator
North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission
Date: May 22, 2012
RE: Orton Plantation Holdings, LLC, 9149 Orton Rd., SE, Brunswick County
Biologists with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) have reviewed the
subject application for impacts to wildlife and fishery resources. Our comments are provided in
accordance with provisions of the Coastal Area Management Act (G.S. 113A -100 through 113A-
128), as amended, and the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act (48 Stat. 401, as amended; 16 U.S.C.
661 et seq.).
Orton Plantation Holdings, LLC is proposing to construct several riprap revetments to protect the
existing dike structure along the Cape Fear River in Brunswick County. Proposed work would also
include the repair, rebuilding and replacement of the dike system, including the associated water
control structures and the overall reversion to the rice fields to support rice production. All rice
fields will be cleared for rice production, which will require mowing, stump pulling, root raking,
harrowing and grading. Impacts associated with the proposed work include approximately 323 acres
of § 404 wetlands for the dike improvements and conversion of the fields to rice cultivation, as well
as 0.16 acres of coastal wetlands and approximately 2 acres of public trust waters. Mitigation for
these impacts will be through NC Ecosystem Enhancement Program or through an approved wetland
mitigation bank.
The NCWRC appreciates the efforts the applicant has made to avoid and minimize impacts to
wetlands and public trust waters for this project. Constructing the riprap revetments, instead of
bulkheading the dike wall along the Cape Fear River, provides more beneficial habitat than the
alternative while maintaining the natural, coastal wetland barriers that are still located onsite. To
enhance long term management for game and nongame wildlife species, the NCWRC recommends
the development of a wildlife management plan to help guide future management decisions at Orton
Plantation. Please feel free to contact Tom Padgett, District 4 Wildlife Biologist, at (910) 645 -4115
for further assistance with the development of a wildlife management plan for this site.
Mailing Address: Division of Inland Fisheries • 1721 Mail Service Center • Raleigh, NC 27699 -1721
Telephone: [phone] • Fax: [phone]

Orton Plantation Holdings, LLC CAMA Page 2 May 22, 2012
Thank you for the opportunity to review and comment on this project. The NCWRC does not object
to the issuance of a permit for the proposed work. If there are any questions or concerns pertaining
to these comments, please feel free to contact me at (910) 796 -7427.
Cc: Tom Padgett, NCWRC
David Cox, NCWRC
Heather Coats, NCDCM
Debbie Wilson, NCDCM
Chad Coburn, NCDWQ
Jim Gregson, NCDWQ
John Ellis, USFWS
Emily Hughes, USACE
Steve Morrison, LMG
Peter Talty, Belvedere Land Management