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Home My WebLink About20210195 Ver 1_NRTR Memorandum Friendly_20210423 STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION ROY COOPER JAMES H. TROGDON, III GOVERNOR SECRETARY Mailing Address: NC DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION ENVIRONMENT ANALYSIS UNIT 1598 MAIL SERVICE CENTER RALEIGH NC 27699-1598 Telephone: (919) 707-6000 Fax: (919) 212-5785 Customer Service: 1-877-368-4968 Website: www.ncdot.gov Location: 1020 BIRCH RIDGE DRIVE RALEIGH NC 27610 Memorandum Date: November 15, 2018 To: Jerry Parker, DEO NCDOT Division 7 From: Brandon Phillips, Senior Environmental Specialist STV Engineers, Inc. Subject: NRTR Update – STIP U-5841 Guilford County, North Carolina West Friendly Avenue Widening and Intersection Improvements WBS Element No. 50232.1.1 The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT), proposes to make improvements to West Friendly Avenue between Pembroke Road and North Elam Avenue for 0.2 mile in Guilford County. The NCDOT has designated this project as State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) Project U-5841. The following Natural Resources Technical Report (NRTR) Update has been prepared to assist in the preparation of a planning document for the purposes of the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) and is an update from the NRTR prepared for the NCDOT Division 7 in September 2018. All work was conducted in general accordance with the NCDOT’s Environmental Analysis Unit’s latest NRTR Guidance and Template (November 2017). Field work for this update was conducted on October 12, 2018. The principal personnel contributing to this document were: Group Manager: Michael Iagnocco, P.W.S. Education: B.S. Biological Sciences, State University of New York, Oneonta, NY Experience: Proj. Manager/Sr. Environmental Scientist, STV, 2003-Present Project Manager/Principal, Law Environmental 1996-2003 Sr. Environmental Scientist, Woolpert, LLP 1990-1996 Project Manager, Carpenter Environmental Associates 1981-1990 Environmental Scientist, Lawler, Matusky & Skelly, Inc. 1980-1981 Responsibilities: Wetland and stream delineations and assessment, impact assessment, Section 404 permitting, document preparation, task coordination. Principal Investigator: Brandon J. Phillips, CHMM Education: B.S. Biology, 1989 Experience: Senior Environmental Specialist, STV, 2005-Present Project Manager, Schoor DePalma, 2000-2005 Consultant, Spectrum Environmental, 1998-2000 Principal, Ecological Science and Env. Management, 1996-1998 Project Manager, SAIC, 1993-1996 Senior Environmental Analyst, Carpenter Environmental, 1990-1993 Biologist, Ridge Environmental, 1989-1990 Responsibilities: Wetland and stream delineations, mitigation, natural resources inventory, protected species surveys, stream assessment, document preparation. Investigator: Joshua L. Kotheimer, W.P.I.T. Education: B.S. Environmental Technology, 2011, B.A. Chemistry, 2011, G.I.S. Graduate Certificate, 2013 Experience: Environmental Scientist, STV, 2013-present Research Assistant, North Carolina State University, 2012-2013 Responsibilities: Wetland and stream delineations, GIS and GPS data handling, preparation of documents and figures. There has been a change in the Endangered Species Act Protected Species listed for Guilford County. As of October 5, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) lists two federally protected plant species and two fish species, and only one plant species was identified in the September 2018 NRTR. Schweinitz’s sunflower (Helianthus schweinitzii) was added to the Guilford County list on October 5, 2018. None of the listed federally protected plant species were observed in the project study area and the October survey was conducted during the flowering season for Schweinitz’s sunflower. For the plant species, the Biological Conclusion is rendered based on survey results in the study area (Table 1). Table 1. ESA federally protected species listed for Guilford County Scientific Name Common Name Federal Status Habitat Present Biological Conclusion Helianthus schweinitzii Schweinitz’s sunflower E Yes No Effect Isotria medeoloides Small whorled pogonia T Yes No Effect Notropis mekistocholas Cape Fear shiner E No No Effect Percina rex Roanoke logperch E No No Effect T – Threatened E – Endangered Schweinitz’s sunflower USFWS Optimal Survey Window: late August-October Biological Conclusion: No Effect Suitable habitat for Schweinitz's sunflower is present in the study area along roadside shoulders. A plant by plant survey was conducted by STV biologist Brandon Phillips, CHMM on October 12, 2018. No individuals of Schweinitz's sunflower were observed and the field survey was conducted during the flowering season. A review of NCNHP records on November 15, 2018 indicates no known occurrences within one mile of the study area and no effect to Schweinitz’s sunflower is anticipated. Small whorled pogonia USFWS Recommended Survey Window: Mid-May through early July Biological Conclusion: No Effect Potential habitat exists within limited areas of the forests of the study area. Plant by plant surveys were conducted by STV biologists Brandon Phillips, CHMM, and Joshua Kotheimer, WPIT, throughout areas of suitable habitat on July 3rd 2018. No individuals of small whorled pogonia were observed and the July survey was conducted during the flowering season. There are records of small whorled pogonia being located in Guilford County, but no records of small whorled pogonia being located in the study area USGS topographic quadrangle. The NCNHP website was reviewed (November 15, 2018) to determine the locations of the nearest populations of small whorled pogonia. The NCNHP determined that no populations of small whorled pogonia were present within one mile of the study area, so no effect to small whorled pogonia is anticipated. Cape Fear shiner USFWS Recommended Survey Window: April-June (tributaries); year round (large rivers) Biological Conclusion: No Effect Cape Fear shiner habitat includes clean streams with gravel, cobble, and boulder substrates with pools, riffles, shallow runs; slack water areas with large rock outcrops; and side channels and pools with water of good quality and relatively low silt loads. Potential habitat does not exist in the project area streams. No formal survey for Cape Fear shiner was performed. There are records of Cape Fear shiner being located in Guilford County, but no records of Cape Fear shiner being located in the study area. The NCNHP website does not list Cape Fear shiner and the USFWS IPaC has determined that no populations of Cape Fear shiner were present within one mile of the study area, so no effect to Cape Fear shiner is anticipated. Roanoke logperch USFWS Recommended Survey Window: year round; April – June (optimal) Biological Conclusion: No Effect In North Carolina, the logperch is known from the upper Roanoke River basin. The fish typically inhabits warm, usually clear, small to medium sized rivers. Potential habitat does not exist in the project area streams. No formal survey for Roanoke logperch was performed. There are records of Roanoke logperch being located in Guilford County, but no records of Roanoke logperch being located in the study area. The NCNHP website does not list Roanoke logperch and the USFWS IPaC has determined that no populations of Roanoke logperch were present within one mile of the study area, so no effect to Roanoke logperch is anticipated.