20061671 Ver 1_Other Agency Comments_20010810

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United States Department of the Interior
FISH ANp WILDLIFE SERVICE
Raleigh Field Office
Post Office Box 33726
Raleigh, North Cazolina 27636-3726
August 10, 2001 ~~ ~~
The following recommendations are provided to assist you in your planning process and to
facilitate a thorough and timely review of the project.
Generally, the Service recommends that wetland impacts be avoided and minimized to the
maximum extent practical as outlined in Section 404 (b)(1) of the Clean Water Act
Amendments of 1977. In regard to avoidance and minimization of impacts, we recommend
that proposed highway projects be aligned along or adjacent to existing roadways, utility
corridors, or previously developed areas in order to minimize habitat fragmentation and
encroachment. Areas exhibiting high biodiversity or ecological value important to the
watershed and region should be avoided. Crossings of streams and associated wetland systems
should use existing crossings and/or occur on a structure wherever feasible. Where bridging is
not feasible, culvert structures that maintain natural water flows and hydraulic regimes without
scouring, or impeding fish and wildlife passage, should be employed. Highway shoulder and
Mr. William D. Gilmore, P.E., Manager
NCDOT
Project Development and Environmental Analysis Branch
1548 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1548
Dear Mr. Gilmore:
Thank you for your June 21, 2001, request for information from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service (Service) on the potential environmental impacts of proposed bridge replacements in
Franklin and Wake Counties, North Carolina. This report provides scoping information and is
provided in accordance with provisions of the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act (FWCA)
(16 U.S.C. 661-667d) and Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) of 1973, as amended
(16 U.S.C. 1531-1543). This report also serves as initial scoping comments to federal and state
resource agencies for use in their permitting and/or certification processes for this project.
The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) proposes to replace the following
bridge structures:
,~
1,~~ 1. B-4515 Bridge No. 40 on SR 1235 over Bear Swamp Creek;
1~2. B-3916 Bridge No. 63 on US 401 over Middle Creek; and,
`~. B-4299 Bridge No. 255 on SR 1006 over unnamed creek.

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median widths should be reduced through wetland areas. Roadway embankments and fill areas
should be stabilized by using appropriate erosion control devices and techniques. Wherever
appropriate, construction in sensitive areas should occur outside fish spawning and migratory
bird nesting seasons.
The National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) maps of the Ingleside and Lake Wheeler 7.S,Minute
Quadrangles show wetland resources in the specific work areas. However, while the NWI
maps are useful for providing an overview of a given area, they should not be relied upon in
lieu of a detailed wetland delineation by trained personnel using an acceptable wetland
classification methodology. Therefore, in addition to the above guidance, we recommend that
the environmental documentation for this project include the following in sufficient detail to
facilitate a thorough review of the action.
1. The extent and acreage of waters of the U.S., including wetlands, that are to be
impacted by filling, dredging, clearing, ditching, or draining. Acres of wetland impact
should be differentiated by habitat type based on the wetland classification scheme of
the National Wetlands Inventory. Wetland boundaries should be determined by using
the 1987 Corps of Wetlands Delineation Manual'and verified by the U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers (Corps).
2. If unavoidable wetland impacts are proposed, we recommend that every effort be made
to identify compensatory mitigation sites in advance. Project planning should include a
detailed compensatory mitigation plan for offsetting unavoidable wetland impacts.
Opportunities to protect mitigation areas in perpetuity, preferably via conservation
easement, should be explored at the outset.
The document presents a number of scenarios for replacing each bridge, ranging from in-place
to relocation, with on-site and off-site detours. The Service recommends that each bridge be
replaced on the existing alignment with anoff--site detour.
The enclosed list identifies the federally-listed endangered and threatened species, and Federal
Species of Concern (FSC) that are known to occur in Franklin and Wake Counties. The
Service recommends that habitat requirements for the listed species be compared with the
available habitats at the respective project sites. If suitable habitat is present within the action
area of the project, biological surveys for the listed species should be performed.
Environmental documentation that includes survey methodologies, results, and NCDOT's
recommendations based on those results, should be provided to this office for review and
comment.
FSC's are those plant and animal species for which the Service remains concerned, but further
biological research and field study are needed to resolve the conservation status of these taxa.
Although FSC's receive no statutory protection under the ESA, we would encourage the
NCDOT to be alert to their potential presence, and to make every reasonable effort to conserve
them if found. The North Carolina Natural Heritage Program should be contacted for
information on species under state protection.

The Service appreciates the opportunity to comment on this project. Please continue to advise
us during the.progression of the planning process, including your official determination of the
impacts of the project. If you have any questions regarding these comments, please contact
Tom McCartney at 919-856-4520, Ext. 32.
Sincerely,
r. Garland B. Pardue
Ecological Services Supervisor
Enclosures
cc: COE, Raleigh, NC (Eric Alsmeyer) /
NCDWQ, Raleigh, NC (John Hennessey) /
NCDNR, Creedmoor, NC (David Cox)
FWS/R4:TMcCartney:TM:08/10/01:919/856-4520 extensidn 32:\bdgfran.wak

COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME STATUS
EDGECOMBE COUNTY
Vertebrates
Henslow's sparrow Ammodramus henslowii FSC
Southern hognose snake Heterodon simus FSC*
Red-cockaded woodpecker Picoides borealis Endangered
Invertebrates
Yellow lance Elliptio lanceolata ~ FSC
Tar spinymussel Elliptio steinstansana Endangered
Atlantic pigtoe Fusconaia masoni FSC
Yellow lampmussel Lampsilis cariosa FSC
FORSYTH COUNTY
Vertebrates
Bog turtle Clemmys muhlenbergii T(S/A)'
Red-cockaded woodpecker Picoides borealis Endangered****
Vascular Plants
Small-anthered bittercress Cardamine micranthera Endangered
FRANKLIN COUNTY
Invertebrates
Dwarf wedge mussel Alasmidonta heterodon Endangered
Yellow lance Elliptio lanceolata FSC
Tar spinymussel Elliptio steinstansana Endangered
Atlantic pigtoe Fusconaia masoni FSC
Yellow lampmussel Lampsilis cariosa FSC
Vascular Plants
Wavyleaf wild quinine Parthenium radfordii FSC
Michaux's sumac Rhus michauxii ~ Endangered
GASTON COUNTY
Vertebrates
Bog turtle Clemmys muhlenbergii T(S/A)'
Vascular Plants
Georgia aster Aster georgianus FSC
Schweinitz's sunflower Helianthus schweinitzii Endangered
January 1 S, 1999 Page 18 of 49

t COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME
STATUS
WAKE COUNTY
Vertebrates '
Bachman's sparrow
Bald eagle '
Southern hognose snake
Southeastern myotis
Red-cockaded woodpecker
Invertebrates
Dwarf wedge mussel
Yellow lance
Atlantic pigtoe
Green floater
Diana fritillary butterfly
Vascular Plants
Sweet pinesap
Michaux's sumac
Carolina least trillium
WARREN COUNTY
Vertebrates
Bachman's sparrow
Invertebrates
Dwarf wedge mussel
Yellow lance
Tar spinymussel
Atlantic pigtoe
Vascular Plants
Heller's trefoil
WASHINGTON COUNTY
Vertebrates
Red wolf
Rafinesque's big-eared bat
Waccamaw killifish
Bald eagle
Aimophila aestivalis
Haliaeetus leucocephalus
Heterodon simus
Myotis austroriparius
Picoides borealis
Alasmidonta heterodon
Elliptio lanceolata
Fusconaia masoni
Lasmigona subviridus
Speyeria Jana
Monotropsis odorata
Rhus michauxii
Trillium pusillum var. pusillum
Aimophila aestivalis
Alasmidonta heterodon
Elliptio lanceolata
Elliptio steinstansana
Fusconaia masoni
Lotus helleri
Canis rufus
Corynorhinus (=Plecotus) rafinesquii
Fundulus waccamawensis
Haliaeetus leucocephalus
FSC
Threatened
FSC* '
FSC
Endangered
Endangered
FSC
FSC
FSC
FSC*
FSC
Endangered
FSC
FSC
Endangered
FSC
Endangered
FSC
FSC
EXP
FSC
FSC
Threatened
January !S, 1999
Page 4S of 49