20191674 Ver 1_Draft Mitigation Plan IRT Comments_20210309

Strickland, Bev
From: Kichefski, Steven L CIV USARMY CESAW (USA) <[e-mail]>
Sent: Tuesday, March 9, 2021 1:38 PM
To: Ray Holz
Cc: Tugwell, Todd J CIV USARMY CESAW (US); Kim Browning; Haywood, Casey M CIV
(USA); Leslie, Andrea J; Wilson, Travis W.; Davis, Erin B; Bowers, Todd; Youngman,
Holland J
Subject: [External] RE: SAW-2018-00707 RS French Broad UMB - Blue Star Congen Mitigation
Site Draft Mitigation Plan IRT Comments
Follow Up Flag: Follow up
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Raymond,
Per your request, I wanted to follow up our conversations regarding the Blue Star Congen Mitigation Site with
some written comments. On Friday, January 22, 2021, several IRT members and representatives from
Restoration Systems (RS) had a virtual meeting to discuss IRT comments to the Blue Star Congen Draft
Mitigation Plan and RS's preliminary response to those IRT comments. The RS preliminary response included a
proposed revised project conservation easement (CE) figure and a proposed revised design figure for the
project area within the previous impoundment.
The preliminary responses RS provided and the IRT discussion focused mainly on design options to reduce the
wetland loss within the impoundment, the proposed revised buffer widths, the road/trail network within and
around the proposed revised project and credit ratios associated with the proposed revised project.
Over 60% of the stream linear footage associated with this site proposal is preservation. While the IRT has
accepted such a high preservation proposal based on several important factors that RS has detailed in its
proposal, preservation does not provide functional uplift and therefore it is important to minimize potential
risks to that function being preserved. During the virtual meeting and a short IRT only meeting afterwards IRT
members were receptive to the proposed wider buffers, however expressed continued concern for the
road/trail network proposed within, crossing multiple times and adjacent to the CE. The IRT believes the
reduction of trails/roads within and crossing of the project CE are an important companion to the proposed
wider buffers for site viability. The IRT also believes that the 7.5:1 preservation ratio is not appropriate based
on the continued level of risk and a higher ratio (maybe 10:1 or higher) would be more appropriate,
depending on what the final proposal includes.
Additional IRT comments are welcome if there is anything you feel I missed. We know that RS has to
determine what makes sense from a project viability standpoint based on these comments. Let me know if
further discussion is needed.
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
(828)-933-8032 cell
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-----Original Message -----
From: Ray Holz <[e-mail]>
Sent: Tuesday, January 5, 2021 2:22 PM
To: Kichefski, Steven L CIV USARMY CESAW (USA) <[e-mail]>
Subject: [Non-DoD Source] FW: SAW-2018-00707 RS French Broad UMB - Blue Star Congen Mitigation Site
Draft Mitigation Plan IRT Comments
Raymond J. Holz I Restoration Systems, LLC
1101 Haynes St. Suite 211 1 Raleigh, NC 27604
tel:[phone] cell:919.604.9314 1 fax:[phone]
email: [e-mail]
-----Original Message -----
From: Ray Holz
Sent: Wednesday, November 11, 2020 3:41 PM
To: Kichefski, Steven L CIV USARMY CESAW (USA) <[e-mail]>
Cc: Grant Lewis ([e-mail]) <[e-mail]>; Wes Newell
<[e-mail]>
Subject: RE: SAW-2018-00707 RS French Broad UMB - Blue Star Congen Mitigation Site Draft Mitigation Plan
IRT Comments
Steve - I am attaching RS' response to IRT comments from CBS' Draft Mitigation Plan. Our response includes a
few figures to aid in our response regarding the easement size/stream preservation ratio and the wetlands
behind the dam post -restoration. I hope we can find some time between now and the end of the year to
schedule a virtual IRT meeting to discuss the project and our revised approach in greater detail. Please let me
know if you have any questions and what steps I can take to facilitate a virtual meeting with the other IRT
members.
Best,

Raymond H.
Raymond J. Holz I Restoration Systems, LLC
1101 Haynes St. Suite 211 1 Raleigh, NC 27604
tel:[phone] cell:919.604.9314 1 fax:[phone]
email: [e-mail]
-----Original Message -----
From: Kichefski, Steven L CIV USARMY CESAW (USA) <[e-mail]>
Sent: Monday, June 29, 2020 11:30 AM
To: Ray Holz <[e-mail]>
Cc: Tugwell, Todd J CIV USARMY CESAW (USA)<[e-mail]>; Browning, Kimberly D CIV
USARMY CESAW (USA) <[e-mail]>; Haupt, Mac <[e-mail]>;
Davis, Erin B <[e-mail]>; Bowers, Todd <[e-mail]>; Andrea Leslie
(Andrea. [e-mail]) <[e-mail]>; Gledhill-earley, Renee <renee.gledhill-
[e-mail]>; [e-mail]; Jones, M Scott (Scott) CIV USARMY CESAW (USA)
<[e-mail]>
Subject: SAW-2018-00707 RS French Broad UMB - Blue Star Congen Mitigation Site Draft Mitigation Plan IRT
Comments
Raymond,
Attached are the RS French Broad UMB - Blue Star Congen Mitigation Site (SAW-2018-00707) Draft Mitigation
Plan IRT comments. You may proceed with developing the final mitigation plan for the Blue Star Congen Site
provided you adequately address all comments/concerns in the enclosed memo. Please ensure that each
member of the IRT is provided a copy of the comment response and Final Mitigation Plan. In addition, please
submit your Nationwide Permit 27 application with the submittal of the final plan, for review and approval
prior to discharging fill material into waters of the United States.
Feel free to contact me with questions as you preparing the final plan submittal. This electronic copy is your
official Department of the Army Notification; no paper copy will be mailed, unless specifically requested.
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
The Wilmington District is committed to providing the highest level of support to the public. To help us ensure
we continue to do so, please complete the Customer Satisfaction Survey located at our website at
Blockedhttp://corpsmapu.usace.army.mil/cm_apex/f?p=136:4:0 to complete the survey online.