HomeMy WebLinkAbout20141127 Ver 1_Other Agency Comments_20141212Baker, Virginia
From: Tugwell, Todd SAW <Todd.Tugwell @usace.army.mil>
Sent: Friday, December 12, 2014 3:23 PM
To: Schaffer, Jeff, Melia, Gregory; Russell, Periann; Baker, Virginia; Wilson, Travis W.;
Alsmeyer, Eric C SAW; Kathryn_Matthews @fws.gov; Melia, Gregory; Jeff Keaton
Subject: RE: Mud Lick Meeting Tomorrow (UNCLASSIFIED)
Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE
Al I,
Thank you for meeting on the site to discuss the approach for Mud Lick Creek today. I am sending this email to provide
some initial feedback and to confirm a couple points of agreement about how this project moves forward from
here. Obviously, this is not a typical project in that it includes a proposal to monitor for both aquatic life (fish, bethos)
and several water quality parameters. To begin with, it is our view (and I believe the view of the IRT agencies present)
that actually measuring several functional parameters to demonstrate that uplift is occurring in these areas is a good
thing to do, and something we have been discussing for some time. As we discussed today, though, there are several
challenges to doing this, particularly with regard to how the monitoring and performance are demonstrated. More
specific detail needs to be provided in the mitigation plan to clarify how the results of the monitoring will be used to
determine success. Below is a list of some questions that need to be addressed in the revised plan:
It needs to be clear what is meant by "sustained improvements over baseline conditions ". How much of an
improvement? Is this based on averages from the monitoring locations across the site? Averages from multiple years?
Does there need to be an improvement each year?
Are the improvements over baseline, the previous year's measurements, or measurements from upstream that same
year?
The plan needs to be more clear about what happens if no improvement is demonstrated, or what happens if some
measures improve but others get worse. How will all this affect credits awarded?
The credit release schedule needs to be adjusted to account for how credits are awarded for the demonstration of
functional improvement. It probably makes sense to award these credits towards the end of the monitoring because we
will not be able to drawn many conclusions about the data early in the monitoring process.
Are there enough data points to all us to be confident in the results? It was also suggested to tie the data collection to
measures of stream flow to provide some level of consistency.
A map showing the location of collection points would be helpful to evaluate where the sampling will be done.
In addition to the above, the way the ratios are proposed suggests that the higher ratio is more like a bonus for doing
the measurement, and that there isn't much of a penalty if the measurements indicate the project is not providing any
uplift. I'm not sure how to address this, but it seems that if success is tied to demonstration of functional uplift as
measured with the proposed functional metrics there needs to be a more direct connection between the results of the
monitoring and credits generation. Right now, the performance standards seem to have a pretty low bar for success.
Lastly, I believe there also need to be some changes to the vegetation monitoring so that the proposed method of
monitoring matches up with the performance standards (for instance, random rotating plots cannot demonstrate if
planted trees are surviving on the site).
If there are other IRT members who would like to provide some initial comments, please do so. At the end of the
meeting we agreed to extend the comment period to Friday, January 23rd, so that revisions to the plan could be made
and distributed to the IRT for review sometime in early January. That way most of the bigger questions could hopefully
be addressed before we approve the plan.
Please let me know if anyone has any other questions about the process.
Thanks,
- - - -- Original Message---- -
From: Tugwell, Todd SAW
Sent: Thursday, December 11, 2014 11:32 AM
To: 'Schaffer, Jeff'; 'Baker, Virginia'; 'Wilson, Travis W.'; Alsmeyer, Eric C SAW; Kathryn_Matthews @fws.gov; 'Melia,
Gregory (gregory.melia @ncdenr.gov)'
Subject: RE: Mud Lick Meeting Tomorrow (UNCLASSIFIED)
Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE
All, I just heard from Jeff who said it would be easier to just meet on the site at a farm building located off of Siler City
Snow Camp Road, just north of the intersection with Silk Hope Liberty Road. You can see the building adjacent to the
site on the aerial in the Mit Plan. So please disregard me earlier email and meet here instead. The coordinates for this
new meeting point are 35.811562,- 79.433832.
Thanks and see you at 9:30.
Todd
- - - -- Original Message---- -
From: Tugwell, Todd SAW
Sent: Thursday, December 11, 2014 11:05 AM
To: 'Schaffer, Jeff'; 'Baker, Virginia'; 'Wilson, Travis W.'; Alsmeyer, Eric C SAW; Kathryn Matthews @fws.gov; Melia,
Gregory (gregory.melia @ncdenr.gov)
Subject: Mud Lick Meeting Tomorrow (UNCLASSIFIED)
Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE
Al I,
Just to confirm, we are schedule to meet tomorrow to review the Mud Lick site in Chatham Co. at 9:30. 1 don't think we
had specified a meeting location yet, so I suggest we plan to meet at the intersection of Silk Hope Liberty Road and Siler
City Snow Camp Road. There are two old stores at this intersection, so let's meet on the west side than head to the
site. The coordinates for the west site of the intersection are 35.808282,- 79.432826.
Jeff, I am not sure if you asked Wildlands to attend, but can you pass this info on to them?
Thanks,
Todd
- - - -- Original Message---- -
From: Tugwell, Todd SAW
Sent: Tuesday, November 25, 2014 10:23 AM
To: 'Schaffer, Jeff'
Cc: Baker, Virginia; Wilson, Travis W.; Alsmeyer, Eric C SAW; Gibby, Jean B SAW
Subject: RE: [EXTERNAL] RE: Notice of NCEEP Draft Mitigation Plan Portal Review / Mud Lick Creek Mitigation Project /
Chatham County / SAW- 2014 -00736 (UNCLASSIFIED)
Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE
9:30 works for me.
Thanks,
Todd
- - - -- Original Message---- -
From: Schaffer, Jeff [ mailto :jeff.schaffer @ncdenr.gov]
Sent: Wednesday, November 19, 2014 11:59 AM
To: Tugwell, Todd SAW
Cc: Baker, Virginia; Wilson, Travis W.; Alsmeyer, Eric C SAW; Gibby, Jean B SAW
Subject: RE: [EXTERNAL] RE: Notice of NCEEP Draft Mitigation Plan Portal Review / Mud Lick Creek Mitigation Project /
Chatham County / SAW- 2014 -00736 (UNCLASSIFIED)
Sounds like a plan, Todd. Say 9 -9:30? Site is about an hour +/- from Raleigh.
Jeff Schaffer
Eastern Supervisor, Project Management
NC Ecosystem Enhancement Program (http: / /portal.ncdenr.org /web /eep)
Mailing: 1652 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699 -1652
Physical: 217 West Jones St., 3rd Floor, Suite 3000A, Raleigh, N.C. 27603
Office: (919) 707 -8308
Mobile: (919) 812 -2634
Email: Jeff.Schaffer(@ncdenr.izov
Email correspondence to and from this address may be subject to the North Carolina Public Records Law and may be
disclosed to third parties.
From: Tugwell, Todd SAW [ mailto :Todd.Tugwell @usace.army.mil]
Sent: Wednesday, November 19, 2014 11:12 AM
To: Schaffer, Jeff
Cc: Baker, Virginia; Wilson, Travis W.; Alsmeyer, Eric C SAW; Gibby, Jean B SAW
3
Subject: Re: [EXTERNAL] RE: Notice of NCEEP Draft Mitigation Plan Portal Review / Mud Lick Creek Mitigation Project /
Chatham County / SAW- 2014 -00736 (UNCLASSIFIED)
Jeff,
Let's plan for the 12th in the AM.
Todd
From: Schaffer, Jeff [ mailto :jeff.schaffer @ncdenr.gov]
Sent: Tuesday, November 18, 2014 11:22 AM Central Standard Time
To: Tugwell, Todd SAW
Subject: [EXTERNAL] RE: Notice of NCEEP Draft Mitigation Plan Portal Review / Mud Lick Creek Mitigation Project /
Chatham County / SAW- 2014 -00736 (UNCLASSIFIED)
Any news on when we'll visit Mud Lick Creek?
Jeff Schaffer
Eastern Supervisor, Project Management
NC Ecosystem Enhancement Program (http: / /portal.ncdenr.org /web /eep)
Mailing: 1652 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699 -1652
Physical: 217 West Jones St., 3rd Floor, Suite 3000A, Raleigh, N.C. 27603
Office: (919) 707 -8308
Mobile: (919) 812 -2634
Email: Jeff.Schaffer(@ncdenr.izov
Email correspondence to and from this address may be subject to the North Carolina Public Records Law and may be
disclosed to third parties.
From: Schaffer, Jeff
Sent: Friday, November 14, 2014 7:03 AM
To: Tugwell, Todd SAW
Subject: Re: Notice of NCEEP Draft Mitigation Plan Portal Review / Mud Lick Creek Mitigation Project / Chatham County /
SAW- 2014 -00736 (UNCLASSIFIED)
4
Todd,
I've spoken with my designer and other EEP folks involved with this project and the best dates for us are Dec. 8, 10, 11
and 12.
Jeff Schaffer
Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE DROID
"Tugwell, Todd SAW" <Todd.Tugwell @usace.army.mil> wrote:
Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE
All, we have let EEP know that we would like the opportunity to review the Mud Lick Creek site in Chatham County, due
in part to the fact that we have not had a chance to review the site yet and also because there are several provisions in
the mitigation plan having to do with proposed credit ratios and monitoring /performance standards that are not
typical. If you would like to attend a review of this site, please let me know your availability on December 3, 4, 8, 10, 11,
12. We will push the comment deadline back to accommodate the site review once we know when it will be.
Thanks,
Todd Tugwell
Special Projects Manager
Wilmington District, US Army Corps of Engineers
11405 Falls of the Neuse Road
Wake Forest, NC 27587
Office: 919 - 846 -2564
Mobile: 919 - 710 -0240
- - - -- Original Message---- -
From: Tugwell, Todd SAW
Sent: Friday, October 24, 2014 9:19 AM
To: Fritz Rohde (Fritz. Rohde @noaa.gov); Amy Chapman (amy.chapman @ncdenr.gov); Baker, Virginia;
bowers.todd @epa.gov; Cyndi Karoly (cyndi.karoly @ncdenr.gov); David Cox (david.cox @ncwildlife.org); Dolores Hall
(dolores.hall @ncdcr.gov); Emily Jernigan @fws.gov; Eric C Alsmeyer ( Eric. C. Alsmeyer @saw02.usace.army.mil); Gibby,
Jean B SAW; Karen Higgins (Karen. Higgins @ncdenr.gov); Kathryn Matthews @fws.gov; McLendon, Scott C SAW; Renee
Gledhill - Earley ( renee .gledhill- earlev @ncdcr.gov); 'Steve Sollod'; Travis Wilson (travis.wilson @ncwildlife.org); Wicker,
Henry M JR SAW; Williams, Andrew E SAW
Cc: 'Schaffer, Jeff'; 'Baumgartner, Tim'
Subject: Notice of NCEEP Draft Mitigation Plan Portal Review / Mud Lick Creek Mitigation Project / Chatham County /
SAW- 2014 -00736 (UNCLASSIFIED)
Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE
my
The below referenced Draft Mitigation Plan has been posted by NCEEP on the Mitigation Plan Review Portal. Per Section
332.8(g) of the 2008 Mitigation Rule, this review period will remain open for 30 calendar days from this email
notification. Please post comments by 5 PM on the 30 -day comment deadline shown below. When posting comments
please indicate if your concerns are great enough that you intend to initiate the Dispute Resolution Process described in
Section 332.8(3) of the Mitigation Rule. Comments posted after the 30 -day comment deadline (shown below) may not
be considered. This comment period may be extended at the request of NCEEP if they determine that additional time is
necessary to make changes to the Draft Mitigation Plan. Please note that NCEEP may post responses to the comments
on the portal as well.
At the conclusion of this comment period, notification will be provided to NCEEP and the NCIRT of the District Engineer's
intent to approve or disapprove this project. More information, including instructions to access and use the portal, and
a flow chart detailing the process are included in the document attached to this email notice.
NCEEP Mitigation Plan Review Portal Address: http: / /portal.ncdenr.org /group /eep -irt /mitigation -plan- review
<http://Portal.ncdenr.org/group/eep-irt/mitigation-plan-review>
Project Name: Mud Lick Creek Mitigation Site
USACE Action ID #: SAW- 2014 -00736
NCEEP Project #: 93482
County: Chatham
River Basin: Cape Fear
H UC: 03030003
Assets: 2,938 SMUs (1,232 R; 1706 Ell at 1.5:1 proposed)
Provider: Wildlands Engineering, Inc.
NCEEP Project Manager: Jeff Schaffer, email: jeff.schaffer @ncdenr.gov < mai Ito: jeff.schaffer @ncdenr.gov>
30 -Day Comment Start Date: 24 Oct 2014
30 -Day Comment Deadline: 23 Nov 2014
60 -Day Intent to Approve Deadline: 23 Dec 2014
Questions may be addressed to Todd Tugwell with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at the address and number below.
Todd TugwelI
Special Projects Manager
Wilmington District, US Army Corps of Engineers
11405 Falls of the Neuse Road
Wake Forest, NC 27587
Office: 919 - 846 -2564
Mobile: 919 - 710 -0240
Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE
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