20160681 Ver 2_Reissuance Request_20170925

Burdette, Jennifer a
From: Burdette, Jennifer a
Sent: Monday, September 25, 2017 3:20 PM
To: David Syster
Subject: Re: Blake Farm response to Corps RFAI
We can handle it with your emailed materials since no fee will be required. We don't require a fee when the
modification is necessary as a result of the 404 review.
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From: David Syster <[e-mail]>
Sent: Monday, September 25, 2017 2:42:23 PM
To: Burdette, Jennifer a
Subject: RE: Blake Farm response to Corps RFAI
Good afternoon Jennifer,
I have attached the cover letter / request for the 401 Modification. I included the language in the Corps letter to hopefully
make it a little easier to note all the Corps comments and our response. If you see anything you may need additional
information on please let me know.
As I would normally deliver this letter along with the full Corps submittal to the local office, could you please advise if
that is necessary? If so should I deliver it to Joanne? Also, how many hard copies do I need to submit to Karen and is
there a fee for the Modification?
Sorry for all the questions, I just want to be certain we include everything you need. I really appreciate all of both your
help and Joanne's with this permit / certification.
Thank you again and have a good afternoon,
David A. Syster
President
Southern Environmental Group, Inc.
5315 South College Road Suite E
Wilmington, North Carolina 28412
r
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Mobile: [phone]
From: Burdette, Jennifer a [mailto:[e-mail]]
Sent: Monday, September 25, 2017 12:48 PM
To: David Syster <[e-mail]>
Subject: RE: Blake Farm response to Corps RFAI
It should be addressed to Karen Higgins, 401 & Buffer Permitting Branch.
Jennifer Burclette
401/Buffer Coordinator
Division of Water Resources - 401 & Buffer Permitting Branch

919 807 4 office
jennifer.burdettep_ncdenr.gov
1617 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1617
(Physical Address: 512 N. Salisbury St, Raleigh, NC 27604 - 9t" Flr Archdale Bldg — Room 942F)
Email c'or etil'.)onc'lence to and ii`orn thio; address o; sutYect to t1he
P,Iodhl Carolina Public Records 'Law end 1`Y7ay be disclosed to thloi d I'.'s' dies,
From: David Syster [mailto:david.s. ster a,segi.us]
Sent: Monday, September 25, 2017 11:38 AM
To: Burdette, Jennifer a<Jennifer.Burdette(a�ncdenr.gov>
Subject: RE: Blake Farm response to Corps RFAI
Jennifer,
Who do you prefer I address the request to? I have it going to Joanne but want to be sure in case you'd rather it go to you
or Robb.
Thank you,
David A. Syster
President
Southern Environmental Group, Inc.
5315 South College Road Suite E
Wilmington, North Carolina 28412
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Mobile: [phone]
From: Burdette, Jennifer a[mailto:Jennifer.Burdette(a�ncdenr.gov]
Sent: Monday, September 25, 2017 9:40 AM
To: David Syster <david.s. ster a,segi.us>; Steenhuis, Joanne <joanne.steenhuis(a�ncdenngov>
Cc: 'Greer, Emily C CN USARMY CESAW (US)'<Emily.C.Greer(a�usace.army.mil>
Subject: RE: Blake Farm response to Corps RFAI
Please email a cover explaining the need to modify and requesting the modification of the 401.
Thanks,
Jennifer
Jennifer Burclette
401/Buffer Coordinator
Division of Water Resources - 401 & Buffer Permitting Branch
Department of Environmental Quality
919 807 6364 office
iennifer.burdetteQncdenr.gov
1617 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1617
(Physical Address: 512 N. Salisbury St, Raleigh, NC 27604 - 9t" Flr Archdale Bldg — Room 942F)

Email C:'orretil'.)ol?"'{,ence to and i,I'orn thio; a('{"'{I`ess is sutJ ect to f`?e
P,lodhl Carolina Public Rai:'o1"ds L w and 1`Y7ay be dl`ii:'losed to tr'l'1d I'.'s'ai{`ies,
From: David Syster [mailto:david.s. ster a,segi.us]
Sent: Friday, September 22, 2017 5:36 PM
To: 'Greer, Emily C CN USARMY CESAW (US)' <Emily. C.Greer (a�usace.army.mil>; Steenhuis, Joanne
<joanne.steenhuis(a�ncdenr.gov>
Cc: Burdette, Jennifer a<Jennifer.Burdette(a�ncdenr.gov>
Subject: Blake Farm response to Corps RFAI
Emily, Joanne and Jennifer,
We have completed the final response to the Corps July 7 RFAI. Normally I drop off a copy of the document and just e-
mail the Word file to you. In this case, you do not have the hard copy yet but I wanted to provide DWQ with the weir
information to understand what we need to do with the 401. I've attached the Cover Letter (pdf), Response Submittal
(.doc) minus the attachments as they are too large to transmit via e-mail. Emily I have transmitted a complete set to you
via your FTP site. Jennifer and Joanne, I will mail you both a copy and/or try and send you a link to download from our
server; just let me know what is best.
As you know, the weir had been a topic of discussion and the applicant has chosen to remove it and monitor the wetland
area at the upper reach of ditch X-3. There is a narrative on page 3 that explains the concerns with ditch X-3 and a
monitoring plan on page 6. I've also attached a map of the monitoring area which I had reviewed with Joanne and
Jennifer earlier (this one is shown on the current map with monitoring locations). The monitoring map/sheet is also
included in Appendix N.
Joanne and Jennifer it is my understanding you will need to modify or amend our 401 Certification. Do you need a formal
request or will you be utilizing our response to the Corps to as justification for the modification? If you do need a formal
request please let me know and I will draft that immediately.
Please let me know if you have any questions or need any additional information.
Thank you and have a great weekend,
David A. Syster
President
Southern Environmental Group, Inc.
5315 South College Road Suite E
Wilmington, North Carolina 28412
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Mobile: [phone]

150utkern Environmental Group, Inc.
53 15 50ut� College K0a6, Suite F_ . Wilmington, Hort], Carolina 28+12
910.452.2711 - Fax: [phone] - o{[e-mail]
www. s egl. u s
25 September 2017
Electronic Mail
Ms. Karen Higgins
Supervisor
401& Buffer Permitting Branch
NC Division of Water Resources
1617 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1617
karen.hig ins _ncdenr.gov
Re: Request to Modify Existing 401 Water Quality Certification
Blake Farm
Scott's Hill, Pender County, North Carolina
DWR# 16-0681 V2
USACE AID# - SAW -2012-01624
Dear Ms. Higgins,
I S E G i P ixaje °t #05-159.0 1
This correspondence is in reference to the Blake Farm Subdivision (herein referred to as the
"Applicant") 401 Water Quality Certification issued 31 May 2017. We have updated the previous 25
May 2017 submittal for which the 401 Certification was issued upon. This was done in response to a
Request for Additional Information from the US Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) dated 7 July 2017.
This 22 September 2017 update will require your review and possible modification of the existing 401
Water Quality Certification.
Below you will find the Corps comments (italics) and specific locations within the submittal where each
comment was addressed:
1. Please include a discussion in the narrative that addresses the later hydrologic effect of P-11
and the large linear pond located above Wetland E on Wetland F and Wetland E, respectively.
Please See: Attachment 1, Section V - Avoidance and Minimization (Pg. 2-3).
-Please also include in the narrative a discussion regarding whether or not Wetland H is
expected to remain viable after construction.
Please See: Attachment 1, Section V — Avoidance and Minimization (Pg. 3).
2. During previous discussions, the Corps addressed the need for all plans (i.e. stormwater,
sediment and erosion control, and construction) to match. The approved stormwater plans
showed three 48" RCP's at the crossing of P-6 and Farm House Drive as P-6 discharges into a

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Linear Pond; however, the plans provided to the Corps showed only two 48" pipes. Please
clarify which plans are correct.
The engineer has confirmed that the plans with two 48" pipes are correct and are shown on
all plans as such.
3. The current plans show that a flashboard riser will be installed in the upper reach of ditch X-3.
Recent discussions revealed that NC DWR approved the installation of the riser to hold
hydrology in the large, off-site wetland. Please provide detailed information about the purpose,
design, and long-term management of this structure and the potential impacts on the wetlands
as well as the potential for hydrologic trespass on upstream properties.
The proposed riser / weir has been removed and monitoring of the wetlands adjacent to the
upper reaches of X-3 have been proposed. Please see Attachment 1, Section V — Avoidance
and Minimization (Pg. 3) and Section VII — Compensatory Mitigation and Monitoring (Pg. 6).
4. According to the narrative, the location of the outlet for SCM -4 on the drawing is incorrect.
Please make the appropriate corrections.
All corrections have been completed.
S. Please provide separate totals of avoided impacts versus minimized impacts for each separate
wetland impact where appropriate.
Please See Table 2 Summary of Avoided and Minimized Impacts on Pg. 3.
6. The amount of mitigation is incorrect on the credit reservation letter The letter reflects that
2.80 credits/acres have been secured; however, the required mitigation is 2.90 credits/acres,
based on the current information provided to the Corps. Please provide a corrected credit
reservation letter
Please see Appendix L (Pg. xv) for an updated credit reservation letter reflecting 2.90
credits/acres.
7. Please correct the page numbers of the Appendices to correctly match the Table of Contents.
The Table of Contents page numbers have been corrected.
Based on the Corps comments and subsequent revisions we would request a modification of the NC
DWR 401 Certification to remove the proposed weir in existing Ditch X-3. The weir had been proposed
to address agency concerns with head -cutting and secondary dewatering of wetlands at the upper reach
of Ditch X-3. However, after further agency review; concerns over the possibility of hydrologic trespass
on adjacent properties arose. In order to address the concern of secondary dewatering impacts while
taking into account concerns of hydrologic trespass; the Applicant has proposed to monitor a portion of
the wetlands adjacent to the upstream reach of Ditch X-3. Please see Attachment 1, Section V —
Avoidance and Minimization (Pg. 3).
The Applicant proposes to adopt the Corps monitoring protocol as it will also be used to monitor

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Wetland E. This protocol requires a site visit and report to document baseline conditions then
monitoring at years 2 and 4 post construction. The Monitoring Plan can be found in Section VII —
Compensatory Mitigation and Monitoring (Pg. 6).
At this time the Applicant is requesting a Modification of the current 401 Water Quality Certification to
reflect the removal of the weir in Ditch X-3 and the subsequent monitoring of the wetlands at the upper
reach of Ditch X-3.
It is SEGi's hope the information found within and attached to this correspondence is sufficient to
modify the existing 401 Certification. However, should you have questions, concerns or need additional
information, please feel free to contact me at 910.443.5330. Thank you in advance for your assistance
with this project.
Sincerely,
SEGi President
cc: Ms. Jennifer Burdette jennifer.burdetterdncdenr.gov
Ms. Joanne Steenhuis joaauie.steeaihuis(dncdeair. ov
Enclosures: (1)