20010093 Ver 1_More Info Letter_20020708

W A ]'~ Michael F. Easley, Governor
`OHO RQG William G. Ross Jr., Secretary
North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources
~ r~'-. Gregory J. Thorpe, Ph.D.
> .:~ Acting Director
~ ~ ~ Division of Water Quality
July 8, 2002
CERTIFIED MAIL: 7001 1940 0000 4636 0490
RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED
New Hanover County Engineering Dept.
Mr. Wyatt Blanchard
414 Chestnut Street
Wilmington, NC 28401
SUBJECT: New Hanover County
Middle Sound Sewer Project
PROJECT # 010093
New Hanover County
Dear Mr. Blanchard:
This Office is in receipt of James S. Craig's letter dated June 10, 2002 addressing items # 1 and #6 in a letter from
this office dated January 21, 2002. In addressing item #1, Mr Craig states in this letter that he sees no purpose of the
installation of anti-seep collars (required by the general certification # 3374 for utility lines) for the middle sound sewer
line project. He states that the sewer main nor the stone bedding will divert basins or attempt to drain isolated wetlands
located upland of the project. He also states that it would be hydraulically impossible for the sewer main's stone bedding
to drain or alter any "waters" of the State or wetlands due to the pipe being installed in saturated soils. Mr Craig states
that the anti-seep collars would more likely cause a hydraulic jump in the ground water moving within the stone bedding
and backfill and potentially cause `.`fresh" water artesian seeps into the manmade tidal and brackish waters of the State.
The acknowledgement that the water will be flowing within the stone bedding and backfill contradicts his previous
statement that it would be hydraulically impossible to drain or alter any waters of the State. The purpose of the anti-seep
collars on utility lines to prevent the "potential" impacts to wetlands and in fact most utility lines are placed in saturated
soils when they are placed in wetlands.
The condition #16 in the General Certification #3374 is an approved condition by the State and Federal agencies
and has been a condition of the water quality certification for a number of years. The Corps of Engineers supports this
condition in their 404 permits when they state that the applicant has to comply with the State's certification conditions.
The second item addressed by Mr. Craig's letter is item #6 or condition # 4 in General Certification #3374. This
condition states that the construction corridor for the utility line shall not be installed parallel to and closer than 10 feet to
a stream and that stream crossings of the utility line shall be near-perpendicular in direction. Mr. Craig addresses that this
condition cannot or should not be met due to man-made obstacles within the corridor and the depth of excavation
necessary to keep the sewer line the required ten feet from streams.
Please respond within three weeks of the date of this letter by sending a copy of the information to myself and to
Cyndi Karoly, Raleigh Wetlands Unit [phone]. If we do not hear from you within three weeks, we will assume
that you no longer want to pursue this project and we will consider the project as withdrawn. If you have any questions,
please feel free to call me at [phone].
It is of great concern to this Office that the County is not willing to comply with this condition for this project and
all future projects.
Sincerely,
1~f=P111
Ex127 Cardinal Drive t., Wilmington, NC 28405-3845. Telephone [phone] FAX [phone]
An Equal Opportunity Affirmative Action Employer

Rick Shiver
Water Quality Regional Supervisor
cc: Cyndi Karoly -Wetlands Group
Angie Pennock - US Army Corps of Engineers
Dave Weaver -Assistant County Manager
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