RE_ U-5760 Utility Clearing Impact

From:Yankura, Kaylie
To:Euliss, Amy; Brumagin, Stephen A (Steve) CIV USARMY CESAW (USA); Turney, Kimberly
Cc:Marciniak, Katherine J; Smith, Thomas A; McMahan, Joshua A; Porter, Louis F
Subject:RE: U-5760 utility clearing impact
Date:Friday, April 19, 2024 9:13:00 AM
Attachments:image001.png
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Hi Amy,
From the photos provided it appears that repairs have been completed successfully and
that the site is stable. Please note that ongoing inspection and monitoring will be needed
to ensure the success of stabilization measures and to address any future maintenance
concerns.
Thanks again for taking prompt action and providing documentation.
Kaylie Yankura
Environmental Specialist II
401 and Buffer Transportation Permitting Branch
North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality
919-707-3870 office
[e-mail]

From: Euliss, Amy <[e-mail]>
Sent: Thursday, April 18, 2024 5:25 PM
To: Yankura, Kaylie <[e-mail]>; Brumagin, Stephen A (Steve) CIV USARMY CESAW
(USA) <[e-mail]>; Turney, Kimberly <[e-mail]>
Cc: Marciniak, Katherine J <[e-mail]>; Smith, Thomas A <[e-mail]>;
McMahan, Joshua A <[e-mail]>; Porter, Louis F <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: U-5760 utility clearing impact

All,
The site has been repaired. After pictures are attached. One picture is looking
downstream at the road crossing, and the other is looking upstream showing the
wetland boundary. We did not run the highly visible fence along the stream as we are
finished working in the are until the project lets in 2025. We did however run it along the
wetland boundary while we were working on the repairs since the boundary was not
evident. Please advise if you have any questions or need additional information.

My apologies for the delay. It took a bit more work than anticipated to get the site in
order. Thanks.

-Amy

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From: Yankura, Kaylie <[e-mail]>
Sent: Monday, April 15, 2024 9:46:03 AM
To: Euliss, Amy <[e-mail]>; Brumagin, Stephen A (Steve) CIV USARMY CESAW (USA)
<[e-mail]>; Turney, Kimberly <[e-mail]>
Cc: Marciniak, Katherine J <[e-mail]>; Smith, Thomas A <[e-mail]>;
McMahan, Joshua A <[e-mail]>; Porter, Louis F <[e-mail]>
Subject: RE: U-5760 utility clearing impact

Hi Amy,

Thank you for providing a timeline of events, photos, and list of corrective measures.
Please continue to provide photos and updates regarding repairs at the site.

Kaylie Yankura
Environmental Specialist II
401 and Buffer Transportation Permitting Branch
North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality
919-707-3870 office
[e-mail]

From: Euliss, Amy <[e-mail]>
Sent: Monday, April 15, 2024 7:52 AM
To: Yankura, Kaylie <[e-mail]>; Brumagin, Stephen A (Steve) CIV USARMY CESAW
(USA) <[e-mail]>; Turney, Kimberly <[e-mail]>
Cc: Marciniak, Katherine J <[e-mail]>; Smith, Thomas A <[e-mail]>;
McMahan, Joshua A <[e-mail]>; Porter, Louis F <[e-mail]>
Subject: RE: U-5760 utility clearing impact

Here are a few pictures from Friday. I was having issues getting them off my phone on Friday
afternoon. There are 2 pictures showing the upstream side of the road. This is the location where
the trackhoe was adjacent to the stream. This is also the side of the road that has the wetland. The
other picture is on the downstream side of the road. I’ll get you pictures later today or tomorrow
showing the surveyed wetland and the silt fence installation.

Amy Euliss
Division 9 PDEA Engineer
North Carolina Department of Transportation

336 747 7802 office
[e-mail]

375 Silas Creek Parkway
Winston Salem, NC 27127-7167

From: Euliss, Amy
Sent: Friday, April 12, 2024 5:14 PM
To: Yankura, Kaylie <[e-mail]>; Brumagin, Stephen A (Steve) CIV USARMY CESAW
(USA) <[e-mail]>; Turney, Kimberly <[e-mail]>
Cc: Marciniak, Katherine J <[e-mail]>; Smith, Thomas A <[e-mail]>;
McMahan, Joshua A <[e-mail]>; Porter, Louis F <[e-mail]>
Subject: U-5760 utility clearing impact

All,

I received a complaint today via Kim Turney, NCDEQ-DEMLR, regarding a report of a ‘track hoe in a
creek’ on Hopkins Road in Forsyth County (see attached picture). NCDOT has a clearing contractor
doing tree clearing in preparation for the tricolored bat moratorium (effective upon its listing) for
the U-5760 project in Forsyth County. Here is a summary of what has happened and steps to bring
the site into compliance.

Prior to 4.4.24: the attached UBO plan for the area was reviewed. The wetland circled in blue was
missed by staff. The wetland boundary is lost underneath the new roadway lines. There should
have been grass symbols in the wetland to make it stand out more. We will fix that moving forward.
I have also attached the permit plan sheet. This wetland and stream will be permanently impacted
with the roadway. I have circled the area in blue on the permit plan sheet.
4.4.24: The contractor was attempting to pick up the cut tree, and the track hoe sunk in the wet
area adjacent to the creek. NCDOT inspection staff had told the contractor to stay out of the wet
area. We direct them to sit 30’ back from the streams and cut the trees by hand falling away from
the stream. They are then supposed to lift the tree out. Since the wetland and JS stream line was
missed on the plan sheet, no highly visible fencing had been installed. The equipment was unstuck.
4.5.24: NCDOT staff meet with the clearing contractor to review the issues on site. At this time,
they still did not believe there was a jurisdictional wetland at the location.
4.12.24: After receiving the call from Ms. Turney, NCDOT utility engineer, utility coordinator and
myself, reviewed the plans and compared them to the permit drawings. The wetland and stream
were noted on the UBO plans when zoomed in on the computer. We visited the site, and met with
the contractor and inspection staff. The following issues were noted:
1. Additional clearing had taken place along the stream today, on the opposite side of the stream,
without highly visible fencing. The contractor was directed to install coir fiber matting along the
disturbed stream bank along both sides of the stream, and wrap the area with silt fences and
appropriate SDOs. All disturbed areas will be seeded and strawed/mulched.
2. At the location where the trackhoe was stuck, there is a break in the stream bank. The contractor
will reestablish a stream bank using rock or coir fiber logs, so the stream flow remains in the stream
channel. We will be staking the wetlands on Monday, and will be able to determine if the
equipment was stuck in a jurisdictional wetland or if it was in uplands.
3. There are a couple tracks from the equipment adjacent to the stream. Again, we will verify if this
area is in the wetland or adjacent after it is staked. The tracks will be smoothed out and vegetated.
4. On the downstream side of the road, there are a set of tracks where the equipment had crossed
the stream. These tracks will also be smoothed out and the banks will be matted with coir fiber and
revegetated.
5. Also on the downstream side of the road, there was equipment disturbance along a short section
of the stream. This area will be matted with coir fiber matting. Silt fence will be installed to protect
the stream, again using SDOs where appropriate.
6. The wetland and stream will be surveyed and staked. Highly visible fencing will be installed along
the stream and wetland boundaries, and the areas will be protected moving forward.

We greatly regret that this issue happened. We will be making some changes moving forward. The
clearing contract for bats is a relatively new thing for the Division. We have definitely learned from
this mistake and will be working to improve the process moving forward. Also, the contract with the
current clearing contractor expires on Monday April 15. Their contract has not been renewed by
Division 9.

We’ll be happy to review in the field and/or provide pictures of the site once the repairs have been
made.

Amy Euliss
Division 9 PDEA Engineer
North Carolina Department of Transportation

336 747 7802 office
[e-mail]

375 Silas Creek Parkway
Winston Salem, NC 27127-7167

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