Re_ _External_ Valle Crucis NC_ Project at Broadstone and 105

Wanucha, Dave
From: Hining, Kevin J
Sent: Tuesday, March 7, 2023 10:10 AM
To: Wanucha, Dave
Cc: Graznak, Jenny; Poe, Michael L; Heavner, Kenneth H; Dishman, Ivan H; Evans, Matthew;
Hiatt, Todd M
Subject: Re: [External] Valle Crucis NC: Project at Broadstone and 105
Thanks Dave - I will be just past the bridge on Broadstone Rd by the job board/NPDES mail box. See you then,
Kevi n
Kevin Hining
Environmental Supervisor NCDOT Division 11
828-386-7202
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From: Wanucha, Dave <[e-mail]>
Sent: Tuesday, March 7, 2023 10:05:47 AM
To: Hining, Kevin J <[e-mail]>
Cc: Graznak, Jenny <[e-mail]>; Poe, Michael L <[e-mail]>; Heavner, Kenneth H
<[e-mail]>; Dishman, Ivan H <[e-mail]>; Evans, Matthew <[e-mail]>; Hiatt,
Todd M <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: [External] Valle Crucis NC: Project at Broadstone and 105
Yes, I'll be there around 12:30- 1:00. Thanks.
Dave Wanucha
Division of Water Resources
401 & Buffer Transportation Permitting
NC Department of Environmental Quality
336-403-5655 mobile/office
[e-mail]
NC DEQ Winston Salem Regional Office
450 West Hanes Mill Road, Suite 300
Winston Salem, NC 27105
Email correspondence to and from this address is subject to the
North Carolina Public Records Law and may be disclosed to third parties.
On Mar 7, 2023, at 9:40 AM, Hining, Kevin J <[e-mail]> wrote:
Hey Dave,

I'm here now. We have several SDO's on the river side of the road. They look to have functioned well
and I do not see any actual sediment loss to the river. Our crew was on site Saturday morning and
indicated that sediment had gotten out in the roadway, but that the protective measures between the
road and the river appear to have worked. I have them doing a couple routine fixes right now
hardware cloth torn on two SDOs) and a SDO on the cut side of project that needs cleaning.
More than happy to meet you out here - what time do you expect to get here? I can go look at some
other projects and then meet you back here for a tour if you would like.
Thanks,
Kevin Hining
Environmental Supervisor NCDOT Division 11
828-386-7202
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From: Wanucha, Dave <[e-mail]>
Sent: Tuesday, March 7, 2023 9:14:48 AM
To: Graznak, Jenny <[e-mail]>; Hining, Kevin J <[e-mail]>; Poe, Michael L
<m I poe@ ncdot.gov>
Subject: RE: [External] Valle Crucis NC: Project at Broadstone and 105
Report received. I'll run out there today for a site review.
Dave W.
Dave Wanucha
Environmental Specialist 11
Transportation Permitting Branch for NCDOT Divisions 9 and 11
Division of Water Resources, Department of Environmental Quality
Office/Cell: [phone]
[e-mail]
E Q:>
NORTH CAROLINA -
Department of Environmental Qualify
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Carolina Public Records Law and may be disclosed to third parties.
From: Graznak, Jenny <[e-mail]>
Sent: Tuesday, March 7, 2023 8:16 AM
To: Hining, Kevin J <[e-mail]>; Poe, Michael L <[e-mail]>; Wanucha, Dave
<[e-mail]>
Subject: RE: [External] Valle Crucis NC: Project at Broadstone and 105
Thank you, Kevin.
Dave — please let us know if my staff need to be involved.

Jenny Graznak
Assistant Regional Supervisor, Division of Water Resources
North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality
Winston-Salem Regional Office
Office: [phone] / Cell: [phone]
[e-mail]
DE
NOR I H CAHOLINA
Department of Environmental Quality
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Carolina Public Records Law and may be disclosed to third parties.
From: Hining, Kevin J <[e-mail]>
Sent: Monday, March 6, 2023 8:43 PM
To: Walter Browning <[e-mail]>; Poe, Michael L <[e-mail]>; Graznak, Jenny
<[e-mail]>; Wanucha, Dave <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: [External] Valle Crucis NC: Project at Broadstone and 105
Hello Mr. Browning,
I serve as the environmental officer for NCDOT Division 11, and want to apologize for any issues that
might have occurred at our project. While part of my responsibility is acquiring the necessary water
quality permits for our projects, I also help monitor them for possible environmental issues. In addition
to myself, we also have a separate roadside environmental field operations unit that routinely reviews
our projects and ensures all applicable erosion control measures are in place and properly maintained.
I last visited this site early last week, and at that time all approved measures were in place and
functioning. However, I was not on -site this past Friday. I will visit the site first thing tomorrow morning
and will also talk to our project inspectors. We have 1-2 project inspectors on -site at all our projects to
ensure the contractor is following environmental permits, as well as erosion control, safety, and
construction protocols.
I live in Ashe County, and do remember severe weather in our area Friday evening, at about the same
time you visited the site. While I will know more tomorrow, it is possible that the storm event
overwhelmed our erosion control devices. If so, your observations may point to some shortcomings and
the need for additional measures. But, I did want to assure you that state and federal regulatory
agencies reviewed and approved our erosion control plans, and that they were in place and working as
of early last week. Regardless, we take matters like this one very seriously and appreciate you letting us
know about the issue. Before working for NCDOT, I worked for close to 20 years as a fisheries biologist
with the NC Wildlife Resources Commission, and helped monitor aquatic organisms in the Watauga
River. I'm familiar with the unique species it harbors, and along with my colleagues at NCDOT, strive to
protect those resources, while also improving our roads and highway infrastructure. Sadly, when storm
events occur at certain stages of construction, it can make our role as environmental stewards very
challenging.

In addition to checking the site, I have also Cc'd our NC Dept. of Water Resources representative David
Wanucha, who works out of the Winston Salem Office. Jenny Graznak may have already notified him of
the issue, but this way he will have my correspondence as well.
If you would like, I'm more than happy to contact you later this week to discuss my site visit -just let me
know a good time that works for you and I'll give you a call.
Thank you again for letting us know about this issue.
Kevin
Kevin Hining
Environmental Supervisor NCDOT Division 11
828-386-7202
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From: Walter Browning <[e-mail]>
Sent: Monday, March 6, 2023 6:37:03 PM
To: Poe, Michael L <[e-mail]>; Graznak, Jenny <[e-mail]>; Hining, Kevin J
<[e-mail]>
Subject: [External] Valle Crucis NC: Project at Broadstone and 105
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Hello,
I am President of the Valle Crucis Community Council.
This past Friday, March 3, 2023 at about 6:00 pm my wife and I witnessed an ocean of mud running off
the sides of the hills being excavated at the 105/13roadstone bridge project site. There were No silt
fences on the hillsides or temporary roads and the ones at the road were overcome. The Watauga was
the direct recipient of all the mud and debris and muddy runoff. It was appalling to witness. In my pre -
retirement days as a lawyer for a construction company I knew first hand the requirements placed on
our company to avoid these disasters as well as the consequences of failures. I sure hope someone is
looking over the contractor's shoulder on this project to prevent these types of failures.
I do not have any photographs. We were turning right off of Broadstone onto 105 at the red light.
Glad to discuss further if necessary.
Thanks for your help,
Walter
Walter G. Browning
377 Dutch Creek Road
Valle Crucis, NC 28604
936-697-0005
828-963-8358

Email correspondence to and from this sender is subject to the N.C. Public Records Law and may be disclosed to third parties.