U-5706_CP3 and 4A_MergerMeetingSummaryFINAL

MEETING SUMMARY
Informational Meeting – Concurrence Points 3 and 4A
TIP No. U-5706
Eastern Rockingham Corridor Study, Richmond County, NC
Page 1
MEETING SUMMARY
Date .....................March 8, 2023
Time .....................10:00 a.m.
Location ...............Century Center A, Technical Services Conference Room
Purpose ...............Present information in support of Concurrence Point 3, the Least Environmentally
Damaging Practicable Alternative (LEDPA) and Concurrence Point 4A, Avoidance and
Minimization.
Attendees:
Name Organization Email Address
Steve Brumagin USACE [e-mail]
Gary Jordan USFWS [e-mail]
Amanetta Somerville USEPA [e-mail]
Ryan Conchilla NCDWR [e-mail]
Susan Locklear NCDWR – Stormwater [e-mail]
Travis Wilson NC Wildlife Resources Commission [e-mail]
Janet Robertson Lumber River RPO [e-mail]
Colin Mellor NCDOT EPU [e-mail]
Mike Sanderson NCDOT EPU [e-mail]
Hannah Headrick NCDOT EPU [e-mail]
Jeffrey Teague NCDOT – Division 8 [e-mail]
Greg Davis NCDOT – Division 8 [e-mail]
Jay McInnis Ramey Kemp [e-mail]
Josh Dalton Sungate Design Group [e-mail]
Jeff Schlotter Lochner [e-mail]
Brian Eason Lochner [e-mail]
Kenny Smith Lochner [e-mail]

Lochner had previously provided to the Merger Team a packet of materials for Concurrence Point 4A.
The packet included: a summary of the project status; a general description of NCDOT’s proposed
Preferred Alternative (Alt. 5); updated information about the impacts associated with Alt. 5 in response
to requests made at the previous informational meeting; and details about the avoidance and
minimization measures taken for Alt. 5.
Opening Presentation
Following introductions by attendees, NCDOT (Jeff Schlotter and Jay McInnis) gave a PowerPoint
presentation that covered materials related to both CP3 and CP4A. For CP3, these materials included; a
summary of key discussion points made at the previous meeting; impacts associated with the project’s
detailed study alternatives; a comparison of jurisdictional and water supply impacts associated with
those alternatives; and a comparison of the data concerning Environmental Justice populations relative
to relocations and noise impacts. For CP4, the materials included a description of the avoidance and
minimization techniques applied to Alt. 5.
MEETING SUMMARY
Informational Meeting – Concurrence Points 3 and 4A
TIP No. U-5706
Eastern Rockingham Corridor Study, Richmond County, NC
Page 2
Summary of Discussion on LEDPA Selection
Key points discussed were:
1. USACE: None of the alternatives stand out as clearly at the top or bottom in terms of aquatic
resource impacts, so the LEDPA decision is difficult. The information related to Environmental
Justice/qualitative relocation analyses, provided by NCDOT per requests made at the previous
informational meeting, has been helpful. As for the project’s water supply watershed impacts,
the information provided has been helpful, and USACE will defer to others on this topic. There
may not be any additional information that USACE can request to inform our LEDPA decision
any further. We’ll now need to take a hard look at NCDOT’s preferred alternative.
2. USEPA: Agree that the additional information provided in response to comments at the previous
informational meeting has made EPA more comfortable with NCDOT’s preferred alternative.
3. NCDOT: We will provide the Merger Team with one clean summary document that contains all
the CP3 data.
4. USACE, USEPA, and the Regional Planning Organization all stated their agreement with
receiving the document, upon which they will base their LEDPA concurrence decision.
Summary of Discussion on Avoidance and Minimization
Key points discussed were:
1. USFWS: The Tri-Colored Bat will likely be listed by the end of September. We hope to have a
programmatic agreement in place by the time of listing.
2. USACE: It will be useful to include in the summary the fact that the alignment has been shifted
within the corridor to avoid resources.

Next Steps in the Merger Process
1. NCDOT: For the concurrence decisions, is the Merger Team comfortable with a two-week
window, beginning with receipt of the summary information package?
Response: Yes, if package is received by Friday, March 10.
NCDOT: We will send the package by March 10.
2. Lumber River RPO: Officials and citizens have been asking about which alternative has been
selected. When can the RPO announce this?
NCDOT: We will make an official announcement, once concurrence is officially received.
3. The Merger Team agreed to provide concurrence on CP3 and CP4a via email.

Meeting Wrap Up
There being no further discussion, the meeting was adjourned at approximately 11:00 am.