20181598_Att. 39 - Letter from Terry Gibson, NCDO_20160222

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
D�PARTIV�,NT OF T`RANSP4RTATTON
BEVERLY EAVES PERDt1E
G01lE�RNOR
January 9, 2012
Ms. Marisue Fiilliard
Forest Supervisor
Narional Forests in North Carolina
U. S. Forest Service
160 Zillicoa Street, Stute A
Asheville, North Carolina 28801-1082
RE: Closure of Proposed Bypass for Prescribed Buming, Project R-1015
US 70 Havelock Bypass, Craven County
Dear Ms. Hilliard:
Attachment 3 9
EUGENE A. CONTi,1R.
SECRGTARY
I am writing as a£ollow-up to the March 17, 2011 meeting between staff from the U.S. Forest Service
{USFS) and NCDOT regarding coordination of prescribed burning on Narional Forest System laads
between existing US 70 and the propased US, 70 Havelock Bypass.
It is my understanding that the USFS conduots prescsibed burni�lg to �'+A�� A+*+ the Red-cockaded
R/oodpecker habitat and other types of habitat on National Forest System lands. USFS and the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service agree that, although other habitat maintenance techniques exist, no ather methods of
habitat maintenance achieve the same level of et%ctiveness as buraing.
Your staff has indicated that USFS typically conducts summer burns from late June through the middle
of July, and tries to avoid Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. It is also our understanding that USFS will
avoid burn events on holiday weekends incladiag Memorisl Day, 3uly 4tb, and Thanksgiving. In addi�ion,
I am requesting that other days with anticipated hi.gher traffic volumes be avoided. They estimated that
they will need about 3 days to burn each block, and typically start burning between 10:00 and 11:00 a.m
and end by about 3:00 p.m. Therefore, the proposed Havelock Bypass may need to be closed for about
Sve hours on each of the three days during a bum event for each block, and may require on average about
five to six days per year. It is my understanding that the USFS will also notify the Department of these
prescribed bum events as far ahead of the event as possible.
Under tliese general conditions and as docunnented in the attached zninutes from the March 17, 20] 1
meeting, the Departmern agrees to close the proposed Havelock Bypass for prescribed buming of
National Forest System lands Iocated between existing US 70 and the proposed Havelock Bypass when
necessary.
R7AlLING ADORESS:
NC DEPARTMEM OF TMNSPORTATIO�
$TATE HtGHWAY AOMWl5TRA70Fi
7538 NWL SEHVICE CEMEst
RatEtGrt NC 27699-1536
TE�Eat��• 81&7337584
FAX: [phone]
WEBSlTE.' WWVI:�OH.DOT.STAT.AiC.US
LOCATION:
TRANaPOqTAT1pN BUILDIN6
1 SO1lIH WILMIKGTON $iHEE7
RN.EtoH NC

C
Ms. Marisue Hilliard �
Page 2
January 9, 2012
We appreciate the coord.ination between your staff and NCDOT. Should you want to further discuss this
issue, please contact me at (919) 707 250U or at tgibson(a�.ncdot. ,�. �
Sincerely,
1 ~
Terry R Gibson, P.E.
Sta.te Highway Administrator
TRG/mp
cc w/attachment: Jim Trogdon, PE, Chief �perating Officer .
Debbie Barbour, PE, Duector of Preconstruction
Neil Lassiter, PE, Division Engineer
Grreg Thorpe; Ph.D., Project Develapment � Environmental Analysis
Mark Pierce, PE, Project Planning Engineer
John Smith, Croatan District Ranger