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Home My WebLink AboutR-2553MEETING MINUTES U AM00 To: Project File From: Susan Westberry Date: November 28, 2012 RE: STIP Number R -2553, Kinston Bypass, Lenoir County, North Carolina Sample Natural Resources Technical Report Review A meeting Nvas held November 27, 2012 at 12:00 PM in the Hydraulics Unit Conference Room at the NCDOT Century Center. Attendees of the meeting are listed below: Chris Manlev NCDOT Natural Environment Section (NES) James Mason NCDOT NES LeiLam Paugh NCDOT NES Marls Pierce NCDOT Project Development and Environmental Analysis Unit (PDEA) Tom Steffens USACE David Wainv right NCDWQ Morgan Weatherford NCDOT NES Susan Westberry URS Corporation — North Carolina (URS) Travis Wilson NCWRC Kory Wilmot URS Purpose of Meetin6 The purpose of the meeting Nvas to review the Sample Natural Resources Technical Report (NRTR) Nvhich has been developed for a small portion of the Kinston Bypass Project Study Area. A Sample NRTR Nvas prepared given the Kinston Bypass Project is a GIS pilot project, requiring revised format, content, level of detail and methodology. Once these components are finalized, the NRTR Neill be prepared for the entire project. General Overview The meeting began Nvith a review of the current status of the sample NRTR and how the project team got to this point. Meeting attendees next discussed each section and table as presented in the sample NRTR and determined areas where changes Nvere needed and /or Nvhere areas could be deleted. Major discussion points on the Sample NRTR are shoN -,n below. Introduction: The introduction section of the NRTR Neill follow the regular document template. A standard 500 foot corridor Neill be used for each alternative. The study area for the NRTR Neill be a 1 -mile off -set from the outermost project alternative corridors, including one mile to the east and Nvest of the project start and terminus (i.e. 1 -mile from the 500 foot buffer, not the centerline). Figure 1 Neill need to show both the Project Study Area and the NRTR Study Area. A summary of field verification dates Neill be included in the Introduction. Dates and personnel for each type of verification (stream and Nvetland models, T &E, terrestrial communities) Neill be outlined in each applicable section. R -2553: Sample NRTR Coordination November 27, 2012 Page 2 of 3 Methodology and Qualifications: The methodology and qualifications section of the NRTR includes detailed descriptions of all of the GIS models being used, the modeling parameters for each model, and any other data or methodologies that van- from standard practice. • The description of the groupings used for the C -CAP data Neill be expanded to include a more in- depth description of the steps taken to determine the groupings and vyhy certain types were classified in certain vmvs. A description of the decision - making process Neill be added. Travis Wilson requested that the reasoning behind some of the types and groupings be included in the document (e.g. — scrub shrub, as vievyed on aerial photography, is all young pine plantation — and N-,-as thus put in that class). CCAP data N -ill not be reported by corridor and Nyill only be presented for the study area. • All field verification meetings /dates and personnel present Nyill be included in each applicable section. • The brief explanation included for the stream and Nyetland models Nyill remain as is. Further information Nyill be available in a separate report specifically on the model. • The elevation profiles Nyill be removed and not included in the NRTR as they are also presented in the Hydraulics Report. Physical Resources: Table 2 Neill be revised. The `Best Usage Classification' column Nyill be changed to `Best Usage Classification and Designation'. Within this column, any additional designations beyond the Best Usage Nyill be included. This Nyill include PNA, AFSA, WS Watersheds, HWQ, and ORW. The descriptions of these parameters Neill be removed from the text. If 303(d) listed parameters are present, the reason for the listing Neill be shoN -,n in the table. The table Nyill also be expanded to include all named Nyater features and the number of unnamed tributaries associated v6th each feature. A column Nyill be added and named `Number of UTs'. Table 8 Nyill be removed from Appendix B. Appendix B Nyill be deleted. Invasive Species: Jim Mason Nyill check and see if an Invasive Species List exists on a by- county basis. If so, more information Nyill be included in this section. Jurisdictional Issues: Table 10 Neill be revised to reflect the changes made to Table 2. Additionally, a column Nyill be added indicating if there are buffer impacts based on USGS 24K mapping only. Presence /absence of the channel on NRCS soil mapping N -ill not be considered. This column Nyill be named `Subject to Buffer Rules'. Drainage areas Nyill remain in the table. A footnote Nyill be added that details the source of the calculations and clearly state that they are estimates. Endangered Species Act Protected Species: State Nyithin the Biological Conclusion vyhether or not field revievy has been performed and /or if it is needed. Continue to use standard NCDOT species descriptions for first paragraph. Include an expansion of the Biological Conclusions in discussion. This Nyould include any correspondence directly v6th USFWS (Gan- Jordan) or other agencies, or field surveys. R -2553: Sample NRTR Coordination November 27, 2012 Page 3 of 3 General Document Changes: • Add page numbers to appendices • Figure 3 Neill include named streams onIN- • Appendix B will be deleted • Table 11 NN-ill be deleted • Appendix D will be deleted Meeting Conclusion: The Sample NRTR N -611 be revised based on the changes discussed at this meeting, which will be distributed for review and final comments before scoping the complete NRTR. The methodology used for assessing the quality of wetlands from aerials qualitatively is being explored. Table 11 could be included and updated in the NRTR for the entire project to reflect the proposed methodology which would differentiate between disturbed and undisturbed. Discussion N-611 continue regarding the use of qualitative parameters to distinguish wetlands. At this time, nothing qualitative will be included in the Sample NRTR.