RE_ [External] RE_ C204553 Parcel82&87 Borrow Pit Fire 4_6_2023

From:Gingrich, Sophia E
To:Lane, Stephen; Sprinkle, Hannah H; Steffens, Thomas A CIV USARMY CESAW (USA)
Cc:Westphal, Anneliese; Giles, Jon W; Dustin (LJB Inc.), Christopher
Subject:RE: [External] RE: C204553 Parcel82&87 Borrow Pit Fire 4/6/2023
Date:Wednesday, April 12, 2023 12:38:57 PM
Attachments:Aerial away from D1.jpg
Aerial towards D1.jpg
Border between pits.jpg
Crossing 1a.jpg
Crossing 1b.jpg
Crossing 1c.jpg
Crossing 2.jpg
Crossing 3.jpg
Ground View.jpg
West side of A.jpg
Tom, Hannah, and Stephen,

We visited the location of the fire in borrow pits A and B yesterday morning. Chris Dustin, an
imbedded consultant in our unit, came with me and took some photos with his drone. The area was
still smoking, so we were only able to get our eyes on the first emergency crossing of the RPW. Some
of the drone shots show the other two crossings. We estimated each crossing is about 15ft long, 5ft
deep, and 4-6ft wide (bankfull width). Since the fire was Conti’s fault, they are responsible for
removing the fill from the RPW. No other jurisdictional areas were impacted by the fire or filled in
other than the RPW between the two pits. Conti has not given DOT their report yet, so we do not
have any more information on how it started. I do know they have been burning as part of their
clearing operation, and they have a valid burn permit. I will let you know when we have more
information.

Please see the attached photos of the emergency crossings and drone photos of the area. Let me
know if you have any other questions at this time. We will keep you posted as they begin
restoration/retrieval.

Thanks,

Sophia Gingrich
Environmental Specialist I
Division 3
NCDOT – Division of Highways

From: Lane, Stephen <[e-mail]>
Sent: Wednesday, April 12, 2023 10:45 AM
To: Sprinkle, Hannah H <[e-mail]>; Steffens, Thomas A CIV USARMY CESAW
(USA) <[e-mail]>; Gingrich, Sophia E <[e-mail]>
Cc: Westphal, Anneliese <[e-mail]>; Giles, Jon W <[e-mail]>; Dustin (LJB
Inc.), Christopher <[e-mail]>
Subject: RE: [External] RE: C204553 Parcel82&87 Borrow Pit Fire 4/6/2023

DCM concurs with USACE and DRW on this.

From: Sprinkle, Hannah H <[e-mail]>
Sent: Tuesday, April 11, 2023 6:53 AM
To: Steffens, Thomas A CIV USARMY CESAW (USA) <[e-mail]>; Gingrich,
Sophia E <[e-mail]>; Lane, Stephen <[e-mail]>
Cc: Westphal, Anneliese <[e-mail]>; Giles, Jon W <[e-mail]>; Dustin (LJB
Inc.), Christopher <[e-mail]>
Subject: RE: [External] RE: C204553 Parcel82&87 Borrow Pit Fire 4/6/2023

Sophia,

Thanks for keeping us in the loop, I agree with Tom, allows FS to do what they need to do to
suppress the fire and then address the restoration (fix contours, elevations, etc.) when it’s safe to do
so.

Hannah

From: Steffens, Thomas A CIV USARMY CESAW (USA) <[e-mail]>
Sent: Monday, April 10, 2023 6:33 PM
To: Gingrich, Sophia E <[e-mail]>; Sprinkle, Hannah H <[e-mail]>;
Lane, Stephen <[e-mail]>
Cc: Westphal, Anneliese <[e-mail]>; Giles, Jon W <[e-mail]>; Dustin (LJB
Inc.), Christopher <[e-mail]>
Subject: [External] RE: C204553 Parcel82&87 Borrow Pit Fire 4/6/2023

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Sophia,

Under these circumstances, the Corps typically allows the FS to do what’s
necessary to suppress the fire. You are correct, the FS should remove all the fill
they placed in the RPW crossing to pre-project contours and elevations after
the fires out. It is understood that fire plow/cuts are often part of the
suppression activities. Generally when this takes place in a wetland there’s not
a lot that can be done but let it naturally revegetate.
Cause of a fire in this landscape position after a protracted rain event is
curious; I’d like to know how it started and look forward to an update.

Thomas A Steffens
Regulatory Project Manager
USACE CESAW-RG-W
O(910)-251-4615
C(252)-955-0739

From: Gingrich, Sophia E <[e-mail]>
Sent: Monday, April 10, 2023 4:06 PM
To: Steffens, Thomas A CIV USARMY CESAW (USA) <[e-mail]>; Sprinkle,
Hannah H <[e-mail]>; Lane, Stephen <[e-mail]>
Cc: Westphal, Anneliese <[e-mail]>; Giles, Jon W <[e-mail]>; Dustin (LJB
Inc.), Christopher <[e-mail]>
Subject: [Non-DoD Source] FW: C204553 Parcel82&87 Borrow Pit Fire 4/6/2023

Tom , Hannah, and Stephen,

I received the forwarded email from Ben below about the Hampstead Bypass. Conti needed help
getting a fire under control on Thursday 4/6/2023. It was contained within the limits of pit A and pit
B, but the NC Forest Service had to push dirt into the RPW that runs between the two pits to create
emergency crossings to gain access. Ben included a PDF with images of the area and the crossings
and a map of the total impacted area. I will be visiting the project tomorrow to get more
information, including the estimated quantity of dirt that was pushed into the RPW and to confirm
no other wetlands were impacted.

They will need to restore the impacted areas in the RPW, correct? Ben has asked me to confirm with
you all.

Please let me know if you have any questions or if there is any specific information you would like
me to request tomorrow. I will send you all an update after tomorrow’s visit.

Thanks,

Sophia Gingrich
Environmental Specialist I
Division 3
NCDOT – Division of Highways

Cell: [phone]
Office: [phone]

From: Meyer (RK & K Civil Engineering), Benjamin C <[e-mail]>
Sent: Monday, April 10, 2023 3:24 PM
To: Gingrich, Sophia E <[e-mail]>
Cc: Westphal, Anneliese <[e-mail]>; Giles, Jon W <[e-mail]>; Brandon
Helms <[e-mail]>; Jackson Provost, PE, PLS
<[e-mail]>; Jim L. Haga <[e-mail]>; Law, Anthony W
<[e-mail]>; Waugh, Daniel G <[e-mail]>; Cumbo, Daniel R
<[e-mail]>
Subject: C204553 Parcel82&87 Borrow Pit Fire 4/6/2023

Sophia,
Conti had a fire that needed the NC Forest Service to assist with getting it under control on
4/6/2023. Attached is an outline of the area of impact, as well as pictures from the incident.

The fire was initially started by the clearing and grubbing activities in the A-Pit area, which got out of
control of the crew working in the pit. Pender County EMS & NC Forest Service were called at
approximately 3:30pm on 4/6/2023. Through combined efforts of Conti’s crews and NC Forest
Service equipment the fire was able to be contained within the approved pits on the State Owned
Parcels 82&87.

This morning I walked the fire break line through the A & B pits. The area impacted by the burn is a
little over 12 acres. There are three locations of impacts to the Relatively Permanent Water (RPW)
that separates the A & B pits. The NC Forest Service had to push dirt into these locations in order to
gain emergency access to the B pit area to cut fire lines. Crossings can be seen in the last three
pictures. There are no other wetland or water impacts due to the fire.

Please confirm with the Environmental Agencies that we need to restore the impacted areas of the
RPW’s. As always, we are available to meet with you onsite to review the area. Thanks for the help.
Cheers,
Ben

Ben Meyer, PE, CCM
Assistant Resident Engineer
Hampstead Bypass
Cell: 910-617-1902
[e-mail]
[e-mail]

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