20140957 Ver 2_Public Notice Comments_20170728 (70)

Strickland, Bev
From:David W Nichols <[e-mail]>
Sent:Friday, July 28, 2017 8:32 AM
To:SVC_DENR.publiccomments
Subject:ACP
Construction of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline would dig up, cut through, or clear cut more acres of wetlands than the state
of North Carolina permits for the entire state in a year. The draft permit requires no monitoring or reporting to ensure
that wetlands actually remain wetlands. There is no mitigation plan for offsetting the so-called “temporary” loss of
forested wetlands for the next 30 years.

Nearly 600 acres of forested wetlands would be cleared for construction, which could take up to 30 years to regrow,
creating long-term adverse impacts to the ecologic functions of those wetlands. Those impacts should not be considered
temporary due to the extended time required for regeneration of mature forested wetlands.

Loss of forested wetlands and clearing upland forests creates fragmentation of forest that threatens the habitat of many
endangered and threatened birds, reptiles, amphibians and bats. The deforestation from creating 75-foot wide rights of
way through wetlands will cause a loss of shade, more evaporation and unsuitable temperatures for animals that live in
the wetlands such as fish, amphibians and aquatic insects.
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