20080511 Ver 2_Site Closeout Letter (LaGrange Ph1)_20171101

Wa ter Resources
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
November 1, 2017
ROY COOPER
co' cin n
MICHAEL S. REGAN
S. JAY ZIMMERMAN
Pir'ecioi-
Mr. Bobby Ham DWQ Project #: 2008-0511v2
Greene Environmental Services, LLC Lenoir County
90 Ham Produce Road
Snow Hill, NC 28580
Re: Neuse River Riparian Buffer and Nutrient Offset Umbrella Mitigation
Banking Instrument (LIMBI)
La Grange Ph I. Site Closeout Inspection
Dear Mr. Ham:
On September 29, 2017, the Division of Water Resources (DWR) received a Year 5 Monitoring
Report for the LaGrange Phase I Mitigation Bank from Greene Environmental Services, LLC
(GES). On October 27, 2017, Katie Merritt with DWR, along with David Knowles GES, visited
the site to compare vegetation data and evaluate the site's conditions for closeout of the
monitoring requirements. Minor encroachment from an ATV was observed within the easement
boundaries associated with this particular bank site. However, no trees or vegetation were
negatively impacted. Overall, site conditions were good and vegetation data results showed stem
densities higher than the required 320 stems/acre throughout the site. Ms. Merritt supports
closing out the site for any further monitoring.
As reminded in correspondence dated November 30, 2016, "The Conservation Easement for this
Bank is still currently held by GES. And, according to the UMBI for this Bank, "At the
conclusion of Bank activities, the conservation easement must be permanently transferred to an
entity approved by DWR to be held in perpetuity ". Therefore, prior to the issuance of a final
10% credit release, GES is required to assign and transfer the conservation easement to an
approved long term steward.
On October 16, 2017, DWR received an amendment to Letter of Credit (LOC) #SB93770 issued
to GES in the amount of $40,000 to cover monitoring and maintenance at the subject site. The
term of this LOC applies through October 25, 2018. This LOC must remain in effect until GES
has assigned and transferred the conservation easement to an acceptable long term steward. If
anything were to occur to the subject site prior to easement assignment and transfer, it is the
responsibility of GES to remediate the problem financially as part of its maintenance obligation.
State of North Carolina I Environmental Quality I Water Resources
1617 Mail Service Center I Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1617
919 807 6300

LaGrange Phase I Mitigation Bank
November 1, 2017
Page 2 of 2
Please feel free to call Katie Merritt at [phone] if you have any questions regarding this
correspondence.
Sincerely,
*kw-)
Karen Higgins, Supervisor
401 and Buffer Permitting Branch
KAH/km
cc: File Copy (Katie Merritt)
Jeffrey Becker - Greene Environmental Services, LLC (via electronic mail)