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Home My WebLink About20231120 Ver 1_Macon County - B231 - NC Hertiage Program_20230814Roy Cooper, Governor MESON -:■-■ NC DEPARTMENT OF ■ami■i NATURAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCES ■E■■■ July 21, 2021 Patrick Breedlove NCDOT-Division 14 253 Webster Road Sylva, NC 28779 RE. Macon County - Bridge 231, 17BP.14.R.155 Dear Patrick Breedlove. D. Reid Wilson, Secretary Wafter Clark Director, Diwision of Land and Water Stewardship NCNHDE-15179 The North Carolina Natural Heritage Program (NCNHP) appreciates the opportunity to provide information about natural heritage resources for the project referenced above. A query of the NCNHP database indicates that there are records for rare species, important natural communities, natural areas, and/or conservation/managed areas within the proposed project boundary. These results are presented in the attached `Documented Occurrences' tables and map. The attached `Potential Occurrences' table summarizes rare species and natural communities that have been documented within a one -mile radius of the property boundary. The proximity of these records suggests that these natural heritage elements may potentially be present in the project area if suitable habitat exists. Tables of natural areas and conservation/managed areas within a one -mile radius of the project area, if any, are also included in this report. If a Federally -listed species is documented within the project area or indicated within a one -mile radius of the project area, the NCNHP recommends contacting the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) for guidance. Contact information for USFWS offices in North Carolina is found here. httl2s //www.fws.gov/offices/Directory/ListOffices.cfm?statecode=37. Please note that natural heritage element data are maintained for the purposes of conservation planning, project review, and scientific research, and are not intended for use as the primary criteria for regulatory decisions. Information provided by the NCNHP database may not be published without prior written notification to the NCNHP, and the NCNHP must be credited as an information source in these publications. Maps of NCNHP data may not be redistributed without permission. Also please note that the NC Natural Heritage Program may follow this letter with additional correspondence if a Dedicated Nature Preserve, Registered Heritage Area, Land and Water Fund easement, or an occurrence of a Federally -listed species is documented near the project area. If you have questions regarding the information provided in this letter or need additional assistance, please contact Rodney A. Butler at rod nev.butlerWncdcr.aov or 919-707-8603. Sincerely, NC Natural Heritage Program DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL AND CULTURAL RESOVRCES Q 121 W. JONE5 STREET. RALEIGH. NC 27603 • 1651 MAIL SERVICE CENTER. RALEIGH. NC 27699 OFC 918.707.9120 • FAX 919.707.9121 Natural Heritage Element Occurrences, Natural Areas, and Managed Areas Intersecting the Project Area Macon County - Bridge 231 Project No. 17BP.14.R.155 July 21, 2021 NCNHDE-15179 Element Occurrences Documented Within Project Area Taxonomic EO ID Scientific Name Common Name Element Accuracy Federal Mate Global State Group Observatio Occurrence Status Status Rank Rank' = Date Rank = Freshwater Fish19282 Clinostomus sp. 1 Smoky Dace 2018-10-01 B 3-Medium --- Special G5T3Q S2 Concern No Natural Areas are Documented within the Project Area No Managed Areas Documented within the Project Area Definitions and an explanation of status designations and codes can be found at httr)s://ncnhde.natureserve.ora/heir). Data query generated on July 21, 2021; source: NCNHP, Q1 April 2021. Please resubmit your information request if more than one year elapses before project initiation as new information is continually added to the NCNHP database. Page 2 of 5 Natural Heritage Element Occurrences, Natural Areas, and Managed Areas Within a One -mile Radius of the Project Ares Macon County - Bridge 231 Project No. 17BP.14.R.155 July 21, 2021 NCNHDE-15179 Element Occurrences Documented Within a One -mile Radius of the Project Area Taxonomic EO ID 1[cientific Name Common Name Element Accuracy Federal State Global State Group Observation Occurrence Status Status Rank Rank i Date dhM Rank < It i Dragonfly or 33445 Calopteryx amata Superb Jewelwing 2004-Pre H? 5-Very --- Significantly G5 S1S2 Damselfly Low Rare Freshwater Fish19282 Clinostomus sp. 1 Smoky Dace 2018-10-01 B 3-Medium --- Special G5T3Q S2 Concern Natural 17234 Montane Oak --Hickory --- 2010 B? 3-Medium --- --- G3 S3 Community Forest (Basic Subtype) Natural 29082 Rich Cove Forest --- 2009-08-13 B 3-Medium --- --- G3G4 S3 Community (Montane Rich Subtype) Natural 2276 Rich Cove Forest --- 2010 AB 2-High --- --- G3G4 S3 Community (Montane Rich Subtype) Vascular Plant 17249 Carex hitchcockiana Hitchcock's Sedge 1996-07-12 B 3-Medium --- Special G5 S1 Concern Vulnerable Vascular Plant 19905 Carex purpurifera Purple Sedge 1996-07-12 A 3-Medium --- Special G4? S3 Concern Vulnerable Vascular Plant 15260 Frasera caroliniensis Columbo 1994-05-22 H? 3-Medium --- Significantly G5 S2 Rare Peripheral Vascular Plant 9551 Gentianopsis crinita Fringed Gentian 1968-Pre H 5-Very --- Threatened G5 S1 Low Vascular Plant 23934 Hackelia virginiana Virginia Stickseed 1968-Pre H 5-Very --- Significantly G5 S2 Low Rare Peripheral Vascular Plant 1866 Hydrastis canadensis Goldenseal 2010 A 3-Medium --- Significantly G3G4 S3 Rare Other Vascular Plant 29918 Smilax hugeri Huger's Carrion -flower 1996-07-12 E 2-High --- Significantly G4 S3 Rare Peripheral Page 3 of 5 Natural Areas Documented Within a One -mile Radius of the Project Area Site Name Representational Rating Collective Rating Moore Knob R2 (Very High) C4 (Moderate) Corbin Knob R2 (Very High) C3 (High) Little Rocky Mountain R5 (General) C4 (Moderate) LTN/Cullasaja River/Ellijay Creek Aquatic Habitat R2 (Very High) C3 (High) Managed Areas Documented Within a One -mile Radius of the Project Area Managed Area Name Owner Type wner Nantahala National Forest - Nantahala Ranger US Forest Service Federal District Definitions and an explanation of status designations and codes can be found at httr)s://ncnhde.natureserve.ora/heir). Data query generated on July 21, 2021; source: NCNHP, Q1 April 2021. Please resubmit your information request if more than one year elapses before project initiation as new information is continually added to the NCNHP database. Page 4 of 5 NCNHDE-15179: Macon County - Bridge 231 WIviiN, I PI VP♦ July 21, 2021 Project Boundary Buffered Project Boundary ElNatural Heritage Element Occurrence (NHEO) [3 NHP Natural Area (NHNA) E] managed Area (MAREA) 1:20,672 0 0.175 0.35 0.7 mi 0 0.275 0.55 1.1 km Sources Fsri, HERE, Garmin, Internnap, increment P Corp, GFBCC, USGS, FAO NPS, NRCAN, GeoBase, IGN, Kadaster NL, Ordnance Survey, Fsri Japan, METi, Esir China (Hong Kong), (c) OpenStreetMap contributors, and the GIS User -Community Page 5 of 5