North Shore Road (15)

Re Permit requirements for ORW - related to North Shor
Subject: Re- Permit requirements for ORW - related to North Shore Road EIS
From: Brian Wrenn <[e-mail]>
Date: Fn, 01 Jul 2005 14 16 48 -0400
To: "Matthews, Kimberly" <KMatthews @ arcades-us com>
CC: John Hennessy <John Hennessy@ncmail net>
Kimberly,
In response to your questions regarding the session law reclassifying Fontana Lake
as ORW waters:
The session law has been signed by the governor and is effect until the
Enviommental Management Commission officially reclassifies Fontana Lake with
the minimum requirements for ORW (15A NCAC 02B 0225) and any additional
requirements they feel are necessary. The Northshore Road Project would
obviously have to meet any additional measures required by the EMC If only the
minimum are required, 1) no new or expanded discharges would prevent
wastewater discharges to Fontana Lake and its tributaries. Any wastewater facilities
associated with bathrooms, museums, picnic areas would be prohibited from
discharging wastewater to Fontana Lake. These systems would have to be
non-discharge systems 2) Storm water requirements will be based on the High
Density option not the Low Density option This would require the storm water
treatment system to have "wet detention ponds or alternative stormwater
management systems" (BMPs that meet 85% TSS removal) The trout buffer
requirements would obviously be in effect as well. For any instance with competing
standards for stormwater, the most stringent requirements would apply.
As a general note, DWQ has serious concerns regarding the tremendous amount of
impacts that will occur in high quality waters and habitats as a result of this project
as compared to the small number of people this project will benefit If you have any
questions regarding this email, please contact me at 919-733-5715.
Brian
Matthews, Kimberly wrote
Brian,
I am trying to finalize the latest version of the North Shore Road DEIS and I have
just found out that a bill has been proposed and ratified for the EMC " to
reclassify the entire watersheds of all creeks that drain to the north shore of
Fontana Lake between Eagle and Forney Creeks, including Eagle and Forney
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Re Permit requirements for ORW - related to North Shor
Creeks, as outstanding resources waters "
As of June 20, 2005, this bill was presented to the Governor (It was ratified by
the House on 6/16/05 and passed its 2nd and 3rd reading in the Senate )
I am trying to determine how this would change any permitting requirements for
both the construction of the road in addition to the proposed recreational facilities
To summarize the basic options
Option One 8-mile road ending at a day-use area that would include a boat ramp
and dock, picnic shelter, restrooms, parking area, and museum space
Option Two 34-mile road with at least 3 restroom facilities planned at pull-off
areas There may be additional pull-off areas for scenic views or exhibit panels
How would the reclassification of these streams to ORWs impact the proposed
options
15A NCAC 02B 0225 ORW - states "No new discharges or expansions of existing
discharges shall be permitted" - what implications would this have for the
proposed restroom facilities and museum space Would these be considered a
"discharge"'?
15A NCAC 02H 1007 Stormwater Requirements ORW - States that minimum
conditions must be met and mores stringent management measures may be
required on a case-by-case base (I assume by EMC) So this proposed project
would fall under the Low Density Option requiring "stormwater runoff transported
primarily by vegetated conveyances, conveyance system shall not include a
discrete stormwater collection system" and a 30 foot wide vegetative buffer
However, many of these streams are already trout water which have 50-ft buffers
and/or water supply waters which would have most likely required stringing
stormwater BMPs I would appreciate any assistance and clarification you can
provide on what the implications of the re-classification of these water to ORWs
would have to the impacts from this proposed project I can be reached at
919-854-1282 x 267
Thank you,
FYI - The general status of the project is that we are providing NPS with a second
draft of the EIS and they have yet to select the preferred alternative They will do
so in July and August and present the information in Washington DC I think we
are set to distribute the PEIS to the public around the end of September
Kim Matthews
Biologist
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