HomeMy WebLinkAbout20070712 Ver 1_Approval Letter_20070604Michael F. Easley, Governor
William G. Ross Jr., Secretary
North Cazolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources
Coleen H. Sullins, Director
Division of Water Quality
June 4, 2007
Mr. Tim Beacham
Post Office Box 410
Kitty Hawk, NC 27949
Subject Property: Beacham Property AEC #06-046A
Albemarle Sound
DWQ Project # 070712
Tyrell County
Approval of 401 Water Quality Certification with Additional Conditions
Dear Mr. Beacham:
You have our approval, in accordance with the attached conditions and those listed below, to
place fill within or otherwise impact 0.26 acres of wetlands for the purpose of road construction
at the subject property, as described within your application dated Apri123, 2007 and received
by the N.C. Division of Water Quality (DWQ) on April 26, 2007. After reviewing your
application, we have decided that the impacts are covered by General Water Quality Certification
Number(s) 3627 (GC3627). The Certification(s) allows you to use Nationwide Permit(s) 14
when issued by the US Army Corps of Engineers (USAGE). In addition, you should obtain or
otherwise comply with any other required federal, state or local permits before you go ahead
with your project including (but not limited to) Erosion and Sediment Control, Non-discharge,
and Riparian Buffer regulations. Also, this approval to proceed with your proposed impacts
or to conduct impacts to waters as depicted in your application shall expire upon
expiration of the 404 or CAMA Permit.
This approval is for the purpose and design that you described in your application. If you change
your project, you must notify us and you may be required to send us a new application. If the
property is sold, the new owner must be given a copy of this Certification and approval letter and
is thereby responsible for complying with all conditions. If total fills for this project (now or in
the future) exceed one acre of wetland or 1501inear feet of stream, compensatory mitigation may
be required as described in 15A NCAC 2H .0506 (h). This approval requires you to follow the
conditions listed in the attached certification and any additional conditions listed below.
The Additional Conditions of the Certification are:
1. Impacts Approved
North Cazolina Division of Water Quality Internet h2o.enr.state.nc.us
943 Washington Square Mall Phone: 252-946-6481 One
Washington, NC 27889 FAX 252-946-9215 NorthCarolina
An Equal Opportunit~lAffirmative Action Employer- 50% i2ecycledlld% Post Consumer Paper ~atura!!~
Mr. Tim Beacham
Page 2 of 4
June 4, 2007
The following impacts are hereby approved as long as all of the other specific and general
conditions of this Certification (or Isolated Wetland Permit) are met. No other impacts are
approved including incidental impacts:
Amount A roved nits Plan Location or Reference
Stream feet
404/CAMA Wetlands 0.26 acres)
Waters acres
Buffers s uare ft.
2. Erosion & Sediment Control Practices
Erosion and sediment control practices must be in full compliance with all specifications
governing the proper design, installation and operation and maintenance of such Best
Management Practices in order to protect surface waters standards:
a. The erosion and sediment control measures for the project must be designed,
installed, operated, and maintained in accordance with the most recent version of the
North Carolina Sediment and Erosion Control Planning and Design Manual.
b. The design, installation, operation, and maintenance of the sediment and erosion
control measures must be such that they equal, or exceed, the requirements specified
in the most recent version of the North Carolina Sediment and Erosion Control
Manual. The devices shall be maintained on all construction sites, borrow sites, and
waste pile (spoil) projects, including contractor-owned or leased borrow pits
associated with the project.
c. For borrow pit sites, the erosion and sediment control measures must be designed,
installed, operated, and maintained in accordance with the most recent version of the
North Carolina Surface Mining Manual.
d. The reclamation measures and implementation must comply with the reclamation in
accordance with the requirements of the Sedimentation Pollution Control Act and the
Mining Act of 1971.
e. If the project occurs in waters or watersheds classified as Primary Nursery Areas
(PNAs), Trout (Tr), SA, WS-I, WS-II, High Quality (HQW), or Outstanding
Resource (ORW) waters, then the sediment and erosion control requirements
contained within Design Standards in Sensitive Watersheds (15A NCAC 04B .0124)
supercede all other sediment and erosion control requirements.
3. No Waste, Spoil, Solids, or Fill of Any Kind
No waste, spoil, solids, or fill of any kind shall occur in wetlands, waters, or riparian areas
beyond the footprint of the impacts depicted in the Pre-Construction Notification and
authorized by this written approval, including incidental impacts. All construction activities,
including the design, installation, operation, and maintenance of sediment and erosion control
Best Management Practices, shall be performed so that no violations of state water quality
standards, statutes, or rules occur.
Mr. Tim Beacham
Page 3 of 4
June 4, 2007
4. No Sediment & Erosion Control Measures w/n Wetlands or Waters
Sediment and erosion control measures shall not be placed in wetlands or waters without prior
approval by DWQ. If placement of sediment and erosion control devices in wetlands and
waters is unavoidable, then design and placement of temporary erosion control measures shall
not be conducted in a manner that may result in dis-equilibrium of wetlands or stream beds or
banks, adjacent to or upstream and down stream of the above structures. All devices shall be
removed and the natural grade restored within two (2) months of the date that the Division of
Land Resources has released the project.
5. If concrete is used during the construction, then a dry work area should be maintained to
prevent direct contact prevent direct contact between curing concrete and stream water.
Water that inadvertently contacts uncured concrete should not be discharged to surface
waters due to the potential for elevated pH and possible aquatic life/fish kills.
6. Work in the Dry
All work in or adjacent to stream waters shall be conducted in a dry work area. Approved
best management practices from the most current version of the NC Sediment and Erosion
Control Manual, or the NC DOT Construction and Maintenance Activities Manual, such as
sandbags, rock berms, cofferdams, and other diversion structures shall be used to minimize
excavation in flowing water.
7. Certificate of Completion
Upon completion of all work approved within the 401 Water Quality Certification or
applicable Buffer Rules, and any subsequent modifications, the applicant is required to return
the attached certificate of completion to the 401 Oversight/Express Review Permitting Unit,
North Carolina Division of Water Quality, 1650 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC, 27699-
1650.
The applicant/permittee and their authorized agents shall conduct all activities in a manner
consistent with State water quality standards (including any requirements resulting from
compliance with §303(d) of the Clean Water Act), and any other appropriate requirements of
State and Federal Law. If the Division determines that such standards or laws are not being
met, including failure to sustain a designated or achieved use, or that State or Federal law is
being violated, or that further conditions are necessary to assure compliance, then the
Division may reevaluate and modify this General Water Quality Certification.
Violations of any condition herein set forth may result in revocation of this Certification and may
result in criminal and/or civil penalties. The authorization to proceed with your proposed
impacts or to conduct impacts to waters as depicted in your application and as authorized by this
Certification shall expire upon expiration of the 404 or CAMA Permit.
If you do not accept any of the conditions of this Certification (associated with the approved
wetland or stream impacts), you may ask for an adjudicatory hearing. You must act within 60
days of the date that you receive this letter. To ask for a hearing, send a written petition, which
Mr. Tim Beacham
Page 4 of 4
June 4, 2007
conforms to Chapter 150B of the North Carolina General Statutes to the Office of Administrative
Hearings, 6714 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, N.C. 27699-6714. This certification and its
conditions aze final and binding unless you ask for a hearing.
This letter completes the review of the Division of Water Quality under Section 401 of the Clean
Water Act. If you have any questions, please telephone Cyndi Karoly or Ian McMillan in the
Central Office in Raleigh at 919-733-1786 or Roberto Scheller in the DWQ Washington
Regional Office at 252-948-3940.
Sincerely,
For Coleen u ins`
Enclosures: GC 3627
Certificate of Completion
cc: Roxanne Dorman, Atlantic Environmental Consultants, LLC
USACE Washington Regulatory Field Office
DLR Washington Regional Office
Fi e Copy
401 Central Office
Central Files
Filename: 070712
WQC #3627
This General Certification is issued in conformity with the requirements of Section 401,
Public Laws 92-500 and 95-217 of the United States and subject to the North Carolina Division of
Water Quality (DWQ) Regulations in 15A NCAC 2H, Section .0500 and 15A NCAC 26 .0200 for
the discharge of fill material to waters and adjacent wetland areas or to wetland areas that are not
a part of the surface tributary system to interstate waters or navigable waters of the United States
(i.e., isolated wetlands) as described in 33 CFR 330 Appendix A (B) (14) of the Corps of
Engineers regulations (Nationwide Permit No. 14 and Regional General Permit 198200031) and
for the Riparian Area Protection Rules (Buffer Rules) in 15A NCAC 26 .0200. The category of
activities shall include any fill activity for road crossings and is limited to fill less than one-third
acre in tidal waters and less than one-half acre in non-tidal waters. This Certification replaces
Water Quality Certification Number 2177 issued on November 5, 1987, Water Quality Certification
Number 2666 issued on January 21, 1992, Water Quality Certification Number 2732 issued on
May 1, 1992, Water Quality Certification Number 3103 issued on February 11, 1997, Water
Quality Certification Number 3289 issued on June 1, 2000 and Water Quality Certification
Number 3375 issued March 18, 2002 and WQC 3404 issued March 28, 2003. This WQC is
rescinded when the Corps of Engineers re-authorizes Nationwide Permit 14 or Regional General
Permit 198200031 or when deemed appropriate by the Director of DWQ.
The State of North Carolina certifies that the specified category of activity will not violate
applicable portions of Sections 301, 302, 303, 306 and 307 of the Public Laws 92-500 and 95-217
if conducted in accordance with the conditions hereinafter set forth.
Conditions of Certification:
1. Enumerating and Reporting of Impacts:
Streams -Impacts to streams as determined by the Division of Water Quality shall be
measured as length of the centerline of the normal flow channel. Permanent and/or
temporary stream impacts shall be enumerated on the entire project for all impacts
regardless of which 404 Nationwide Permits are used. Stream relocations and stream
bed and/or bank hardening are considered to be permanent stream impacts. Any
activity that results in a loss of use of stream functions including but not limited to
filling, relocating, flooding, dredging and complete shading shall be considered
stream impacts. Enumeration of (mpacts to streams shall include streams enclosed
by bottomless culverts, bottomless arches or other spanning structures when a 404
Permit is used anywhere in a project unless the entire structure (including
construction impacts} spans the entire bed and both banks of the stream, is only
used for a road, driveway or path crossing, and is not mitered to follow the stream
pattern. Impacts for dam footprints and flooding will count toward the threshold for
stream impacts, but flooding upstream of the dam will not (as long as no filling,
excavation, relocation or other modification of the existing stream dimension, pattern
or profile occurs) count towards mitigation requirements.
Wetlands -Impacts to wetlands as determined by the Division of Water Quality shall
be measured as area. Permanent and/or temporary wetland impacts shall be
enumerated on the entire project for all impacts regardless of which 404 Nationwide
Permits are used. Any activity that results in a loss of use of wetland functions
including but not limited to filling, draining, and flooding shall be considered wetland
impacts. Enumeration of impacts to wetlands shall include activities that change the
hydrology of a wetland when a 404 Permit is used anywhere in a project.
AND RIPARIAN AREA PROTECTION RULES (BUFFER RULE51
WQC #3627
Lakes and Ponds -Lake and Pond Impacts Enumeration- Impacts to waters other
than streams and wetlands as determined by the Division of Water Quality shall be
measured as area. Permanent and/or temporary water impacts shall be enumerated
on the entire project for all impacts proposed regardless of which 404 Nationwide
Permits are used. Any activity that results in a loss of use of aquatic functions
including but not limited to filling and dredging shall be considered waters impacts;
2. Proposed fill or substantial modification of wetlands or waters (including streams) under
this General Certification requires application to and prior written concurrence from the
Division of Water Quality;
3. Application to and payment of a fee to DWQ is not required for construction of a driveway
to a single family lot as long as the driveway impacts less than 25 feet of stream channel
including any in-stream stabilization needed for the crossing;
4. Impacts to any stream length in the Neuse, Tar-Pamlico or Randleman River Basins (or
any other major river basins with Riparian Area Protection Rules [Buffer Rules] in effect at
the time of application) requires written concurrence for this Certification from DWQ in
accordance with 15A NCAC 28.0200. Activities listed as "exempt" from these rules do not
need to apply for written concurrence under this Certification. New development activities
located in the protected 50-foot wide riparian areas (whether Jurisdictional wetlands or not)
within the Neuse and Tar-Pamlico River Basins shall be limited to "uses" identified within
and constructed in accordance with 15A NCAC 26 .0200. All new development shall be
located, designed, constructed, and maintained to have minimal disturbance to protect
water quality to the maximum extent practicable through the use of best management
practices;
5. Irrespective of other application thresholds in this General Certification, all impacts to
perennial waters and their associated buffers require written approval from DWQ since
such impacts are allowable as provided in 15A NCAC 2B. 0212 t1NS-I), 2B .0213 (1NS-II),
2B .0214 (WS-III) and 2B .0215 {WS-IV). Only water dependent activities, public projects
and structures with diminimus increases in impervious surtaces will be allowed as outlined
in those rules. All other activities require a variance from the delegated local government
and/or the NC Environmental Management Commission before the 401 Water Quality
Certification can be processed. In addition, a 30 foot wide vegetative buffer for low
density development or a 100 foot wide vegetative buffer for high density development
must be maintained adjacent to all perennial waters except for allowances as provided
under the Water Supply Watershed Protection Rules. For the purposes of this condition,
perennial waters are defined as those shown as perennial waters on the most recent
USGS 1;24,000 topographic map or as otherwise determined by local government
studies;
6. Additional site-specific stormwater management requirements may be added to this
Certification at DWQ's discretion on a case by case basis for projects that have or are
anticipated to have impervious cover of greater than 30 percent. Site-specific stormwater
management shall be designed to remove 85% TSS according to the latest version of
DWQ's stormwater Best Management Practices manual at a minimum.
Additionally, in watersheds within one mile and draining to 303(d) listed waters, as well as
watersheds that are classified as nutrient sensitive waters (NSW), water supply waters
(WS), trout waters (Tr), high quality waters (HQW), and outstanding resource waters
(ORW), the Division shall require that extended detention wetlands, bio-retention areas,
and ponds followed by forested filter strips (designed according to latest version of the NC
DENR stormwater Best Management Practices Manual) be constructed as part of the
stormwater management plan when asite-specific stormwater management plan is
required.
WQC #3627
Alternative designs may be requested by the applicant and will be reviewed on a case-by-
case basis by the Division of Water Quality.
Approval of stormwater management plans by the Division of Water Quality's other
existing state stormwater programs including appropriate local programs are sufficient to
satisfy this Condition as long as the stormwater management plans meet or exceed the
design requirements specified in this condition. This condition applies unless more
stringent requirements are in effect from other state water quality programs.
• Unless specified otherwise in the approval letter, the final, written stormwater
management plan shall be approved in writing by the Division of Water Quality's
Wetlands Unit before the impacts specified in this Certification occur.
• The facilities must be designed to treat the runoff from the entire project, unless
otherwise explicitly approved by the Division of Water Quality.
• Also, before any permanent building or other structure is occupied at the subject site,
the facilities (as approved by the Wetlands Unit) shall be constructed and operational,
and the stormwater management plan (as approved by the Wetlands Unit) shall be
implemented.
• The structural stormwater practices as approved by the Wetlands Unit as well as
drainage patterns must be maintained in perpetuity.
• No changes to the structural stormwater practices shall be made without written
authorization from the Division of Water Quality.
7. Compensatory stream mitigation shall be required at a 1:1 ratio for not only perennial but
also intermittent stream impacts that require application to DWQ in watersheds classified
as ORW, HQW, Tr, WS-I and WS-II unless the project is a linear, publicly-funded
transportation project, which has a 150-foot per-stream impact allowance;
8. In accordance with North Carolina General Statute Section 143-215.3D(e), any
application fora 401 Water Quality Certification must include the appropriate fee.
If a project also requires a CAMA Permit, one payment to both agencies shall be
submitted through the Division of Coastal Management and will be the higher of the two
fees;
9. In accordance with 15A NCAC 2H .0506 (h) compensatory mitigation may be required for
impacts to 150 linear feet or more of streams and/or one acre or more of wetlands. For
linear public transportation projects, impacts equal to or exceeding 150 feet per stream
may require mitigation. In addition, buffer mitigation may be required for any project with
Buffer Rules in effect at the time of application for buffer impacts resulting from activities
classified as "allowable with mitigation" within the "Table of Uses" section of the Buffer
Rules or require a variance under the Buffer Rules, A determination of buffer, wetland
and stream mitigation requirements shall be made for any Certification for this Nationwide
Permit. The most current design and monitoring protocols from DWQ shall be followed
and written plans submitted for DWQ approval as required in those protocols. When
compensatory mitigation is required for a project, the mitigation plans must be approved
by DWQ in writing before the impacts approved by the Certification occur, unless
otherwise specified in the approval letter. The mitigation plan must be implemented and/or
constructed before any permanent building or structure on site is occupied. In the case
of public road projects, the mitigation plan must be implemented before the road is
opened to the travelling public. Projects may also be implemented once payment is made
to a private mitigation bank or other in-lieu fee program, as specified in the written
concurrence of 401 Certification for a project. Please note that if a stream relocation is
conducted as a stream restoration as defined in The Internal Technical Guide for Stream
Work in North Carolina ,April 2001, the restored length can be used as compensatory
mitigation for the impacts resulting from the relocation;
WQC #3627
10. For any project involving re-alignment cf streams, a stream relocation plan must be
included with the 401 application for written DWQ approval. Relocated stream designs
should include the same dimensions, patterns and profiles as the existing channel, to the
maximum extent practical. The new channel should be constructed in the dry and water
shall not be turned into the new channel until the banks are stabilized. Vegetation used for
bank stabilization shall be limited to native woody species, and should include
establishment of a 30 foot wide wooded and an adjacent 20 foot wide vegetated buffer on
both sides of the relocated channel to the maximum extent practical. A transitional phase
incorporating coir fiber and seedling establishment is allowable. Also, rip-rap may be
allowed if it is necessary to maintain the physical integrity of the stream, but the applicant
must provide written justification and any calculations used to determine the extent of rip-
rap coverage requested. If suitable stream mitigation is not practical on-site, then stream
impact will need to be mitigated elsewhere;
11. Placement of culverts and other structures in waters, streams, and wetlands must be
placed below the elevation of the streambed to allow low flow passage of water and
aquatic life unless it can be shown to DWQ that providing passage would be impractical.
Design and placement of culverts including open bottom or bottomless arch culverts and
other structures including temporary erosion control measures shall not be conducted in a
manner that may result in aggradation, degradation or significant changes in hydrology of
wetlands or stream beds or banks, adjacent to or upstream and down stream of the above
structures. The applicant is required to provide evidence that the equilibrium shall be
maintained if requested to do so in writing by DWQ. Additionally, when roadways,
causeways or other fil! projects are constructed across FEMA-designated floodways or
wetlands, openings such as culverts or bridges must be provided to maintain the natural
hydrology of the system as well as prevent constriction of the floodway that may result in
aggradation, degradation or significant changes in hydrology of streams or wetlands;
12. That appropriate sediment and erosion control practices which equal or exceed those
outlined in the most recent version of the "North Carolina Sediment and Erosion Control
Planning and Design Manual" or the "North Carolina Surface Mining Manual" whichever is
more appropriate (available from the Division of Land Resources (DLR) in the DENR
Regional or Central Offices) shall be in full compliance with all specifications governing
the proper design, installation and operation and maintenance of such Best Management
Practices in order to assure compliance with the appropriate turbidity water quality
standard;
13. All sediment and erosion control measures placed in wetlands and waters shall be
removed and the original grade restored within two months after the Division of Land
Resources has released the project;
14. That additional site-specific conditions may be added to projects proposed under this
Certification in order to ensure compliance with all applicable water quality and effluent
standards;
15. Measures shall be taken to prevent live or fresh concrete from coming into contact with
freshwaters of the state until the concrete has hardened;
16. If an environmental document is required, this Certification is not valid until a Finding of
No Significant Impact (FONSI) or Record of Decision (ROD) is issued by the State
Clearinghouse;
17. If this Certification is used to access building sites, all lots owned by the applicant must be
buildable without additional fill beyond that explicitly allowed under other General
WQC #3627
Certifications. For road construction purposes, this Certification shall only be utilized from
natural high ground to natural high ground;
18. When written concurrence is required, the applicant is required to use the most recent
version of the Certification of Completion form to notify DWQ when all work included in the
401 Certification has been completed;
19. Concurrence from DWQ that this Certification applies to an individual project shall expire
three years from the date of the cover letter from DWQ or on the same day as the
expiration date of the corresponding Nationwide Permit 14 or Regional General Permit
198200031, whichever is sooner.
Non-compliance with or violation of the conditions herein set forth by a specific fill project
may result in revocation of this Certification for the project and may also result in criminal and/or
civil penalties.
The Director of the North Carolina Division of Water Quality may require submission of a
formal application for Individual Certification for any project in this category of activity that
requires written concurrence under this certification, if It is determined that the project is likely to
have a significant adverse effect upon water quality or degrade the waters so that existing uses of
the wetland or downstream waters are precluded.
Public hearings may be held for specific applications or group of applications prior to a
Certification decision if deemed in the public's best interest by the Director of the North Carolina
Division of Water Quality.
Effective date; 19 March 2007
DIVISION OF WATER QUALITY
sy
~~ '
Alan W. Klimek, P.E.
Director
WQC # 3627
Certification of Completion
D`~'Q Project No.:
Applicant:
Project Larne:
Date of Issuance of Isolated Wetland Permit:
. hereb~~ state that, to the best of my abilities, due care and diligence ~;~as
construction such that the construction was observed to be built within substantial
Water Quality. Certification and Buffer Rules, the approved plans and specifications,
Certificate of Completion
Upon completion of all work approved within the 401 Water Quality Certification and Buffer Rules, and an~~
subsequent modifications, the applicant is required to return this certificate to the 401/Wetlands Unit, North Carolina
Division of Water Quality, 1650 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC, ?7699-1650. This form may be returned to DWQ b~~
the applicant, the applicant's authorized agent, or the project en;ineer. It is not necessary to send certificates from all of
these.
Applicant's Certification
1.
used in the observation of the
compliance and intent of the 401
and other supporting materials.
S i mature:
Agent's Certification
1,
used in the observation of the
compliance and intent of the 401
and other supporting materials.
S i Rn ature:
Da*.e:
If this project was designed by a Certified ~'rofessional
I, as a duly registered Professional (i.e., Engineer,
Landscape Architect, Surveyor, etc.) in the State of North Carolina, having been authorized to observe (periodically,
weekly, full time) the construction of the project, for the Permittee hereby state that, to the best of my abilities, due care
and diligence was used in the observation of the construction such that the construction was observed to be built within
substantial compliance and intent of the 401 V4'ater Quality Certification and Buffer Rules, the approved plans and
specifications, and other supporting materials.
Signature: Resistration No.
Date:
. hereby state that, to the best of my abilities, due care and diligence v~~as
constructior, such that the construction was observed to be built within substantial
Water Qualit~~ Certification and Buffer Rules, the approved plans and specifications,
County:
Date