20190230_Other Agency Comments_20080702

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® North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission
MEMORANDUM
TO: Melba McGee
Office of Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs, DENR
FROM: Travis Wilson, Highway Project Coordinator. e /z"??
Habitat Conservation Program
DATE: July 1, 2008
SUBJECT: North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) State Draft
Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the proposed widening of US 158
from Weldon to the Murfreesboro Bypass, Northampton County, North Carolina.
TIP No. R-2582 and R-2584 SCH Project No. 08-349
Staff biologists with the N. C. Wildlife Resources Commission have reviewed the subject
DEIS and are familiar with habitat values in the project area. The purpose of this review was to
assess project impacts to fish and wildlife resources. Our comments are provided in accordance
with certain provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(c)) and the
Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act (48 Stat. 401, as amended; 16 U.S.C. 661-667d).
NCDOT proposes to widen US 158 from the I-95/NC46 interchange west of Garysburg to
the Murfreesboro Bypass. The approximate 32 mile long widen project will consist of widening
existing US 158 from a 2 lane to a four lane median divided highway with multiple new location
segments for a total of 17 alternatives.
Direct impacts to streams and wetlands for a project of this scope can be significant with
potential wetland impacts of 119 acres and potential stream impacts of 10,610 linear feet.
Although not quantitatively documented in the DEIS the project will also have extensive impacts
to upland natural systems. These direct impacts in addition to the indirect effects of habitat
fragmentation caused by new location segments and increased fragmentation due to widening the
existing facility will cause considerably impacts to the fish and wildlife resources in the project
area.
Mailing Address: Division of Inland Fisheries • 1721 Mail Service Center • Raleigh, NC 27699-1721
Telephone: [phone] • Fag: [phone]
R-2582 and R-2584 Page 2 7/1/2008
We have reviewed the data provided in the DEIS. This project is going through the
404/NEPA merger process. The DEIS reflects NCWRC comments from prior meetings and
coordination. Additional natural resource minimization efforts will be assessed during
concurrence point 4a once the Merger Team has selected a LEDPA. At this time we concur with
the DEIS for this project. We will continue to assess the impacts associated with the remaining
alternatives in preparation for the selection of the LEDPA. Thank you for the opportunity to
comment. If we can be of any further assistance please call me at [phone].
cc: Gary Jordan, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Raleigh
David Wainwright, DWQ
Bill Biddlecome, USACE
Chris Militscher, EPA