20161268_WRC Comments_20111019

U North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission 9
Gordon Myers, Executive Director
MEMORANDUM
TO Melba McGee
Office of Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs DENR
FROM Travis Wilson, Highway Project Coordinator
Habitat Conservation Program
DATE October 19 2011
SUBJECT North Carolina Department of Transportation ( NCDOT) State Draft
Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the proposed SR 1409 extension and
the proposed improvements to US 17 in New Hanover and Pender Counties
North Carolina TIP Nos U 4751 and R 3300 SCH Project No 12 0061
Staff biologists with the N C Wildlife Resources Commission have reviewed the subject
DEIS and are familiar with habitat values in the project area The purpose of this review was to
assess project impacts to fish and wildlife resources Our comments are provided in accordance
with certain provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act (42 U S C 4332(2)(c)) and the
Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act (48 Stat 401, as amended, 16 U S C 661 667d)
Two projects have been combined and are included in the DEIS For project U 4751 the
NCDOT is proposing to extend Military Cutoff Road from Market Street to the US 17 Bypass
and R 3300 consist of improvements to US 17 from the exist US 17 Bypass north to include a
bypass of Hampstead The projects are being planned under the NEPA/Sechon 404 Merger 01
process WRC is represented in this process and comments provided in conjunction with this
process have been documented However the impacts associated with the remaining alternatives
are substantial and continued efforts to avoid and minimize impacts are necessary Specific
impacts of concern are
Impacts to the Corbett and Plantation Road mitigation sites these sites and associate
tracts provide compensatory mitigation as well as serve as conservation areas for
sensitive plants species Not only are direct impacts to these sites a concern, but also
indirect impacts resulting from road and development proximity that may further limit the
Mailing Address Division of Inland Fisheries 1721 Mail Service Center Raleigh NC 27699 1721
Telephone [phone] Fax [phone]

U 4751 and R 3300 Page 2 October 19 2011
ability to manage these sites Impacts to the areas should be avoided or further
minimized
• Direct impacts to Holly Shelter Game land have been avoided, however indirect impacts
as a result of constructing these improvements in close proximity to Holly Shelter may
-- restn the ability foe WRC to manage portions of this area with prescribed burning this
issue is not mentioned in the indirect and cumulative effects section of the document
• Impacts to the Red cockaded woodpecker (Picoides borealis) continue to be assessed,
continued coordination should result in the further reduction of impacts to RCW habitat
• Stream and wetland impacts with all remaining alternatives are sigmficant, however we
anticipate further avoidance and minimization of these resources
This project will continue to go through the NEPA/Section 404Merger process, and
additional agency coordination will occur through the remaining concurrence points Thank you
for the opportunity to comment If we can be of further assistance please call me at (919) 528
9886
cc Gary Jordan USFWS
David Wainwright DWQ
Brad Shaver USACE
Chris Milrtscher EPA