19920054 Ver 1_COMPLETE FILE_19920101

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N North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission N
512 N. Salisbury Street, Raleigh, North Carolina 27604-1188, 919-733-3391
Charles R. Fullwood, Executive Director
MEMORANDUM
TO: John Dorney
Division of Environmental Management ------?-- _ ?. -.
FROM: Dennis Stewart, Manager . y
Habitat Conservation Program
APR 2_ ' 1992
DATE: April 16, 1992 _ .?_.._..,_
war ANDS ri
SUBJECT: Comments on applications for Section 401 - I ertification for
Nationwide 404 Permit applications
Biologists on our staff have reviewed the following Nationwide 404 permit
applications and believe that the Section 401 Water Quality Certification can be issued
without significant harm to wetland resources, including fish and wildlife:
1. Jerome Davis, Pender County
,xDavid Allen, Wildlife Forester, NCWRC.
Due to insufficient staff and time limitations we are unable to comment on several
applications. This. `no comment" should not be considered as either approval or
disapproval of the:work proposed. These projects are:
1. Willie Mae Davis, Pender County (ID# 199200432)
2. Bridge No. 121, SR 1406, Little Northeast Creek, Onslow County
3. Charles, Rhodes, Duplin County
4. Bert Brun & Naomi Reed, Beaufort County
5. Roy C. Sanderson, Pender County
6. Richard H. Overby, Jr. & Randall Overby, Beaufort County
7. Leroy Robinson, Pender County (ID# 199200299).
The following applications contained insufficient information for a meaningful
review:
1. June & Carl Owen, Pender County
2. Sue & Thomas Roper, Pender County.
We appreciate the opportunity to comment on these applications. If we can provide
further assistance, please call on us.
cc: Bobby Maddrey, District 2 Wildlife Biologist
'?. n a.+ SrATF' a
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State of North Carolina
Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources
Division of Environmental Management
512 North Salisbury Street • Raleigh, North Carolina 27604
James G. Martin, Governor March 18, 1992 George T. Everett, Ph.D.
William W. Cobey, Jr., Secretary Director
Mr. David Allen
N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission
512 North Salisbury Street
Raleigh, North Carolina 27604
Dear Mr. Allen :
Subject: Proposed Fill in Headwaters or Isolated Wetlands
Firebreak creation
Pender County
DEM Project 92054
Upon review of your request for Water Quality Certification
to place fill material in wetlands for firebreaks located at
Holly Shelter Game Lands in Pender County, we have determined
that the proposed fill can be covered by General Water Quality
Certification No. 2679 issued January 21, 1992. A copy of the
General Certification is attached.
If you have any questions, please contact John Dorney at
919/733-1786 or 919/733-1787.
Sincerely,
GTE: JD
Attachment
- d
Prge Everett
CC: Wilmington District Corps of Engineers
Wilmington DEM Regional Office
Mr. John Dorney
Central Files
REGIONAL OFFICES
Asheville Fayetteville Mooresville Raleigh Washington Wilmington Winston-Salem
704/251-6208 919/486-1541 704/663-1699 919/733 -23 14 919/946-6481 919/395-3900 919/896-7007
Pollution Prevention Pays
P.O. Box 29535, Raleigh, North Carolina 27626-0535 Telephone [phone]
An Equal Opportunity Affirmative Action Employer

DIVISION OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
Date:
To:
March 5, 1992
Planning Branch
From: James H. Gregson 6
Wilmington Re n 1 Office
Through: Dave Adkin
Wilmingto R onal Office
Subject: Regional Office Review and Recommendations
Application for Permit for Excavation and/or Fill
North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission
Central Office Permit #92054
Pender County
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The applicant proposes to disc firelines
totaling 1.85 miles in wetlands in order to improve habitat for
plants and wildlife.
The project has been reviewed to determine impacts to water
quality. The following comments have been provided.
1. The project will require a 401 Water Quality Certification.
2. The project complies with the General 401 Water Quality
Certification No. 2679 for Fire Control Activities on
Federal/State Owned or Operated Wildlife and Recreational
Property.
This office has no objection to the project as proposed.
cc: Wilmington Regional Office Files
Central Files
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Water Quality Section
Division of Environmental Management
NC. Dept. of Environment Health and Natural Resources
John Dorney
This report and enclosed maps are intended as a management
plan to request permission to disc firelines in wetlands
(pocosin) under the new general permit for state and federal
agencies.
The proposed activities will take place in four different
timber compartments (see maps) of the Holly Shelter Game
Lands in Pender County. The red lines on the maps are
proposed new disced firelines (a total of 1.85 miles).
These lines will not change the contour of the land and
should not alter the flow of water.
through or near streams, rivers or any other bodylofewater,
and no dredged or fill material will be displaced. The blue
lines represent firelines which we have been using for many
years and would no longer need to be plowed (a total of 14.7
miles). We can eventually rehabilitate these old lines to
reestablish the natural contour of the land. These lines
cannot be pushed in until after we burn this winter since
disturbance of the soil will keep the fire from crossing the
lines.
In the past we have burned only on the ridges. The purpose
of this proposal is to allow fire to cross the ecotone and
burn through the pocosin. Depending on the weather
conditions and the time of year burned, the pocosin may or
may not burn. Even if the pocosin does not burn, the fire
will at least creep down into it, creating more of a
transition zone. This transition zone is very important to
many threatened and endangered species of plants. Although
we know of no such plants in these areas, we are certainly
interested in providing conducive habitat.
Furthermore, we are interested in providing for better
habitat for the federally endangered red-cockaded woodpecker
(RCW). In fact, we are required by law to do so. We have a
substantial population of RCWs on Holly Shelter. Although
most of the trees inhabited by RCWs are on the ridges, about
5 of the trees are in the pocosin in compartment 10 as noted
by the black dots. Burning this area is essential for
management of the RCW colony. By burning in larger blocks,
we can also keep our plow lines away from RCW trees near the
edge of the ridge. Plow lines next to RCW trees may stress,
damage or even kill the tree.

Alternative I
This alternative is to re-plow the existing firelines,
create no new lines, and burn only the ridges as we have in
the past.
If this alternative is used the habitat will suffer by
intensifying the abrupt change from longleaf-wiregrass ridge
to pocosin. RCW habitat within the pocosin could not be
managed and we could eventually be cited for "Take" of an
endangered species under the Endangered Species Act by the
U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
Alternative II
This alternative involves discing the new lines as in our
proposal, but first rehabilitating old lines which will not
be used.
Since pocosins are difficult to ignite, the fire must be
started on the ridge and allowed to carry into the pocosin.
If this alternative is used we will not be able to burn
through the transition zone for at least 2 years (until fuel
loading is sufficient to carry a hot fire from the ridge to
the pocosin). This would delay our current plan for at
least 2 years.
Thank you for reviewing this proposal. If I can provide any
further information please let me know.
Sincerely,
David H. Allen
Wildlife Forester
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DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
WILMINGTON DISTRICT, CORPS OF ENGINEERS
P.O. BOX 1890
WILMINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA 28402-1890
IN REPLY REFER TO
Regulatory Branch
April 1, 1992
Action ID No. 199201472 and General Permit No. 199200297
North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission
Attn: Mr. David Allen
Division of Wildlife Management
851 Perry Town Road
New Bern, North Carolina 28562
Dear Mr. Allen:
APR - 61992

On January 24, 1992, you met with Ms. Jean Benton of my staff to discuss
your plans to disc new firelanes in wetlands (pocosins) on the Holly Shelter
Game Lands, off S.R. 1520, within the watershed of the Northeast Cape Fear
River, near Rocky Point, Pender County, North Carolina.
On March 23, 1992, we issued general permit No.. 199200297, (copy enclosed)
that authorizes the discharge of fill material resulting from the followingng
activities within Federal or State owned wildlife management areas,
manmade impoundments, within tidal waters of the United States in the State of
North Carolina:
a. discing of soils for the purpose of maintaining firebreaks.
b. discing of soils for the purpose of continuing, ongoing, site
specific, wildlife management activities were discing is used to manipulate
habitat and feeding areas for native species of fauna and flora.
c. discing of soils for the purpose of creating a new firebreak when
approved by the District Engineer on a case by case basis.
d. the use of a fire plow for the purpose of fire control for a
prescribed burn approved by the District Engineer on a case by case basis
provided the preconstruction contours are immediately reestablished upon
conclusion of the specific prescribed burn.
e. the use of a fire plow for the purpose of fire control during
emergency fire fighting situations provided that preconstruction contours are
immediately reestablished upon conclusion of the emergency.
Your proposed work is authorized if you can comply with all permit
conditions. Please read the enclosed permit to prevent an unintentional
violation of Federal law. As this Department of the Army general permit does
not relieve you of the responsibility to obtain any other required approvals,
you should contact appropriate State and local agencies before beginning work.
\t r
-2-
If you have questions, contact Ms. Benton, Wilmington Field Office,
Regulatory Branch, telephone [phone].
Sincerely,
G. Wayne Wright
Chief, Regulatory Branch
Enclosure
Copies Furnished (without enclosure):
Mr. John Parker
Division of Coastal Management
North Carolina Department of
Environment, Health and
Natural Resources
Post Office Box 27687
Raleigh, North Carolina 27611-7687
Mr. John orney
Divisio of Environmental Management
North Carolina Department of
E?4vironment, Health and
/Natural Resources
t Office Box 27687
Raleigh, North Carolina 27611-7687
Ms. Tere Barrett
Wilmington Regional Office
North Carolina Division
of Coastal Management
127 Cardinal Drive Extension
Wilmington, North Carolina 28405-3845
Mr. Jim Gregson
North Carolina Division of
Environmental Management
127 Cardinal Drive Extension
Wilmington, North Carolina 28405-3845
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Water Quality Section
Division of Environmental Management
NC. Dept. of Environment Health and Natural Resources
John Dorney
This report and enclosed maps are intended as a management
plan to request permission to disc firelines in wetlands
(pocosin) under the new general permit for state and federal
agencies.
The proposed activities will take place in four different
timber compartments (see maps) of the Holly Shelter Game
Lands in Pender County. The red lines on the maps are
proposed new disced firelines (a total of 1.85 miles).
These lines will not change the contour of the land and
should not alter the flow of water. None of the lines go
through or near streams, rivers or any other body of water,
and no dredged or fill material will be displaced. The blue
lines represent firelines which we have been using for many
years and would no longer need to be plowed (a total of 14.7
miles). We can eventually rehabilitate these old lines to
reestablish the natural contour of the land. These lines
cannot be pushed in until after we burn this winter since
disturbance of the soil will keep the fire from crossing the
lines.
In the past we have burned only on the ridges. The purpose
of this proposal is to allow fire to cross the ecotone and
burn through the pocosin. Depending on the weather
conditions and the time of year burned, the pocosin may or
may not burn. Even if the pocosin does not burn, the fire
will at least creep down into it, creating more of a
transition zone. This transition zone is very important to
many threatened and endangered species of plants. Although
we know of no such plants in these areas, we are certainly
interested in providing conducive habitat.
Furthermore, we are interested in providing for better
habitat for the federally endangered red-cockaded woodpecker
(RCW). In fact, we are required by law to do so. We have a
substantial population of RCWs on Holly Shelter. Although
most of the trees inhabited by RCWs are on the ridges, about
5 of the trees are in the pocosin in compartment 10 as noted
by the black dots. Burning this area is essential for
management of the RCW colony. By burning in larger blocks,
we can also keep our plow lines away from RCW trees near the
edge of the ridge. Plow lines next to RCW trees may stress,
damage or even kill the tree.
4..,.
Alternative I
This alternative is to re-plow the existing firelines,
create no new lines, and burn only the ridges as we have in
the past.
If this alternative is used the habitat will suffer by
intensifying the abrupt change from longleaf-wiregrass ridge
to pocosin. RCW habitat within the pocosin could not be
managed and we could eventually be cited for "Take" of an
endangered species under the Endangered Species Act by the
U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
Alternative II
This alternative involves discing the new lines as in our
proposal, but first rehabilitating old lines which will not
be used.
Since pocosins are difficult to ignite, the fire must be
started on the ridge and allowed to carry into the pocosin.
If this alternative is used we will not be able to burn
through the transition zone for at least 2 years (until fuel
loading is sufficient to carry a hot fire from the ridge to
the pocosin). This would delay our current plan for at
least 2 years.
Thank you for reviewing this proposal. If I can provide any
further information please let me know.
Sincerely,
`w?"
David H. Allen
Wildlife Forester

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