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Home My WebLink About20011102 Ver 1_Agenda_20080821Meeting Agenda Informational Meeting R-1015: US 70 - Havelock Bypass - Craven County Transportation Building - Board Room - Raleigh, NC August 21, 2008 Introduction of Merger Process Team & Opening Remarks William Wescott, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Mark Pierce, NCDOT Project Description & Merger Process History William Wescott, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Mark Pierce, NCDOT Environmental Assessment 4 Draft Environmental Impact Statement Mark Pierce, NCDOT Summary of Updated Natural Environment Studies RCW & Bald Eagle Assessment, Dr. J.H. Carter III and Associates, Inc. PETS Species Survey, Environmental Services, Inc. Mary Frazer, NCDOT Summary of Updated Human Environment Studies Community Impact Assessment, HNTB Corporation Quantitative Analysis of Indirect & Cumulative Effects, HNTB Corporation Mark Pierce, NCDOT Reaffirmation of LEDPA (Alternate 3) William Wescott, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Gary Jordan, USFWS Mark Pierce, NCDOT Reinitiation of Merger Process Merger Process Team Summary & Adjournment William Wescott, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Mark Pierce, NCDOT Topics for Discussion Merger Process Team Information Meeting R-1015: US 70 Havelock Bypass - Craven County Transportation Building - Board Room - Raleigh, NC August 21, 2008 Topics for Discussion: 1. Meeting Purpose & Approach 2. TIP Description 3. Project Purpose & Need 4. Alternatives Studied 5. Merger Process History 6. NEPA Documentation 7. Updated Technical Reports 8. Impact Matrix 9. Current Project Status & Upcoming Milestones 10. Reinitiate Merger Process 1. Purposes of & Approach to this meeting: Reinitiate the Merger Process Present selected highlights from the updated human and natural environment studies that have been conducted during the past 2 1/2 years Discuss the findings and recommendations from the updated protected species studies with respect to the LEDPA (Alt 3) 2. TIP Description: Havelock Bypass, north of Pine Grove to north of Carteret County Line, four-lane divided on new location (9 miles). 3. Purpose of & Need for this Proposed Action: to reduce congestion on US 70 in Havelock. 4. Alternatives Studied: No-Build Alternative Transportation System Management Alternative Multi-Modal Alternatives Build Alternatives (deemed reasonable and feasible) • Improve Existing US 70 (Expressway & Freeway) • New Location Bypass Alternatives (Alt 1, Alt 2, & Alt 3) • 5. Merger Process History > July 29, 1992: Scoping Meeting May 14,1993: 1s' Steering Committee Meeting (project approach and scoping) > October 19, 1994: 2nd Steering Committee Meeting (Improve Existing, Alt 1, & Alt 2) > December 19, 1995: 3rd Steering Committee Meeting (recommended adding Alt 3) > February 14, 1996: 4'h Steering Committee Meeting (drop Improve Existing, retain Alts 1 - 3) > December 18, 1996: 5`h Steering Committee Meeting (LEDPA - Alt 3) > December 16, 1999: Merger Process Team Meeting (preliminary alignment approval) > April 20, 2000: Merger Process Team Field Meeting (bridging decisions) > January 18, 2001: Merger Process Team Meeting (CP4 - avoidance & minimization) > June 20, 2002: Merger Process Team Meeting (CP4B - 30% hydraulic plans) 6. NEPA Documentation (EA 4 EIS) > Background: An Environmental Assessment was approved by FHWA in 1998 that identified Bypass Alternate 3 as the Preferred Alternative. Based upon the project context and significant jurisdictional impacts presented in the EA, a decision was made to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement. Since then, the recovery plan guidelines for the red-cockaded woodpecker were changed and the PETS Species List was updated. Therefore, we needed to reevaluate potential impacts to those species for all of the bypass alternates. 7. Updated Technical Reports (distributed to Merger Process Team) > Natural Resources Technical Report: "Natural Resources Technical Report (Environmental Services, Inc., May 29, 2007)" was distributed between 6/22/07 & 7/3/07 > PETS Species Survey Report: "Proposed Endangered, Threatened, or Sensitive Species Survey Report (Environmental Services, Inc., May 30, 2007)" was distributed on 7/2/07 RCW & Bald Eagle Report: "Final Biological Alternatives Analysis for Red-Cockaded Woodpecker and Bald Eagle Impacts (Dr. J. H. Carter III and Associates, Inc., December 11, 2007)" was distributed on 2/6/08 > Updated PETS Species Survey Report: "USFS PETS Species Evaluation (Environmental Services, Inc., May 29, 2008)" was distributed on 7/30/08 > Community Impact Assessment Report: "Community Impact Assessment (HNTB Corporation, July 15, 2008)" was distributed on 7/30/08 > Indirect & Cumulative Effects Report: "Quantitative Indirect and Cumulative Effects (HNTB Corporation, July 15, 2008)" was distributed on 7/30/08 8. Impact Matrix Excerpt ul.? A P t EA Report (1998) 2008 arame er Alt 1 Alt 2 Alt 3 Alt 1 Alt 2 Alt 3 Length 10 5 7 9 10.1 10.5 9.7 10.1 miles . . Relocations 16 75 20 13 104 16 Stream Impacts J 3,983 5,477 3,838 linear feet (,?. A n c5 ,? Wetland Impacts 161 168 156 200 171 203 acres Total Cost $81 M $85M $78M $168M $177M $163M 9. Current Project Status & Upcoming Milestones ?A via, Q The Project Team has been updating all of the environmental studies and coordinating with the U.S. Forest Service to evaluate potential impacts to RCWs and other species in the Croatan National Forest for presentation in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement. Based upon our current schedule, we anticipate the following project milestones. • January 2009 Draft Environmental Impact Statement (including Preferred Alternative) • May 2009 Corridor Public Hearing • June 2010 CP4A Meeting (avoidance & minimization) 10. Reinitiate Merger Process ? Merger Process Team Members If we reaffirm Alternate 3 as the LEDPA, several activities will commence or reinitiate. Roadway Design: 4 update and prepare final plans Merger Process: 4 CP4A 4 CP46 + CP4C Section 7: 4 Biological Assessment -* Biological Opinion 414Cy CONCURRENCE MEETING INFORMATION PACKET FOR YOUR REVIEW PRIOR TO MEETING ON Thursday, August 21, 2008 PROJECT ENGINEER Mark Pierce TIP #R-1015 Please bring this packet to the meeting. i DR. J.H. CARTER III & ASSOCIATES, INC. Environmental Consultants 515 F Midland Road • Southern Pines, N.C. 28387 (910) 695-1043 • Fax (910) 695-3317 icamain(a!pinehurst. net 21 August 2008 RED-COCKADED WOODPECKER (RCW) IMPACTS ON THE CROATAN NATIONAL FOREST, US HIGHWAY 70 BYPASS (R-1015) HAVELOCK, CRAVEN COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA DISCUSSION OF RCW IMPACTS • Impacts to the corridors initially proposed were analyzed in 2 separate Biological Assessments in 1996. Four corridors were evaluated, 2 proposed by the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) and 2 proposed by the U.S. Forest Service. In the Final Environmental Assessment submitted in 1998, a new alternative was introduced to combine the more desirable characteristics of the 2 initial alternatives proposed by NCDOT. This reduced the number of design alternatives from 4 to 3. • Biologists from Dr. J.H. Carter III and Associates, Inc, (JCA) surveyed the 3 proposed alternative corridors and a 0.5 mile radius around them for RCW cavity trees by helicopter in February and March 2004 and again in March 2007. RCW cavity trees were then located on the ground to verify cavity status. • All 3 alternatives pass through portions of the Croatan National Forest (CNF) and I or more of the alternatives will impact 5 existing RCW clusters, I future recruitment cluster and 3 habitat management areas (HMA) proposed for future RCW recruitment clusters. • All existing RCW clusters were inactive during the 2008 nesting season. • The Red-cockaded Woodpecker Recovery Plan (Plan) was issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) in 2003. The plan requires 5 levels of analyses for project impacts that involve RCWs. These are 1) foraging partition level analysis, 2) group level analysis, 3) neighborhood level analysis, 4) population level analysis and 5) Recovery Unit level analysis. Endangered Species Surveys 9 Environmental Assessments • Land Management • Wetlands Mapping and Permitting • Formal foraging habitat analyses (FHAs) were conducted to evaluate the direct impacts from each alternative on the 5 existing RCW clusters (CNF 58, 144, 901, 902 and 12-44R) and 1 future recruitment cluster (CNF 11-15R). Future potential habitat for each HMA (168, 169 and 170) was also evaluated. • No RCW clusters impacted by Alternatives 1, 2 or 3 will result in an Incidental Take due to RCW foraging habitat removal. • No RCW group level "take." • No RCW neighborhood level "take". • Fragmentation of the forest due to a highway corridor could affect CNF RCWs on the population level if management is restricted by the Bypass so that population growth in Subpopulation 3, and thus the CNF as a whole, is inhibited. • The Recovery Unit Level Analysis will be conducted by the USFWS during their review of the Alternatives Analysis. Impact Matrix for Existing and Future RCW Clusters on the CNF Alternative 1 Alternative 2 Alternative 3 # of Existing RCW b 3 Recruitment Sites 3 Recruitment Sites I Natural Cluster (CNF 58) and 4 Recruitment Clusters Impacted (CNF 144, 901 and (CNF 144, 902 and Sites (CNF 144 901 902 902) 12-44R) , , and 12-44R) Activity Status of 3 Inactive Clusters 3 Inactive Clusters 5 Inactive Clusters Impacted RCW Clusters # of Future RCW Recruitment Clusters I 1 I Impacted # of Habitat Management Areas Impacted 3 3 3 # of Forested Acres 81.30 93.68 113.56 Requiring Removal # of Suitable Foraging Habitat Acres Requiring 13.72 35.49 31.66 Removal Endangered Species Surveys 9 Environmental Assessments • Land Management 9 Wetlands Mapping and Permitting STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION MICHAEL F. EASLEY GOVERNOR AGENDA Eastern Concurrence Meeting Thursday, August 21, 2008 Board Room, Transportation Building Raleigh, North Carolina LYNDO TIPPETT SECRETARY 9:00 am to 12:00 pm - Mark Pierce, NCDOT PDEA Branch TIP No. R-1015 - US 70 Havelock Bypass, Craven County, Division 2 Team Members: William Wescott, USACE Trish Murphey, NCDMF Mark Pierce, PDEA Ron Sechler, NOAA-Fisheries Renee Gledhill-Earley, SHPO Steve Sollod, NCDCM Gary Jordan, USFWS David Wainwright, DWQ Ron Lucas, FHWA Travis Wilson, WRC Chris Militscher, USEPA Daniel Van Liere, Down East RPO NCDOT Technical Support Staff and Other Aeencv Staff: Dean Argenbright, Geotechnical Engineering Gary Kauffman, USFS Lonnie Brooks, Structure Design Stephen Lane, NCDCM Misty Buchanan, N.C. Natural Heritage Program Neil Lassiter, Division 2 Neb Bullock, Structure Design Anne Lenart-Redmond, HNTB Ken Burleson, TGS Engineers Ed Lewis, HEU Betty Anne Caldwell, Division 2 Adin McCann (HNTB) Joseph Carter, Dr. J.H. Carter III & Associates, Inc. Ray McIntyre, Program Development John Conforti, PDEA David Modlin, TGS Engineers Dennis Danner, USFS Andrew Nottingham, Hydraulics Jim Dunlop, Congestion Management Susan Paschal (HNTB) Ed Eatmon, Division 2 Chris Rivenbark, NEU Lisa Fields, Dr. J.H. Carter III & Associates, Inc. Greg Smith, Air & Noise Dennis Foster, USFS Matt Smith, Environmental Services, Inc. Mary Frazer, NEU Greg Thorpe, PDEA Mary Pope Furr, Historic Architecture Chris Underwood, NEU Jan Goodson, Dr. J.H. Carter III & Associates, Inc. U.S. Forest Service District Ranger Steve Gurganus, Community Studies Ted Walls, Roadway Design Rob Hanson, PDEA Allison White, Roadway Design Phil Harris, NEU Matt Wilkerson, Archaeology Debi Hutchings, TPB Brian Yamamoto, PDEA Ray Johns, USFS Kathy Matthews, USEPA Drew Joyner, HEU Carlos Moya, TPB This will be an informational meeting to discuss the background and current status of this project and to reinitiate the Merger Process. MAILING ADDRESS: NC DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION PROJECT DEVELOPMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS BRANCH 1548 MAIL SERVICE CENTER RALEIGH NC 27699-1548 TELEPHONE: 919-733-3141 FAX: 919-733-9794 WEBSITE: www.ncdot.org /doh /preconstruct /pe / LOCATION: TRANSPORTATION BUILDING 1 SOUTH WILMINGTON STREET RALEIGH NC 27601 Meeting Agenda Informational Meeting R-1015: US 70 - Havelock Bypass - Craven County Transportation Building - Board Room - Raleigh, NC August 21, 2008 Introduction of Merger Process Team & Opening Remarks William Wescott, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Mark Pierce, NCDOT Project Description & Merger Process History William Wescott, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Mark Pierce, NCDOT Environmental Assessment 4 Draft Environmental Impact Statement Mark Pierce, NCDOT Summary of Updated Natural Environment Studies RCW & Bald Eagle Assessment, Dr. J.H. Carter III and Associates, Inc. PETS Species Survey, Environmental Services, Inc. Mary Frazer, NCDOT Summary of Updated Human Environment Studies Community Impact Assessment, HNTB Corporation Quantitative Analysis of Indirect & Cumulative Effects, HNTB Corporation Mark Pierce, NCDOT Reaffirmation of LEDPA (Alternate 3) William Wescott, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Gary Jordan, USFWS Mark Pierce, NCDOT Reinitiation of Merger Process Merger Process Team Summary & Adjournment William Wescott, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Mark Pierce, NCDOT 4tS STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION MICHAEL F. EASLEY GOVERNOR July 24, 2008 (Thursday) Ms. Karen Compton (U.S. Forest Service) Ms. Renee Gledhill-Earley (NCDCR - Historic Preservation Office) Mr. Gary Jordan (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) Mr. Ron Lucas (Federal Highway Administration) Mr. Christopher Militscher (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) Ms. Trish Murphey (NCDENR - Division of Marine Fisheries) Mr. Ron Sechler (NOAA - Marine Fisheries) Mr. Steve Sollod (NCDENR - Division of Coastal Management) Mr. Daniel Van Liere (Down East Rural Planning Organization) Mr. David Wainwright (NCDENR - Division of Water Quality) Mr. William Wescott, PWS (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers) Mr. Travis Wilson (NCDENR - Wildlife Resources Commission) RE: Transmittal of Technical Reports R-1015: US 70 Havelock Bypass in Craven County Dear Merger Process Team: LYNDO TIPPETT SECRETARY I previously transmitted the following natural resources reports to you during the period from June 22, 2007 through February 6, 2008. * Natural Resources Technical Report (Environmental Services, Inc., May 29, 2007) * Proposed Endangered, Threatened, or Sensitive Species Survey Report (Environmental Services, Inc., May 30, 2007) * Biological Alternatives Analysis for Red-Cockaded Woodpecker & Bald Eagle Impacts (Dr. J.H. Carter III and Associates, Inc., December 11, 2007) Since then, technical reports have been prepared or updated that you will want to review as we reinitiate the merger process for this project. I have attached the following three reports for your reference. * USFS PETS Species Evaluation (Environmental Services, Inc., May 29, 2008) * Community Impact Assessment (HNTB Corporation, July 15, 2008) * Quantitative Indirect and Cumulative Effects (HNTB Corporation, July 15, 2008) If possible, please provide me with your comments or questions on these documents prior to or during our Merger Process Team Informational Meeting on August 21, 2008. Should you wish to further discuss this transmittal or any other project issues, please contact me at (919) 733-7844 x214 or at mspierce &ncdot.gov. Sincerely, 7Va>?dt J Mark Pierce, P.E. Project Planning Engineer MAILING ADDRESS: NC DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION PROJECT DEVELOPMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS BRANCH 1548 MAIL SERVICE CENTER RALEIGH NC 27699-1548 TELEPHONE: 919-733-3141 FAX: 919-733-9794 WEBSITE: www.ncdot.org /doh /Preconstruct /Pe / LOCATION: TRANSPORTATION BUILDING 1 SOUTH WILMINGTON STREET RALEIGH NC 27601