HomeMy WebLinkAbout20051795 Ver 1_Northern Riverfront Marine_Noncompliance_Restoration Complete_20220525DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
WILMINGTON DISTRICT, CORPS OF ENGINEERS
69 DARLINGTON AVENUE
WILMINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA 28403-1343
May 24, 2022
Regulatory Division
Action ID No. SAW 2005-01105
NRMH Holdings, LLC
Attn: Charles Schoninger
720 N Third Street, STE 301
Wilmington, NC 28401
Dear Mr. Schoninger:
This letter serves as a follow-up to our February 16, 2022, and April 6, 2022, onsite
meetings concerning the restoration efforts associated with the non-compliance of our
August 7, 2007, issued Department of the Army (DA) authorization for the construction
of the Northern Riverfront Marina facility in jurisdictional waters of the Northeast Cape
Fear River. The Marina facility is located at the end of Harnett Street in Wilmington,
New Hanover County, North Carolina. During your recent dredging activity at this
facility, the extracted material was placed on property along the western bank of the
river by the contractor, Atlantic Construction.
Pursuant to the issued DA permit, Special Conditions 2, 3, and 15 are specific to
work operational limits pertaining to waters and wetlands and state the following:
1) Special Condition 2: "Except as authorized by this permit or any USACE
approved modification to this permit, no excavation, fill or mechanized land -
clearing activities shall take place at any time in the construction or
maintenance of this project, within waters or wetlands. This permit does not
authorize temporary placement or double handling of excavated or fill material
within waters or wetlands outside the permitted area. This prohibition applies to
all borrow and fill activities connected with this project."
2) Special Condition 3: "Except as specified in the plans attached to this permit,
no excavation, fill or mechanized land -clearing activities shall take place at any
time in the construction or maintenance of this project, in such a manner as to
impair normal flows and circulation patterns within waters or wetlands or to
reduce the reach of waters or wetlands."
3) Special Condition 15: "No dredged material will be placed at any time in waters
outside the disposal area."
Our records show multiple modifications to the original permit, but these
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modifications are stipulated that all original conditions remain valid unless a modification
or revocation of a specific condition(s) has been specified in the modification. This has
not been the case in the above special conditions. Additionally, after our review of your
most recent permit request for the dredging activity, our office replied with a favorable
email decision to the work contingent that all material be placed in an upland disposal
area.
During the above referenced meetings, our office confirmed that the recent disposal
work occurred in wetlands subject to our permitting authority under Section 404 of the
Clean Water Act and impacted approximately 0.37 acres of wetlands adjacent to the
Northeast Cape Fear River. As such, you are non -compliant with the terms and
conditions of the subject DA authorization and in violation of Section 404 of the Clean
Water Act and Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act (33 USC 1344).
In response to our onsite meetings and based on our May 3 and 9, 2022 follow-up
inspections, it has been determined that the restoration efforts have been satisfactorily
completed. Accordingly, no further action will be taken in this matter and our file will be
closed as of the date of this letter. It is strongly recommended that the site be properly
stabilized to prevent sediment from reentering into the adjacent wetlands and waters.
Please be aware that if any sediment erodes into jurisdictional wetlands and/or waters,
you will be responsible for the removal of the material. Also, please be reminded that all
conditions of the permit remain valid. It is strongly recommended that you contact Ms.
Holley Snider of North Carolina Division of Water Resources and Ms. Tara McPherson
of North Carolina Division of Coastal Management to determine the need for any
additional State remedial action. A copy of our restoration plan that was followed for the
remedial action is enclosed for your records.
Please be cautioned that any future non-compliance of the issued permit may be
considered a willful and intentional violation of Federal law and may result in immediate
referral of the matter to the U.S. Attorney with recommendation for civil prosecution.
Thank you for your time and cooperation in resolving this matter expeditiously. If you
have any question or comments in this matter, please contact Mr. Greg Currey at (910)
523-1151 or greg.e.currey(ausace.army.mil , Wilmington Regulatory Field Office.
Sincerely,
Mickey
Sugg
Digitally signed by
Mickey Sugg
Date: 2022.05.24
16:00:03 -04'00'
Mickey Sugg, Chief
Wilmington Regulatory Field Office
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Enclosures:
Restoration Plan
Electronic Copies Furnished (with enclosures):
Mr. Steve Morrison, Land Management Group
Ms. Debbie Wilson, Debbie Wilson Consulting
Mr. Anthony Lucchino, NRMH, LLC
Mr. David Brinkley, ACI Holdings, LLC
NMFS; Mr. Fritz Rhode/Ms. Twyla Cheatwood
NMFS; Mr. Pace Wilber
NCDCM; Mr. Jonathan Howell
NCDCM; Ms. Tara McPherson
NCDWR; Ms. Holley Snider
NCDWR; Mr. Paul Wojoski
USFWS; Mrs. Kathy Matthews
USEPA; Mr. Todd Bowers
Action ID: 2005-01105
Permittee: N. Riverfront Marina
Disposal Contractor: David Brinkley
Landowner: Michael White
Map Not To Scale
Date: 4/6/2022
MSugg
= Wetlands to
be restored to
pre -fill
elevations
X= flagged
restoration line
RESTORATION PLAN1
Small cluster of trees
Paved Road
Undisturbed wetlands
x
x
Undisturbed wetlands ,, •
Flagged Target
Benchmark Elevation
driveway
Tugboat
Cape Fear River