HomeMy WebLinkAbout20171200 Ver 1_Mitigation Bank Instrument_20181026Version December 2016
AGREEMENT TO ESTABLISH THE MIDDLE NEUSE STREAM AND WETLAND
UMBRELLA MITIGATION BANK IN THE NEUSE RIVER BASIN WITHIN THE
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
USACE approval of this Instrument constitutes the regulatory approval required for the
Middle Neuse Stream and Wetland Umbrella Mitigation Bank to be usedto provide
compensatory mitigation for Department of the Army permits pursuant to 33 C.F.R. 332.8(a)(1).
This Instrument is not a contract between the Sponsor or Property Owner and the USACE or any
other agency of the federal government. Any dispute arising under this Instrument will not give
rise to any claim by the Sponsor or Property Owner for monetary damages. This provision is
controlling notwithstanding any other provision or statement in
the Instrument to the contrary.
This Umbrella Mitigation Banking Instrument (LIMBI) is made and entered into on the
day of , 20 , by Weyerhaeuser NR Company, hereinafter Sponsor, and the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), and each of the following agencies, upon its execution of this
UMBI; the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS),
the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), the North Carolina Wildlife Resources
Commission (NCWRC), the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) and the North Carolina
Division of Water Resources (NCDWR). The Corps, together with the State and Federal
agencies that execute this UMBI, are hereinafter collectively referred to as the Interagency
Review Team (IRT).
WHEREAS the purpose of this agreement is to establish an umbrella mitigation bank (Bank)
providing compensatory mitigation for unavoidable wetland and/or stream impacts separately
authorized by Section 404 Clean Water Act permits and /or Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors
Act permits in appropriate circumstances;
WHEREAS the agencies comprising the IRT agree that the Bank sites are suitable mitigation
bank sites, and that implementation of the Mitigation Plans are likely to result in net gains in
wetland and/or stream functions at the Bank sites, and have therefore approved the Mitigation
Plans;
THEREFORE, it is mutually agreed among the parties to this agreement that the following
provisions are adopted and will be implemented upon signature of this UMBI.
Section I: General Provisions
A. The Sponsor is responsible for assuring the success of the restoration, creation,
enhancement and preservation activities at the Bank sites, and for the overall operation and
management of the Bank. The Sponsor assumes the legal responsibility for providing the
compensatory mitigation once a permittee secures credits from the Sponsor and the District
Engineer (DE) receives documentation that confirms the Sponsor has accepted responsibility for
providing the required compensatory mitigation.
The goals of the Umbrella Bank sites are to restore, enhance, create and preserve wetland and
stream systems and their functions to compensate in appropriate circumstances for unavoidable
wetland and stream impacts authorized by Section 404 of the Clean Water Act permits and or
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Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act permits in circumstances deemed appropriate by the
Corps after consultation, through the permit review process, with members of the IRT.
B. Use of credits from the Bank to offset wetland and stream impacts authorized by Clean
Water Act permits must be in compliance with the Clean Water Act and implementing
regulations, including but not limited to the 404(b)(1) Guidelines, the National Environmental
Policy Act, and all other applicable Federal and State legislation, rules and regulations. This
agreement has been drafted in accordance with the regulations for Compensatory Mitigation for
Losses of Aquatic Resources effective June 9, 2008 (33 CFR Parts 325 and 332) (Mitigation
Rule).
C. The IRT shall be chaired by the DE of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Wilmington
District (District). The IRT shall review documentation for the establishment of mitigation bank
sites. The IRT will also advise the DE in assessing monitoring reports, recommending remedial
measures, approving credit releases, and approving modifications to this instrument. The IRT's
role and responsibilities are more fully set forth in Sections 332.8 of the Mitigation Rule. The
IRT will work to reach consensus on its actions.
D. The DE, after consultation with the appropriate Federal and State review agencies
through the permit review process, shall make final decisions concerning the amount and type of
compensatory mitigation to be required for unavoidable, permitted wetland and/or stream
impacts, and whether or not the use of credits from the Bank is appropriate to offset those
impacts. In the case of permit applications and compensatory mitigation required solely under
the Section 401 Water Quality Certification rules of North Carolina, the NCDWR will determine
the amount of credits that can be withdrawn from the Bank. Any credits used to offset impacts
solely authorized by Section 401 cannot be used for other impacts authorized under Section 404
of the Clean Water Act or Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act.
E. The parties to this agreement understand that a watershed approach to establish
compensatory mitigation must be used to the extent appropriate and practicable. Where
practicable, in-kind compensatory mitigation is preferred.
Section II: Geographic Service Area
The Geographic Service Area (GSA) is the designated area within which the Umbrella Bank is
authorized to provide compensatory mitigation required by DA permits. The GSA for this Bank
shall include the Middle Neuse Hydrologic Unit 03020202 in North Carolina. Credits are to be
used in the same HUC in which they were generated, and credits within each HUC should be
tracked on separate ledgers.
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Section III: MitiLyation Plan
Any Mitigation Plan submitted pursuant to this agreement must contain the information
listed in 332.4(c) (2) through (14) of the Compensatory Mitigation Rule.
A. The Sponsor will perform work described in each site-specific approved Mitigation Plan.
B. The Sponsor shall monitor the Bank Sites as described in the approved Mitigation Plans,
until such time as the IRT determines that the performance standards described in the Mitigation
Plans have been met.
C. Mitigation Plans submitted for inclusion in this bank must meet the requirements of any
District guidance that is current at the time the new site is submitted to the District, including any
updates made to monitoring requirements, credit releases, long term management, or any other
provisions that are required and/or specifically addressed in the Mitigation Plan. The addition of
any site to this instrument shall be considered as a modification to this instrument, and processed
in accordance with the procedures set forth in the Mitigation Rule.
D. The members of the IRT will be allowed reasonable access to the Property for the
purposes of inspection of the Property and compliance monitoring of the Mitigation Plan.
A. The Sponsor shall submit to the DE, for distribution to each member of the IRT, an
annual report describing the current condition of the Bank Sites and the condition of the Bank
Sites in relation to the performance standards in the Mitigation Plans. The Sponsor shall provide
to the DE any monitoring reports described in the Mitigation Plans.
B. As part of each annual monitoring report, the Sponsor shall also provide ledger reports
documenting credit transactions as described in Section VIII of this LIMBI.
C. Each time an approved credit transaction occurs, the Sponsor shall provide notification to
the DE within 30 days of the transaction. This notification shall consist of a summary of the
transaction and a full ledger report reflecting the changes from the transaction. Additionally,
signed copies of the Compensatory Mitigation Transfer of Responsibility Form shall be
submitted to the Corps Project Manager for the permit and the Corps Bank Manager for the bank
site.
Section V: Remedial Action
A. The DE shall review the monitoring reports, as required in the Mitigation Plans, and
may, at any time, after consultation with the Sponsor and the IRT, direct the Sponsor to take
remedial action at the Bank sites. Remedial actions required by the DE shall be designed to
achieve the performance standards as specified in the Mitigation Plan(s). All remedial actions
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required under this section shall include a work schedule and monitoring criteria that will take
into account physical and climactic conditions.
B. The Sponsor shall implement any remedial measures required pursuant to the above.
C. In the event the Sponsor determines that remedial action may be necessary to achieve the
required performance standards, it shall provide notice of such proposed remedial action to all
members of the IRT. No remedial actions shall be taken without the concurrence of the DE, in
consultation with the IRT.
Section VI: Use of Mitiiation Credits
A. Description of credit classifications and provisions pertaining to the use of those credits
shall be provided in the Mitigation Plans to be included in this bank. Credit classifications (e.g.,
cold water stream, cool water stream, warm water stream, coastal wetlands, non -riparian
wetlands, riparian non-riverine wetlands, and riparian riverine wetlands) will be in accordance
with current District guidance at the time the Mitigation Plan is submitted to the District. In
general, these classifications will be used to determine if a particular credit qualifies as "In -
Kind" mitigation. Exceptions to the use of "In -Kind" mitigation may be allowed at the
discretion of the permitting agencies on a case-by-case basis.
B. Wetland and stream compensation ratios are determined by the DE on a case-by-case
basis based on considerations of functions of the wetlands and/or streams impacted, the severity
of the wetland and/or stream impacts, the relative age of the mitigation site, whether the
compensatory mitigation is in-kind, and the physical proximity of the wetland and/or stream
impacts to the Bank Site.
C. Notwithstanding the above, all decisions concerning the appropriateness of using credits
from the Bank to offset impacts to waters and wetlands, as well as all decisions concerning the
amount and type of such credits to be used to offset wetland and stream impacts authorized by
Department of the Army permits, shall be made by the DE, pursuant to Section 404 of the Clean
Water Act and implementing regulations and guidance. These decisions may include notice to
and consultation with the members of the IRT through the permit review process if the DE
determines this to be appropriate given the scope and nature of the impact.
Section VII: Credit Release Schedule
A. All credit releases must be approved in writing by the DE, following consultation with
the IRT, based on a determination that required performance standards have been achieved.
B. A credit release schedule shall be provided in each site-specific Mitigation Plan that is
included in this bank. The release schedule will list all of the proposed credit releases and any
performance standards associated with those releases.
C. In general, the initial allocation of credits from any site included as part of this bank shall
be available for sale only after the completion of all of the following:
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1. Execution of this UMBI by the Sponsor, the DE, and other agencies eligible for
membership in the IRT who choose to execute this agreement, to include the approval of
any modifications to this agreement when new sites are added to it;
2. Approval of a final Mitigation Plan;
3. Confirmation that the mitigation bank site has been secured;
4. Delivery of executed financial assurances as specified in the site-specific Mitigation
Plan;
5. Delivery of a copy of the recorded long-term protection mechanism as described in as
specified in the site-specific Mitigation Plan, as well as a title opinion covering the
property acceptable to the DE; and
6. Issuance of any DA permits necessary for construction of the mitigation site (if
necessary).
The Sponsor must initiate implementation of the approved Mitigation Plans no later than the first
full growing season after the date of the first credit transaction (i.e., construction of the initial
physical and biological improvements proposed in the approved Mitigation Plans must be started
by the end of the first full growing season following the initial sale of any credits from the
Bank). This provision does not apply to preservation -only sites that do not include any physical
or biological improvements. Subject to the Sponsor's continued satisfactory completion of all
required performance standards and monitoring, additional restoration mitigation credits will be
available for sale by the Sponsor as specified in the final Mitigation Plan.
Section VIII: Accounting Procedures
A. The Sponsor shall develop accounting procedures acceptable to the DE for maintaining
accurate records of debits made from the Bank. Such procedures shall include the generation of
a ledger by the Sponsor showing credits used at the time they are debited from the Bank. All
ledger reports shall identify credits debited and remaining by type of credit and shall include for
each reported debit the Corps ORM ID number for the permit for which the credits were utilized
and the permitted impacts for each resource type.
B. When credits from the bank are sought by a permit applicant, the Sponsor shall prepare a
reservation letter for the applicant to include with the Corps permit application, that documents
the number and type of credits available to be debited from the bank, and the amount of time (if
any) that those credits will be held for that applicant (with an expiration date for the letter of
availability).
C. Each time an approved credit transaction occurs, the Sponsor shall notify the DE within
30 days of the transaction with a summary of the transaction and a full ledger report showing the
changes made. Signed copies of the Transfer of Mitigation Responsibility form shall also be
submitted to the Corps permit Project Manager and the Corps Bank Manager for that bank.
D. The Sponsor shall prepare an annual ledger report, on each anniversary of the date of
execution of this agreement, showing all credits used, any changes in credit availability (e.g.,
additional credits released, credit sales, suspended credits, etc.), and the beginning and ending
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balance of remaining credits. The Sponsor shall submit the annual report to the DE, for
distribution to each member of the IRT, until such time as all of the credits have been utilized, or
this agreement is otherwise terminated.
Section IX: Financial Assurances
A. Financial assurances for the Bank sites will be detailed in the site-specific Mitigation
Plans. The Sponsor shall provide financial assurances in a form acceptable to the DE, sufficient
to assure completion of all mitigation work, required reporting and monitoring, and any remedial
work required pursuant to this LIMBI. The financial assurance value should be based on the cost
of doing the mitigation work, including costs for land acquisition, planning and engineering,
legal fees, mobilization, construction, and monitoring. For preservation only Bank Sites, no
financial assurances will generally be required unless there are specific activities necessary to
ensure the successful preservation of resources on the site, in which case appropriate financial
assurances may still berequired.
B. All financial assurances shall be made payable to a standby trust or to a third -party
designee, acceptable to the Corps, who agrees to complete the project or provide alternative
mitigation. Financial assurances structured to provide funds to the Corps in the event of default
by the Bank Sponsor are not acceptable.
C. The form and amount of financial assurances must be stated in the site-specific
Mitigation Plans in order for the Mitigation Plan to be approved. This must include the name of
the specific provider of those assurances and the method by which the financial assurances will be
provided in the event that they must be utilized. Original copies of the financial assurance
documents must be provided to the DE prior to the initial release of credits.
D. A financial assurance must be in the form that ensures that the DE receives notification at
least 120 days in advance of any termination or revocation.
Section X: Site Protection
A. The Sponsor shall grant a Conservation Easement (CE) in form acceptable to the DE,
sufficient to protect the Bank Sites in perpetuity. The CE shall be perpetual, preserve all natural
areas, and prohibit all use of the property inconsistent with its use as mitigation property,
including any activity that would materially alter the biological integrity or functional and
educational value of wetlands or streams within the Bank Site, consistent with the Mitigation
Plan. The purpose of the CE will be to assure that future use of the Bank Site will result in the
restoration, protection, maintenance and enhancement of wetland and/or stream functions
described in the Mitigation Plan. The name and contact information for the Corps approved
easement holder and a draft copy of the CE will be provided in the site-specific Mitigation
Plans.
B. The Sponsor shall deliver a title opinion acceptable to the DE covering the mitigation
property. The property shall be free and clear of any encumbrances that would conflict with its
use as mitigation, including, but not limited to, any liens that have priority over the recorded CE.
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C. Subsequent to the recording of the CE, the Sponsor may convey the Bank Site property
either in fee or by granting an easement to a qualified land trust, state agency, or other
appropriate nonprofit organization approved by the Corps. The Sponsor is responsible for
ensuring that the CE is re-recorded so that it remains within the chain of title. The terms and
conditions of this conveyance shall not conflict with the intent and provisions of the CE nor shall
such conveyance enlarge or modify the uses specified in the easement. The CE must contain a
provision requiring 60 day advance notification to the DE before any action is taken to void or
modify the CE, including transfer of title to, or establishment of any other legal claims over, the
project site.
Section XI: Long-term Management
A. The Sponsor shall implement the long-term management plan as described in the site-
specific Mitigation Plans. The Bank Sponsor, Weyerhaeuser NR Company, will serve as the
long-term manager for each mitigation site addended to the bank.
B. The long-term management plan will include a list of annual maintenance, monitoring,
and/or repair activities for each mitigation site, the associated annual cost for each activity, and
the required total amount necessary to provide all future site management. The long-term
management plan should explain how the funds will be managed and provided to the designated
long-term manager (e.g., an endowment managed through a separate account holder). The long-
term management plan should include a contingency section that addresses how the
responsibility and funding for the long-term site management will be passed on to a new
manager in the event that the selected long-term management entity is no longer able to provide
for management of the site.
Section XII: Default and Closure
A. It is agreed to establish and maintain the Bank sites until (i) credits have been exhausted
or banking activity is voluntarily terminated with written notice by the Sponsor provided to the
DE and other members of the IRT; and (ii) it has been determined and agreed upon by the DE
and IRT that the debited Bank site has satisfied all the conditions herein and in the Mitigation
Plan. If the DE determines that the Bank site is not meeting performance standards or complying
with the terms of the instrument, appropriate action will be taken. Such actions may include, but
are not limited to, suspending credit sales, adaptive management, decreasing available credits,
utilizing financial assurances, and terminating the instrument.
B. Any delay or failure of Bank Sponsor shall not constitute a default hereunder if and to the
extent that such delay or failure is primarily caused by any act, event or conditions beyond the
Sponsor's reasonable control and significantly adversely affects its ability to perform its
obligations hereunder including: (i) acts of God, lightning, earthquake, fire, landslide, or
interference by third parties; (ii) condemnation or other taking by any governmental body; (iii)
change in applicable law, regulation, rule, ordinance or permit condition, or the interpretation or
enforcement thereof; (iv) any order, judgment, action or determination of any federal, state or
local court, administrative agency or government body; or (v) the suspension or interruption of
any permit, license, consent, authorization or approval. If the performance of the Bank Sponsor
is affected by any such event, Bank Sponsor shall give written notice thereof to the IRT as soon
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as is reasonably practicable. If such event occurs before the final availability of all credits for
sale, the Sponsor shall take remedial action to restore the property to its condition prior to such
event, in a manner sufficient to provide adequate mitigation to cover credits that were sold prior
to such delay or failure to compensate for impacts to waters, including wetlands, authorized by
Department of the Army permits. Such remedial action shall be taken by the Sponsor only to the
extent necessary and appropriate, as determined by the IRT.
C. At the end of the monitoring period, upon satisfaction of the performance standards, the
Sponsor may submit a request to the DE for site close out. The DE, in consultation with the IRT,
shall use best efforts to review and comment on the request within 60 days of such submittal. If
the DE determines the Sponsor has achieved the performance standards in accordance with the
mitigation plan and all obligations under this MBI, the DE shall issue a close out letter to the
Sponsor.
Section XIII: Miscellaneous
A. Modification of this UMBI shall be in accordance with the procedures set forth in 332.8 of
the mitigation rule.
B. No third party shall be deemed a beneficiary hereof and no one except the signatories
hereof, their successors and assigns, shall be entitled to seek enforcement hereof.
C. This UMBI constitutes the entire agreement between the parties concerning the subject
matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements or undertakings.
D. In the event any one or more of the provisions contained in this UMBI are held to be
invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability will
not affect any other provisions hereof, and this UMBI shall be construed as if such invalid,
illegal or unenforceable provision had not been contained herein.
E. This UMBI shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws ofNorth
Carolina and the United States as appropriate.
F. This UMBI may be executed by the parties in any combination, in one or more
counterparts, all of which together shall constitute but one and the same instrument.
G. The terms and conditions of this UMBI shall be binding upon, and inure to the benefit of
the parties hereto and their respective successors.
H. All notices and required reports shall be sent by regular mail to each of the parties at their
respective addresses, provided below.
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Sponsor:
Weyerhaeuser NR Company
Attn: Mr. Doug Hughes
406 Cole Road
Hattiesburg, MS 39402
Corps:
Mr. Kyle Barnes
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Regulatory Division
2407 West 5th Street
Washington, NC 27889
USEPA:
Mr. Todd Bowers
Wetlands Section - Region IV
Water Management Division
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
61 Forsyth Street, SW
Atlanta, Georgia 30303
USFWS:
Ms. Kathy Matthews
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
P.O. Box 33726
Raleigh, NC 27606-3726
NCWRC:
Mr. Travis Wilson
North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission
1718 Highway 56 West
Creedmor, NC 27606-3726
NCDWR:
Mr. Mac Haupt
Division of Water Resources
North Carolina Department of Environmental
Quality Post Office Box 29535
Raleigh, NC 27626-0535
NCSHPO
State Historic Preservation Office
Ms. Renee Gledhill -Earley
4617 Mail Service Center
109 E. Jones Street
Raleigh, NC 27699-4617
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NMFS:
Mr. Ken Riley
National Marine Fisheries, NOAA
Habitat Conservation Division
Pivers Island
Beaufort, North Carolina 28516
NCDCM:
Mr./Ms. *
North Carolina Division of Coastal Management
North Carolina Department of Environment and
Natural Resources
*Address
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement entitled
"Agreement To Establish The Middle Neuse Stream and Wetland Umbrella
Mitigation Bank In Craven and Beaufort County, North Carolina":
Sponsor: Weyerhaeuser NR Company
am
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers:
Date:
By: Date:
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement entitled
"Agreement To Establish The Middle Neuse Stream and Wetland Umbrella
Mitigation Bank, Neuse River Basin in the state of North Carolina":
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency:
By: Date:
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service:
By: Date:
N.C. Division of Water Resources:
By: Date:
N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission:
By: Date:
NC State Historic Preservation Office:
By: Date:
National Marine Fisheries Service:
By: Date:
N.C. Division of Coastal Management:
By: Date:
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List of Appendices
Appendix A: Geographic Service Area Map
Appendix B: Mitigation Plan (Each plan should include construction costs, maintenance and
monitoring costs, draft copy of financial assurance documents, draft copy of site protection
instrument, and a long term management plan as appendices to the plan.)
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