20061671 Ver 1_EEP Acceptance Letters_20060221

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PROGRAM
February 21, 2006
Mr. Gregory J. Thorpe, Ph.D.
Environmental Management Director
Project Development and Environmental Analysis Branch
North Carolina Department of Transportation
1548 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1548
Dear Dr. Thorpe:
Subject: EEP Mitigation Acceptance Letter:
B-4299, Bridge 255 over an Unnamed Tributary to Swift Creek on
SR 1006, Wake County
The purpose of this letter is to notify you that the Ecosystem Enhancement
Program (EEP) will provide the required buffer mitigation for the subject project. Based
on the information supplied by you in letter dated February 8, 2006, the impacts are
located in CU 03020201 of the Neuse River Basin in the Central Piedmont (CP), and are
as follows:
Buffer Zone 1: 6,164 square feet
Buffer Zone 2: 5,632 square feet
The NCDOT estimated buffer impacts in the 7-year Impact Projection Database
submitted to EEP in May 2005. The buffer mitigation required for the NCDOT's impact
projections was incorporated into EEP's biennial budget that was submitted to the
NCDOT for approval in June 2005. All buffer mitigation requests and approvals are
administered through the Riparian Buffer Restoration Fund. Any buffer impact
associated with projects located in the Neuse, Tar-Pamlico, and portions of the Catawba
River Basins are automatic acceptances by the EEP, per the agreement with the
NCDWQ.
The NCDOT will be responsible to ensure that the appropriate compensation for
the buffer mitigation will be provided in the agreed upon method of fund transfer. Upon
receipt of the NCDWQ's Buffer Certification, the NCDOT will provide the EEP a copy
of the Certification along with a letter verifying the buffer impact/mitigation amounts and
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North Carolina Ecosystem Enhancement Fragram, 1652 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 21694-1652 / 919-115-0416 / www.nceep.net

requesting a fund transfer to provide the required compensation. The EEP will transfer
funds from the MOA Account (Fund 2984) into the Riparian Buffer Restoration Fund
(Fund 2982). Since this expense is outside of the approved Biennial budget, the EEP will
request reimbursement for the buffer mitigation on the next quarterly invoice after the
transfer has occurred.
If the impacts change from the amounts listed above, then this mitigation
acceptance letter will no longer be valid and a new mitigation acceptance letter will be
required from EEP. If you have any questions or need additional information, please
contact Ms. Beth Harmon at 919-715-1929.
Sincerely,
~'
' am D. Gilmore, P.E.
EEP Director
cc: Mr. Eric Alsmeyer, USACE-Raleigh
Mr. John Hennessy, Division of Water Quality, Wetlands/401 Unit
File: B-4299