20201086 Ver 3_401 Request Attachment_20210819

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
ROY COOPER J.ERIC BOYETTE
GOVERNOR SECRETARY
Mailing Address:
NC DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
DIVISION 4
PO BOX 3165
WILSON, NC 27895
Telephone: [phone]
Customer Service: 1-877-368-4968
Website: www.ncdot.gov
Location:
509 WARD BLVD.
WILSON, 27895
August 13, 2021
Thomas A Steffens
Regulatory Project Manager
US Army Corps of Engineers
2407 West 5th Street
Washington, NC 27889
ATTN:
Subject:
Reference:
Mr. Tom Steffens and Mr. Rob Ridings, NCDOT Regulatory Coordinators
Request for Modification to the Section 404 Regional General Permit Number 50,
Section 401 Water Quality Certification, and Tar-Pamlico Riparian Buffer Authorization
for the widening of SR 1770 (Eastern Avenue/Sunset Avenue) from SR 1003 (Red Oak
Road) to SR 1544 (Halifax Road) and construction of an interchange at the current grade
separation of Sunset Avenue and I-95. State Project No. 44033.3.3. Division 4. TIP No.
U-5026/R-5720.
USACE Section 404 Authorization SAW-2017-02491, issued September 2, 2020 and
modified on March 22, 2021.
NCDWR Water Quality Certification Number 4135 and Tar-Pamlico Riparian Buffer
Authorization, issued September 9, 2020. (20201086) and modified on March 15, 2021
(20201086 ver 2).
Dear Sirs:
The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) requests modification to the existing Section
404 Regional General Permit Number 50, Section 401 Water Quality Certification and Riparian Buffer
Authorization for the proposed widening of SR 1770 (Eastern Avenue/Sunset Avenue) from SR 1003
(Red Oak Road) to SR 1544 (Halifax Road) and construction of an interchange at the current grade
separation of Sunset Avenue and I-95 (TIP U-5026/R-5720) in Nash County. NCDOT applied for a
Section 404 Regional General Permit, Section 401 Water Quality Certification, and Tar-Pamlico Riparian
Buffer Authorization for the subject project in August 2020. The USACE 404 Permit was issued
September 2, 2020 and the NCDWR 401 certification was issued September 9, 2020. A prior
modification was issued March 2021.
This modification will result in changes to temporary wetland impacts. Please see the enclosed revised
permit drawings, updated impact summary sheets, and permit application tables which reflect the changes
in impacts.
Permit Impact Site Modifications
Permit Site 17 (Roadway Plan Sheet 10A)
Rob Ridings
Regulatory Project Manager
NC Division of Water Resources
1650 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699
Borrow material for the project is being hauled in from adjacent parcels along the project. Reclamation
plans have been completed to detail the borrow areas on the 3MR and Eggers properties. The reclamation
plan for the Eggers property includes a haul road that follows an existing farm road on the property. A
jurisdictional wetland is on the east side of the existing farm road and a jurisdictional stream on the west
side within a valley between the borrow area and the project. The farm road is not wide enough for haul
trucks to pass and requires widening. The prior modification permitted the contractor to widen the haul
road to 40 feet wide. However, this width was found to be too narrow to provide access that is safe for
trucks to pass. Therefore, a 70-foot wide haul road is required. This would result in 0.09 acre of
temporary fill impact to the wetland. This is a 0.04 acre increase from the 0.05 acre temporary fill impact
to the wetland shown in the previous modification. The riparian buffer impact would remain the same at
139 sq. ft of zone 1 and 2,293 sq. ft of zone 2. Geotextile fabric with rock placed on top would be used
inside the wetland to allow any materials placed in the wetland to be removed after the borrow activities
have concluded. The wetland area being temporarily impacted will be replanted with native species. The
owners original farm road and crossing will remain in its original location. This site is illustrated on
roadway plan sheet 10A.
Compensatory Mitigation
No compensatory mitigation is proposed for the wetland and riparian buffer impacts associated with the
haul road at Site 17 since those will be temporary.
REGULATORY APPROVALS
Section 404: We are requesting a modification to the USACE Permit Number SAW-2017-02491Section
404 Regional General Permit No. 50 for the above-described activities.
Section 401: We are requesting a modification to the WQC Number 4135 Section 401 Water Quality
Certification, Tar-Pamlico Riparian Buffer Authorization from NCDWR. We are providing this
application to NCDEQ, for their approval.
Thank you for your assistance with this project. If you have any questions or need additional information,
please contact me at [e-mail] or 252-714-9719.
Sincerely,
Byron Bateman
NCDOT Division 4 Environmental Officer
cc: NCDOT Permit Application Standard Distribution List