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Home My WebLink About20081236 Ver 1_USACE Correspondence_200809196Y- A3? IN REPLY REFER TO Regulatory Division DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY WILMINGTON DISTRICT, CORPS OF ENGINEERS Washington Regulatory Field Office P.O. Box 1000 Washington, North Carolina 27889-1000 September 17, 2008 ORM ID SAW-1992-02851 / North Carolina Global TransPark Mitigation Proposal Ms. Darlene Waddell, Executive Director North Carolina Global Transpark Authority 2780 Jet port Road, Suite A Kinston, North Carolina 28504 Dear Ms. Waddell: SEP 1 9 2008 DENR - WATER QUALITY WETLANDS AND STORMWATER BRANCH Please reference your correspondence dated August 26, 2008, requesting modification of the approved mitigation plan (Plan) dated January 1997 associated with the Department of the Army permit (CIRM ID SAW-1992-02851) issued to the North Carolina Global TransPark Authority to establish the North Carolina Global TransPark (NCGTP) in Kinston, Lenoir County, North Carolina. The Plan included approximately 4,600 acres of land to be restored, enhanced or preserved. Phase I of the Plan involved 3,500 acres including restoration of the 3,100 acre Dover Bay site and stream restoration and floodplain restoration of 365 acres in the Stonyton Creek system. Phase II of the Plan involved the enhancement and preservation of 1,100 acres of wetlands and wildlife corridors near the NCGTP property: Phase I of the Plan has been completed. However, land acquisition within the Phase II area has proven to be very difficult. As a result, you have requested that an alternative site be considered to meet your Phase II mitigation requirements. Your proposed alternative site is a 1,100 acre property located adjacent to the Neuse River in central Craven County known as Frog Hollow. This property is registered as a "Significant Natural Area" by the North Carolina Natural Heritage Program and is located within the same hydrologic unit as the NCGTP project (HUC 03020202). Frog Hollow is located immediately adjacent to a 2,650 acre property managed by the North Carolina Coastal land Trust and would provide similar habitat and water quality functions within the same HUC as the original proposal. Review of your proposal reveals that it will satisfy the requirements of the original permit. Accordingly, you should immediately proceed with purchasing the Frog Hollow property and establish the appropriate preservation mechanisms. To ensure compliance -2- with your permit, the final disposition and protection language of the Frog Hollow property must be reviewed and approved by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. You must provide written notification within 45 days of your receipt of this correspondence as to your progress in obtaining this property. Thank you for your time and cooperation. The Wilmington District is committed to providing the highest level of support to the public. To help us ensure we continue to do so, please complete the Customer Satisfaction Survey located at our website at http•//re u? latory.usacesurvey.com/. If you have any questions, please Ms. Tracey Wheeler at the Washington Regulatory Field Office, Post Office Box 1000, Washington, North Carolina 27889, telephone (252) 975-1616, extension 24. Sincerely, A? W V?- David M. Lekson, P.W.S. Chief, Washington Regulatory Field Office Copies Furnished Mr. Ronald J. Mikulak, Chief Wetlands Regulatory Section Water Management Division United States Environmental Protection Agency 61 Forsyth Street, SW Atlanta, GA 30303 Mr. Pete Benjamin United States Fish and Wildlife Service Fish and Wildlife Enhancement Post Office Box 33726 Raleigh, North Carolina 27636-3726 Mr. Ron Sechler National Marine Fisheries Service Habitat Conservation Division 101 Pivers Island Road Beaufort, North Carolina 28516 -3- Mrs. Cyndi Karoly North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources Division of Water Quality 1650 Mail Service Center Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1650 Mr. Kyle Barnes Division of Water Quality North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources 943 Washington Square Mall Washington, North Carolina 27889 Mr. Pat McClain Division of Land Resources North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission 943 Washington Square Mall Washington, North Carolina 27889 Dr. Jerry McClain EcoScience, A Division of PBS&J 1101 Haynes Street, Suite 101 Raleigh, North Carolina 27604