20180114 Ver 1_NCDOT Letter Signed 2_22_22_20220222

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qc``�Qe2 United States Department of the Interior
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FISH ANI) WIEDI,IFF.. SERVICE
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Coastal North (;aIolina Natio>>a,l WiId]ife Refuges Complex
P. O. Box 1969
\Ianteo, North Carolina 2i954
(252) 4i3-1131
February 22, 2022
Mr. Sterling Baker
North Carolina Department of Transportation
Division Engineer
113 Airport Drive, Suite 100
Edenton, North Carolina 27932
Dear Mr. akei: ;
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The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) appreciates our long-standing and positive working
relationships with the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) and Cape
Hatteras Electric Cooperative (CHEC). The Service has worked for decades with our partners to
provide transportation and utility services through Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge (Refuge),
facilitating reliable access and services to Hatteras Island.
Prior to 2015, the Service began working with the NCDOT on the Rodanthe Bridge
(NCDOT TIP Project B-2500b) project on the Refuge. A component of that project has been the
requirement to remove the existing section of North Carolina Highway 12 (NC 12), which the
Rodanthe Bridge bypasses, and large sandbags in the dunes along the abandoned NCDOT
easement, which were installed to temporarily protect NC 12. The Service's goal in removing the
highway and sandbags from the abandoned NCDOT easement serves to facilitate natural
processes such as ocean over wash and sand deposition and the subsequent restoration of
critically important habitats. Removing the bypassed portion of NC 12 from the Refuge is a mission
critical action for the Service. The legal compliance documents completed to allow for the amended
NCDOT right-of-way for the Rodanthe Bridge require the removal of the highway and sandbags
from the abandoned easement.
In a letter to the Service dated February 18, 2019, CHEC explained their decision to delay
installing transmission cables on the Rodanthe Bridge due to cost considerations. No projected
timeline was given for when transmission lines would be installed on the bridge. However, since
that time, CHEC has decided to proceed with the installation of transmission cables on the
bridge.
In a letter dated September 7, 2021, CHEC requested the Service delay removal of the bypassed
section of NC 12 and large sandbags until spring of 2023. The Service responded that delaying
removal of the road until spring of 2023 is not a feasible option in a letter dated September 27,
2021. In that letter, the Service offered use of a Refuge easement through Mirlo Beach that
would provide CHEC direct access to the southern end of the transmission line on the Refuge.

Mr. Sterling Baker
February 22, 2022
Page 2 of 2
CHEC requested that the Service reconsider the request to delay in an email dated October 1,
2021. The Service and CHEC met on January 13, 2022, to discuss potential alternative solutions
to delaying removal of the road that would allow CHEC to maintain the existing 115kV
transmission line. The Service, CHEC, and the NCDOT met on January 28, 2022, to further
discuss whether there were any viable alternative solutions to removing the road while allowing
CHEC to maintain the existing transmission line. During those meetings, although the partners
did identify alternatives, the proposed alternatives did not sufficiently address CHEC's concerns.
CHEC reiterated the request to delay removal of the road and sandbags, amending the request to
delay removal until of the end of 2022 when the installation of transmission cables on the
Rodanthe Bridge will be complete.
The Service has evaluated the allowances within the requirements detailed in the environmental
compliance completed for the Rodanthe Bridge project for delaying removal of the NC 12 and
the sandbags. Based on that evaluation, the Service has determined that the maximum extension
available for delaying the removal timeline is November 30, 2022. With this letter, the Service
authorizes NCDOT to adjust the project timeline for road removal from the currently planned
timeline. The project to remove the bypassed section of NC 12 and associated sandbags must be
completed by no later than November 30, 2022. With the granting of this extended timeline, the
Service urges CHEC to work with NCDOT to ensure that the installation of transmission cables
is completed ahead of the adjusted timeline.
The Service also requires that vehicular access to the section of NC 12 be restricted solely to
NCDOT, CHEC, and Service personnel and agents. This will require adequate barriers to access
on the northern and southern terminal points of the section of NC 12. At the northern terminus, a
gate will be installed with keyed access for the three agencies. At the southern terminus, partial
removal of NC 12 will occur as part of the NC 12 turnaround area. The partial removal will serve
as an adequate barrier in this location. To ease potential access issues for the agencies at the
southern terminus, the Service will provide both agencies access at the south end of the Refuge
through a Refuge easement in Mirlo Beach. Scott Lanier, Refuge Manager of Pea Island NWR,
will serve as the Service's point of contact for coordinating access for both agencies.
The Service remains committed to working with NCDOT and CHEC to find reasonable solutions
to meet shared concerns about access and utility services.
Sincerely,
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Rebekah Martin
Project Leader, Coastal North Carolina National
Wildlife Refuge Complex
cc: Susan Flythe, Cape Hatteras Electric Cooperative