20080987 Ver 1_More Info Received_20080805

DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE
4TH FIGHTER WING (ACC)
SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE NC
08- D °181 AUG' -) 5 2008
Mr. Dennis G. Goodson, P.E.
Deputy Base Civil Engineer
1095 Peterson Avenue
Seymour Johnson AFB NC 27531-2355 ??a V
Ms. Cindy Karoly AU G 5 2008
Divisio tland Uni Quality A;osTOR?A RBw??
T?,NDS
1650 Mail Service Center
Raleigh NC 27699-1650
Dear Ms. Karoly
We received your letter dated July 30, 2008 requesting additional information for DWQ
Project # 08-0987. Please find the attached soils map and USGS topographic map with the
proposed project area included. Additional maps further outlining the SJAFB boundary are also
included as the soils map and USGS map do not show the current base boundary. The letter
from the NCEEP accepting payment into the EEP fund for mitigation credit is also attached.
Finally, we have included a continuation sheet of ENG FORM 4345 further explaining our
need to impact these wetlands and the alternatives we have used to try to reduce hazards
associated with them. The wetlands have been a continual attractant to a variety of bird species
and wildlife, which pose an extreme hazard to aircraft and aircrews on approach or departure.
If you have any questions on this matter please contact Mr. Donald Abrams at 919-722-5168.
Sincerely
DENNIS G. GOODSON, P.E.
3 Attachments:
1. Soils and USGS Topographic Maps (5 copies)
2. NCEEP Letter
3. Continuation of ENG Form 4345
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T- ma^ s one 01 a set compiletl in 1972 as part at a soil survey ?y the Umted States Department of Agriculture. Soil COnser val?pn Service, and If,e NortM1 Carob ml?.-.1 \/ V!
WAYNE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA NO. 26
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AUG 5 2008
DENR - WATER QUALITY
WETLANDS AND STORMWATER BRANCH
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PROGRAM
June 19, 2008
Mr. Bryan Henderson
Seymour Johnson AFB
Mr. Dennis Goodson
P.O. Box 4 CES/CED, 1095 Peterson Ave
Seymour Johnson AFB, NC 27531 Expiration of Acceptance: December 19, 2008
Project: Repair Drainage on East End Runway County: Wayne
The purpose of this letter is to notify you that the North Carolina Ecosystem Enhancement Program (NCEEP) is willing to accept
payment for impacts associated with the above referenced project. Please note that this decision does not assure that the payment will
be approved by the permit issuing agencies as mitigation for project impacts. It is the responsibility of the applicant to contact these
agencies to determine if payment to the NCEEP will be approved.
This acceptance is valid for six months from the date of this letter and is not transferable. If we have not received a copy of the
issued 404 Permit/401 Certification/CAMA permit within this time frame, this acceptance will expire. It is the applicant's
responsibility to send copies of the permits to NCEEP. Once NCEEP receives a copy of the permit(s) an invoice will be issued based
on the required mitigation in that permit and payment must be made prior to conducting the authorized work. The amount of the In
Lieu Fee to be paid to NCEEP by an applicant is calculated based upon the Fee Schedule and policies listed at www.nceep.net.
Based on the information supplied by you the impacts that may require compensatory mitigation are summarized in the following
table.
River
Basin CU
Location Stream (feet) Wetlands (acres) Buffer I
(Sq. Ft.) Buffer 11
(Sq. Ft.)
Cold Cool Warm Riparian Non-Riparian Coastal Marsh
Impacts Neuse 03020202 0 0 0 7.4629 0 0 0 0
Credits Neuse 03020202 0 0 0 14.926 0 0 0 0
Upon receipt of payment, EEP will take responsibility for providing the compensatory mitigation. If the regulatory agencies require
mitigation credits greater than indicated above, and the applicant wants NCEEP to be responsible for the additional mitigation, the
applicant will need to submit a mitigation request to NCEEP for approval prior to permit issuance. The mitigation will be performed
in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding between the N. C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the
U. S. Army Corps of Engineers dated November 4, 1998.
If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact Valerie Mitchener at [phone].
Sinc
C?? erely, Q . r
d6-L-
Wil 'a D. Gilmore, PE
Director
cc: Cyndi Karoly, NCDWQ Wetlands/401 Unit
Tracy Wheeler, USACE-Washington
Kyle Barnes, NCDWQ-Washington
Bryan Henderson, agent
File
kut'ormg... E .. PYDtEGt, OGGf'' .fta&
AFA
ERR
(North Carolina Ecosystem Enhancement Program, 1652 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1652 / 919-715-0476 /www.nceep.net

NORTH CAROLINA ECOSYSTEM ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM, NCEEP
IN-LIEU FEE REQUEST FORM
Revised 2/26/2008
Print this form, fill in requested information, sign and date, and either mail to NCEEP, 1652 Mail Service Center,
Raleigh, NC 27699-1652, fax to 919-715-2219, or email to Valerie. Mitchener(cDncmail.net. Attachments are
acceptable for clarification ?urQoses (location map is required):
CONTACT INFORMATION APPLICANT
...................................... ........................................................................................................................................
1. Business or Individual Name: Seymour Johnson AFB (Mr. Dennis Goodson)
. . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... ....... ..... ..... . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . .. . . . . .. . . . ... . . . . . . . . . . . ...... ... . . .. . ...... . .. . . . . . . . . . . ..... ... . . . . . . .... . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . ......... ..... . . .. ... . . . . . :
2. Street Address or P O Box: 4 CES/CED, 1095 Peterson Ave
...... .................................................................................................................................................................................................
3. City, State, Zip: Seymour Johnson AFB NC 27531
.................................... .......................................................................................................................................
4. Contact Person: Mr. Bryan Henderson
.......................................................................................................................................................................................................................
5. Telephone Number: 919-722-5168
.........................................................................................................................................................................................................................:
6. Fax Number: 919-722-5179
..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................
7. E-Mail Address (optional): [e-mail]
. ... . . . . . . ... ......... .. .... ... . . . .. . . ... . .. . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... . . . .... . . . . .. .. . . . .. . .... . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... . . . . . . . .. . . . ... .. . . . . . .. ..... . . . . ... . . . . .. ... . . . . . ... . . . . . . . . . . ... ......... .... . . . . . ... . . ...
:......................................................................................................................................................................................................................
PROJECT INFORMATION
:.......................................................................................................................................................................................................................
8. Project Name: Repair Drainage on East End Runway 26 at Seymour Johnson AFB, NC
:....... ...... .........................................................................................................................................................
9. Project Location (nearest town, city) "ATTACH MAP SHOWING IMPACT LOCATION":
Seymour Johnson AFB, Goldsboro NC
.. . ......................................................................................................................................................................................................
10..Lai-Long Coordinates (optional): See Map
.................................. .................................................................................................................................................................
11. Project County: Wayne
. . . . .. .. ... . . . . ... ....... . . . . . . . . . ... .. . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. . . . . . .. .. . . . . . . . . ... . . . .......... .. . . . . . . . . . . ..... ... . . . . .. . . . ... . . .. . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . .. .... . . . ... .. . . . . . . ..... . . .. ... .. . . . . . . . .......... .... . . . . . .
12. River Basin: Neuse River
:. ..........................................................................................................................................................................................................
13. Cataloging Unit (8-digit) (See Note 1): 03020202
:............ ................. ............. ..................................................................... .................................................................................................
14. Riparian Wetland Impact (ac.) (e.g., 0.13): NA
. . . . . . . . ......... . . . . . . .... .... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... . . . . ..... .. . . ....... . . .. . . . . . . .. . . . . . ..... .. . . . . . . . . . . ........ . . . . . . ..... . . . . . .. . .... . .. . ..... . . . . . ....... . . . . .... ... ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..... .
15. Non-Riparian Wetland Impact (ac.): 7.4629
.... . . .. .. .. . . ...... . . .. . . .. . ... . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... . . . . . . . . . . ...... . . . ...... . . . . ... . . . . . . . .. . . . . .. . . .... ........... . ... . . . . . . .. ...... .... ... . . . . .... . . .. . ........ . . . . ....... . . . .... . . . . . . .. . . . . ........... . . . . . .
€ 16. Coastal Marsh Impact (ac.): NA
:.................................................................................................................................................................................................................
17. Stream Impact (ft.) (e.g. 1,234) (See Note 2): NA Warm
Cool
..........................................................................................................................................................................co..............................
€ 18. Buffer Impact-Zone (sq. ft.) (e.g. 12,345) (See Note ? Zone 1:
3): NA Zone 2:
........................................ .
............... .................................................................................................................................................................:
0. Other Regulatory ID Information (e.g., USACE Action ID, if known)

19. Regulatory Agency Staff Contacts (Indicate USACE: Tracey Wheeler
names, if known.. ? DWQ: Cindy Karoly
............... ................................................ ................. -....... ...........................:............................................. ................................
2
IMPORTANT
Check below if this request is a: X_ revision to a
current acceptance, or _ re-submission of an
expired acceptance
............................................... ..........-
.................................................................................:
Signature of Applicant or
Agent:
Date: 21c741, 08
..................................................................................:
Note 1: For help in determining the Cataloging Unit, go to EPA's "Surf Your Watershed" web page:
http://cfpub.epa.gov/surf/locate/index.cfm Note (9) above: requirement to attach location map.
Note 2: For guidance on stream temperatures, go to:
http://www.saw.usace.army.mil/WETLANDS/Mitigation/Documents/Stream/Appendices/Appendix) pdf
Note 3: Buffer mitigation applicable only in the Neuse, Tar-Pamlico and Catawba river basins, and the Randleman
Lake Water Supply Watershed. Direct all questions to Valerie Mitchener at 919-715-1973 or
[e-mail] 0 2 @ [ OOWR
A U G 5 2008
DENR - WATEP. QUALITY
WETLANDS AND STORMWATER BRANCH
Seymour Johnson AFB East End Runway Project Individual Permit Application
ENG FORM 4345 Continuation Sheet
Block 18: SJAFB is home to the 4th Fighter Wing and has 98 F-15E Strike Eagles and 8 KC-135R
Stratotanker (with an additional 8 slated to arrive in 2008). The Base is 3233 acres and its
primary mission is the deployment of aircraft. The main feature of the base is the flight line
area and associated maintenance shops and hangers. In FY06, SJAFB's F-15Es flew 17,533
sorties and KC-1351Rs flew 884 sorties. SJAFB KC135R sorties will double when the additional
planes arrive. A sortie is an operational flight by one aircraft, and may include several takeoff
and landings.
In the clear zone of Runway 26, there are four wetland areas, certified by delineation survey
(conducted in Jun/Jul 04; submitted to USACOE 25 Oct 04; jurisdictional certification obtained
on 11/24/2004), which are approximately 0.6979, 6.0653, 0.3353, and 0.3644 acres (total acres
= 7.4629). The USAF proposes to fill them with sandy clay, sandy silt, and topsoil and grade the
slope of the runway clear zone (a "box" 3,000' by 3,000' at the end of the runway) to meet
Unified Facilities Criteria (UFC) 3-260-01 (Airfield and Heliport Planning and Design). The
resulting area will be hydroseeded and then height maintained low enough to discourage seed-
heading, yet high enough to discourage birds ground-feeding (about 8-10 inches). These
wetlands are not being filled for construction purposes and will remain pervious surfaces.
The clear zone is an area adjacent to the approach/departure end of a runway, and provides
stopping or recovery space for aircraft in case of a mishap during take-off or landing. Clear
zones must remain free of obstacles, such as buildings or trees and shrubs.
Block 19: Take-off and landing are the most critical phases of flight as the aircraft is extremely
close to the ground and at a high RPM rate, both of which severely reduce maneuverability.
These wetlands in the clear zone have been a continual attractant to a variety of bird species,
small mammals, and large game species (such as deer). These birds and other animals are an
extreme hazard to aircraft and aircrews on approach or departure. Aircraft-wildlife strikes are
the second-leading cause of aviation-related fatalities. Globally, these strikes have killed over
400 people and destroyed more than 420 aircraft. The potential for catastrophic loss of an
aircraft and human life from one strike is substantial. The most recent accident demonstrating
the grievous nature of these strikes occurred in September 1995, when a U. S. Air Force
reconnaissance jet struck a flock of Canada geese during takeoff, killing all 24 people aboard.
Though only F 15Es and KC 135R aircraft are based at SJAFB, many DOD and civilian aircraft
utilize the base. For the past 8 years, base personnel have exhausted numerous methods to
remove the wildlife hazard created by these wetlands, but have not been able to achieve
consistent success. In FY 06, SJAFB had 17 bird strikes to F 15Es on short final to RWY 26 and 7
strikes to KC 135R aircraft; in FY 07, F 15Es took 13 strikes on short final to RWY 26, resulting in
1 1 L ?'J
f
Seymour Johnson AFB East End Runway Project Individual Permit Application
$63,080 in damage (4 damaging strikes). KC 135Rs took 6 strikes; so far in FY 08, F 15Es have
taken 3 non-damaging strikes (on short final to RWY 26), and KC 135Rs have had 7 strikes, 1 of
which resulted in $1,375 in damage. A KC 135R was also in a strike involving a coyote. We
believe that it is critical to remove these wetlands from the end of the runway environment.
Block 20: The USAF has attempted to reduce BASH risks in the clear zone since 2000. Culverts
were placed in an attempt to drain standing water from the area and reduce the ponding
effect, but the area has remained wet. Consequently, waterfowl, small rodents and amphibians
(which attract raptors and herons), and deer are drawn to these project wetlands. To have a
focal point for wildlife in an approach/departure zone presents an extreme hazard to aircrews
and aircraft. As approach and departure are the most critical and hazardous parts of flight, it is
imperative to remove all possible hazards from these phases.
SJAFB employs 2 USDA/APHIS wildlife biologists full-time to address BASH issues. Their duties
include bird surveys on the runway, determining bird risks to planes during take-off and
landing, and discouraging birds from perching, nesting, and feeding around the runway. The
biologists continually monitor the runway when aircraft are preparing for either take-off or
landing. If birds are spotted in the area, and they pose a risk to the aircraft, the pilot is
instructed to circle or hold on the runway until that bird risk is reduced.
Pyrotechnic methods used to discourage birds include screamers, bangers and 12 gauge cracker
shells; and have been used since Dec 2002. Usually between October - May the wildlife
biologists use pyro to aid in harassment on a daily basis to deter waterfowl. After May they use
pyro to deter shorebirds and egrets, lesser yellowlegs and nesting Mallards, usually twice per
week. Also in the summer months pyro is used to harass barn swallows and northern rough-
winged swallows which tend to be around from April - August in numbers that may exceed 100
on a daily basis. Beginning in the fall there may be hundreds of blackbirds nesting in the south
east corner nightly. Pyrotechnics do not provide a long-term solution; they have been used
since December 2002 with minimal effect. Pyrotechnics are also labor intensive and prevent
the biologists from being able to monitor other areas of the flightline.
In the past year the biologists have harassed over 1,000 various swallows between the months
of April - August. Swallows are very dangerous due to their instinctive behavior. Swallows eat
flying insects therefore harassment techniques such as pyro do not work. The bone structure
of swallows is very dense and hollow as are starlings and blackbirds. When aircraft are in the
final landing phase striking a swallow or blackbird during this time span is like ingesting 2 inch
concrete balls.
2

Seymour Johnson AFB East End Runway Project Individual Permit Application
Numerous other alternatives have been tried, but have failed to meet the objective of
removing - or consistently minimizing - the hazard that birds present to the aircrews and
aircraft. Among these are attempting to drain standing water to discourage waterfowl without
changing the characteristics of the wetlands (unsuccessful due to poor drainage
downstream);as previously discussed the use of pyrotechnics (unsuccessful due to inability to
station wildlife harassment personnel at the site whenever there are scheduled and
unscheduled flights); the use of a wild life-ha rrassing dog (unsuccessful due to the same reasons
the pyrotechnics were unsuccessful); and altering mowing heights around the wetlands (no
effect).
All of the wetlands proposed to be filled are in close proximity to one another. Any wet area in
the clear zone will attract wildlife, and therefore, filling only one or two of the wetlands would
not satisfy the project objective. The project does not propose to construct any facilities over
the filled wetlands, or create impervious surfaces. The area will continue to drain into a
tributary and the Neuse River naturally.
3