2016-01989 Meadow Spring Year 4 Monitoring Credit Release

DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
WILMINGTON DISTRICT, CORPS OF ENGINEERS
69 DARLINGTON AVENUE
WILMINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA 28403-1343
February 1, 2023
Regulatory Division
Action ID No. SAW-2016-01989
Re: Year 4 Monitoring Report Review and Credit Release associated with Neu -Con
Umbrella Mitigation Bank, Meadow Spring Mitigation Site
Ms. Jamey McEachran
EBX-Neuse I, LLC
3600 Glenwood Avenue, Suite 100
Raleigh, North Carolina 27612
Dear Ms. McEachran:
This correspondence is in reference to the Neu -Con Umbrella Mitigation Bank,
Meadow Spring Mitigation Site located at 2082 Wilson's Mills Road, in Smithfield,
Johnston County, North Carolina, within the Upper Neuse Cataloging Unit (03020201).
The purpose of this letter is to transmit comments provided by the NC Interagency
Review Team (NCIRT) during the review of the monitoring report (see attached) and to
confirm the Year 4 credit release for this mitigation site.
Pursuant to the Mitigation Banking Instrument (UMBI) entitled, Neu -Con Umbrella
Wetland Mitigation and Stream Restoration Bank, approved April 2, 2001 and amended
April 10, 2009; the site -specific Meadow Spring Final Mitigation Plan (Plan) dated
December 2018 and approved February 11, 2019; and the Meadow Spring Mitigation
Site Year 4 Monitoring Report dated November, 2022, 5 percent of the mitigation site's
total stream restoration and enhancement credits, plus the 10% stream bankfull standard
and 5% of the site's total wetland restoration and enhancement credits, plus 15% from
last year's scheduled wetland credit release shall be available for sale provided the Year
4 Monitoring Report demonstrates interim performance standards are being met.
Based on a review of the data provided in the annual monitoring report related to the
stream work, we confirm that you have satisfied the requirements for the Year 4
Monitoring credit release, and 816.00 stream mitigation units (SMUs) are now available
for sale. To date, 4,163.0 SMUs (75% of the total stream restoration and enhancement
credits) have been released for sale.

Following a review of the wetland data, it is clear that areas of the site are not
performing as expected. Thus far, 4 of the 11 gauges have failed to meet the
performance standard in any of the four monitoring years. Additionally, two of the three
supplemental gauges failed to meet success. At this point, we have released 7.20 WMUs
of the 14.40 potential WMUs (50 percent of the total restoration and enhancement credits
and 100 percent of the total preservation credits). Based on this information, we will not
release any further wetland credits until gauge data demonstrates that the wetland areas
are meeting performance standards. Please be aware that we would like to conduct a site
visit later this year to assess the conditions on the site.
Please review the comments provided by the NCIRT during their review of the
monitoring report. While it is not necessary to provide a response to specific comments
at this time, please be sure to address the issues raised in future monitoring report
submittals.
Thank you for your interest in restoring and protecting waters of the United States. If
you have questions regarding this letter, please contact Casey Haywood at
casey.m.haywood(a)usace.army.mil or telephone [phone].
Sincerely,
Todd Tugwell
Chief, Mitigation Branch
Regulatory Division
Electronic Copies Furnished:
NCIRT Distribution List

DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
WILMINGTON DISTRICT, CORPS OF ENGINEERS
69 DARLINGTON AVENUE
WILMINGTON. NORTH CAROLINA28403-1343
CESAW-RG/Haywood
MEMORANDUM FOR RECORD
February 1, 2023
SUBJECT: Action ID # SAW-2016-01989, NCIRT Review Comments on the Neu -Con
Umbrella Mitigation Bank, Meadow Spring Mitigation Site Year 4 Monitoring Report
Casey Haywood, USACE:
1. Thank you for providing photos of the AMP repair work. Please continue to
monitor these areas for any instability. Overall, the repairs look good.
2. We have concerns regarding the performance of wetlands on the site (Wetland H
and 1). While low hydroperiods can be partially attributed to below normal rainfall
conditions, gauges 1, 4, 5 and 7 have failed to meet performance standards in
any of the previous years. Additionally, more data is needed to assess areas
where the additional gauges were installed, in particular gauges GW4-B and
GW7-B. We would like to schedule a site visit later this year to evaluate site
conditions and see the repair work.
Casey Haywood
Mitigation Project Manager
Regulatory Division