20140957 Ver 2_Public Notice Comments_20170818 (204)

Strickland, Bev
From:Janet Smith <[e-mail]>
Sent:Friday, August 18, 2017 1:08 PM
To:SVC_DENR.publiccomments
Subject:ACP
Attachments:401 comments.pdf
Dear Ms. Higgins,

Please see attached my comments on the 401 Water Quality Certification for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Janet Smith

1

August 18, 2017
To: Karen Higgins
NC Department of Environmental Quality
Division of Water Resources
401 & Buffer Permitting Branch
Dear Ms. Higgins and the 401 Permitting Staff,
I am writing to submit comments on the issuance of a 401 Water Quality Certification for the
Atlantic Coast Pipeline. Section 401 of the Clean Water Act requires certification for any project
that may result in discharge to the waters of the United States, to ensure the project will not
degrade the water or violate water quality standards.
It is inconceivable that the construction and operation of a pipeline crossing nearly 2,000
waterbodies over 600 miles will not degrade the water or violate water quality standards.
According to FERC's Draft Environmental Impact Statement:
• There are 1,989 waterbody crossings on the ACP, including:
0 21 major waterbodies
0 851 perennial
0 779 intermittent
0 248 ephemeral
0 64 canals/ditches
o 47 open water ponds/reservoirs
Also, according to FERC's Draft Environmental Impact Statement:
• 786 wetland acres will be temporarily affected
• 248 wetland acres will be permanently affected
Given that information alone, the Atlantic Coast Pipeline does not meet the 401 Water Quality
standards, so the certification must be denied.
Respectfully,
Janet Smith