20170765 Ver 1_WRC Comments_20170717

North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission
Gordon Myers, Executive Director
MEMORANDUM
TO: Terron Edwards
Froehling & Robertson, Inc.
FROM: Olivia Munzer
Western Piedmont Coordinator
Habitat Conservation
DATE: 17 July 2017
SUBJECT: Pre-Construction Notification for the Commerce Station Substation; Mecklenburg
County; DEQ Project No. 20170765.
Biologists with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) have reviewed the subject
document. Comments are provided in accordance with provisions of the Clean Water Act of 1977 (as
amended), Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act (48 Stat. 401, as amended; 16 U.S.C. 661-667e), 16 U.S.C.
661-667d), and North Carolina General Statutes (G.S. 113-131 et seq.).
Froehling & Robertson, Inc., on behalf of the Town of Huntersville and Electricities, has submitted a Pre-
Construction Notification (PCN) application for the Commerce Station Substation located at 12240 Old
Statesville Road in Huntersville, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. The project involves the
construction of a 10-foot wide gravel access roadway to provide vehicular access to a new Duke Power
electrical substation. The project would be installed primarily along road and railroad easements. The
proposed project would permanently impact a total of 0.005 acres of wetland. A timber mat will be used
to cross above the ordinary high-water mark of the unnamed tributary to Cane Creek.
We have records for the federally and state endangered Schweinitz’s sunflower (Helianthus schweinitzii)
occur near the site. There are no known records for federal or state protected species within or adjacent to the
site. The lack of records from the site does not imply or confirm the absence of federal or state-listed species
or state Species of Greatest Conservation Need listed in the 2015 State Wildlife Action Plan
(http://www.ncwildlife.org/plan). An on-site survey is the only definitive means to determine if the proposed
project would impact threatened and endangered species. We also recommend contacting the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service at [phone] to ensure potential issues related to Schweinitz’s sunflower are addressed.
We offer the following recommendations to further minimize impacts to aquatic and terrestrial wildlife
resources.
1.Maintain a minimum 100-foot undisturbed, native, forested buffer along perennial streams, and a
minimum 50-foot buffer along intermittent streams and wetlands. Maintaining undisturbed,
forested buffers along these areas will minimize impacts to aquatic and terrestrial wildlife
Mailing Address:
Habitat Conservation • 1721 Mail Service Center • Raleigh, NC 27699-1721
Telephone:Fax:
[phone] • [phone]

17 July 2017 Page 2
Commerce Station Substation
DEQ Permit No. 20170765
resources, water quality, and aquatic habitat both within and downstream of the project area.
Also, wide riparian buffers are helpful in maintaining stability of stream banks and for treatment
of pollutants associated with urban stormwater.
2.We are pleased to see a timber mat will be used to cross the stream. For the gravel access road
crossing the wetland, we prefer the use of bridges for all permanent roadway crossings to
eliminate the need to fill and culvert, where practicable.
3.Avoid removal of large trees at the edges of the construction corridor. Disturbed areas should be
re-seeded with seed mixtures that are beneficial to wildlife. Avoid fescue-based mixtures because
fescue is invasive and provides little benefit to wildlife. Native, annual small grains appropriate
for the season are preferred and recommended. Where feasible, use woody debris and logs from
corridor clearing to establish brush piles and downed logs adjacent to the cleared right-of-way to
improve habitat for wildlife. Allowing the corridor area to re-vegetate into a brush/scrub habitat
would maximize benefits to wildlife. For areas adjacent to residential areas, a native shrub/grass
option may also be beneficial.
4.Sediment and erosion control measures should be implemented prior to any land clearing or
biodegradable and
construction and maintained throughout project construction. The use of
wildlife-friendly sediment and erosion control devices
is strongly recommended. Silt fencing,
fiber rolls and/or other products should have loose-weave netting that is made of natural fiber
materials with movable joints between the vertical and horizontal twines. Silt fencing that has
been reinforced with plastic or metal mesh should be avoided as it impedes the movement of
terrestrial wildlife species. These measures should be routinely inspected and properly
maintained. Excessive silt and sediment loads can have numerous detrimental effects on aquatic
resources including destruction of spawning habitat, suffocation of eggs, and clogging of gills of
aquatic species.
Thank you for the opportunity to review and comment on this project. If I can be of further assistance,
please contact me at [phone] or [e-mail].
ec: Alan Johnson, North Carolina Division of Water Resources
Byron Hamstead, United States Fish and Wildlife Service
David Schaeffer, United States Army Corps of Engineers