20160804 Ver 1_More Info Received - Email_20170109

Burdette, Jennifer a
From: Hughes, Emily B CIV USARMY CESAW (US) < [e-mail] >
Sent: Monday, January 09, 2017 3:49 PM
To: '[e-mail]'; '[e-mail]'; Pace Wilber - NOAA Federal; Ken
Riley - NOAA Federal; [e-mail]; Govoni, Daniel; Burdette, Jennifer a;
Coats, Heather; Coburn, Chad
Cc: Owens, Jennifer L CIV USARMY CESAW (US); Castens, Pamela G CIV (US)
Subject: Eagle Island Dike Raise to 50ft EA UPDATE
Good Day All,
Hope you had a wonderful holiday. This email is to inform you all that the Final EA/FONSI for the subject project
is still in motion and anticipated to be out on the street by mid/late February. The past couple months have
been spent tying up loose ends which are summarized below:
1. Revised Mitigation: All of the agencies replied to our October 26, 2016 letter stating our revised mitigation
plan for impacts to 35.45 acres of tidal freshwater marsh was acceptable. We received a reservation letter from
the Lower Cape Fear Umbrella Mitigation Bank for purchase of 35.5 credits.
2. 401 Application: The 401 application was on hold pending the approved revised mitigation plan. Processing
continued and a Public Notice was issued November 28 (no comments were received) and the 401 Certification
is to be issued NLT January 16, 2017.
3. Construction window: PNA within the project area has been identified by the Mean High Water (MHW) line,
which is also the 2ft contour line. The construction of toe berms would impact approximately 2.85 acres of PNA
tidal area waterward of MHW surrounding Eagle Island, the majority being on the west side adjacent to the
Brunswick River. To avoid impacts to fisheries within the PNA areas, every effort will be made to construct the
toe berms outside of the April 1 -July 31 anadromous fish window proposed by NMFS in their email dated Nov
22, 2016. This should protect species from turbidity and acoustic effects of construction during their upriver
migration. If construction cannot be limited to this timeframe, coordination with environmental agencies will
occur prior to work within these areas.
4. Temporary construction impacts: This topic was not previously addressed in the Draft EA, but will be in the
Final. A 5-10 foot construction buffer will be placed around the limits of the entire toe berm where disturbance
is likely. Within this area, the following may occur: Cutting back of phragmites, silt fence installation, placement
of coir logs/hay bales, and use of logging mats if heavy equipment will be working within wetlands.
Furthermore, to address open water areas located below MHW subject to ebb and flow of tides, coffer dams
may be erected to isolate the area from tidal influence. Rock (rip -rap) may be used within the toe berm
footprint to provide long-term stabilization of the toe berm. Turbidity curtains may also be erected to prevent
turbidity within the receiving waters.
These will be proactive measures taken and any materials/structures used/installed will be removed upon
stabilization of the toe berm. Note: temporary impacts will not be mitigated for.

Please comment on any of the above proposed measures by this Friday, January 13. You may respond in email
or please feel free to call me. We hope to have the FONSI signed in the next month so please help us to have all
issues resolved by then.
Thanks & Happy New Year!
Emily
Environmental Resources Section, Wilmington District US Army Corps of Engineers
69 Darlington Ave.
Wilmington, NC 28403
[phone]
[e-mail]