20140617 Ver 1_Corps of Engineer Correspondence_20140703

DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
Wilmington District Corps of Engineers
Regulatory Division
69 Darlington Avenue
Wilmington, North Carolina 28403 -1343
REPLY TO
ATTENTION OF June 30, 2014
Wilmington Regulatory Field Office
SAW- 2010 -01825
Mr. Pete Benjamin, Field Supervisor
Attn: Ms. Kathryn Mathews, Fish and Wildlife Biologist
Raleigh Ecological Services Field Office
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Post Office Box 33726
Raleigh, North Carolina 27636 -3726
Dear Mr. Benjamin:
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JUl-
Please reference the proposal by New Hanover County for the dredging of approximately 1, 184.5
acres of navigable waters of the United States and the discharge of dredged material into 7.1 acres of
waters of the United States for the nourishment of 3.4 miles of Kure Beach. The project is located along
the Atlantic Ocean, in Kure Beach, New Hanover County, North Carolina. The proposed project has been
assigned Action ID # SAW- 2010- 01825.
Attached is a Biological Assessment (BA) for the Carolina Beach Nourishment Project dated August
2012 and a Supplemental BA dated April 2014 that is specific to the nourishment of Kure Beach. Based
on an evaluation of the applicant's proposed construction techniques, conservation measures, adherence
to construction moratoriums and specific guidelines described in the BA and the supplemental BA, the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) has determined that this project may affect, but is not likely to
adversely affect the following species protected under the Endangered Species Act (ESA):
Common Name
Latin Name
Listing
Critical Habitat
(CH) Designated
in North Carolina
Piping plover
Charadrius
Threatened
Yes
melodus
Red knot
Calidris canutus
Proposed-
No
ruta
Threatened
Seabeach
Amaranthus
Threatened
No
amaranth
pumilis
Green sea turtle
Chelonia m das
Endangered
No
Loggerhead sea
Caretta caretta
Threatened
Proposed
turtle
Hawksbill sea
Eretmochelys
Endangered
No
turtle
imbricata
Kemp's Ridley sea
Lepidochelys
Endangered
No
turtle
kem i
Leatherback sea
Dermochelys
Endangered
No
turtle
coriacea

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By copy of this letter, we request initiation of informal consultation and your concurrence on the
findings in the BA, and supplemental BA, pursuant to 50 C.F.R. part 402.12 and 402.13. Furthermore, the
Corps has determined that the project would have no effect on any other federally listed threatened or
endangered species (managed by your agency), and/or modify their designated critical habitat.
If you have any questions regarding this letter, please contact Mr. Ronnie Smith at the letterhead
address, by telephone at 910- 251 -4829 by fax at 910 - 251 -4025, or by email at:
Ronnie.d.smith @usace.army.mil.
Sincerely,
Ronnie D. Smith, Project Manager
Wilmington Regulatory Field Office
Enclosures:
August 2012 Biological Assessment for Carolina Beach Nourishment
April 2014 Supplemental Biological Assessment for Kure Beach
Copies Furnished (without enclosures):
Mr. Doug Huggett
Division of Coastal Management
North Carolina Department of
Environment and Natural Resources
400 Commerce Avenue
Morehead City, North Carolina 28557
Ms. Debra Wilson
Division of Coastal Management
North Carolina Department of
Environment and Natural Resources
127 Cardinal Drive Extension
Wilmington, North Carolina 28405
Mr. Chad Coburn
Division of Water Resources
North Carolina Department of
Environment and Natural Resources
127 Cardinal Drive Extension
Wilmington, North Carolina 28405

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Ms —Karen f fi —ggIns
Division of Water Quality
North Carolina Department of
Environment and Natural Resources
1650 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, North Carolina 27699 -1650
Mr. Mark Hamlett
North Carolina Wildlife Resources Comm.
1701 MSC
Raleigh, North Carolina 27688 -1701
Ms. Maria Dunn
North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission
SE Permit Coordinator
Division of Inland Fisheries
943 Washington Square Mall
Washington, North Carolina 27889