20220439 Ver 1_Public Notice_20190719

US Army Corps PUBLIC NOTWE
Of Engineers
Wilmington District
Issue Date: June 20, 2019
Comment Deadline: July 20, 2019
Corps Action ID #: SAW -2019-01067
The Wilmington District, Corps of Engineers (Corps) has received a prospectus
proposing to include an additional site, known as the Juniper Tract, to the Lower Cape
Fear Umbrella Mitigation Bank (LCFUMB). The site is an approximately 782 -acre
parcel located on the south side of Mill Creek Road SE and on the north side of Danford
Road, immediately east of Bolivia, NC.
Specific plans and location information are described below and shown on the attached
plans. The Public Notice and the full Prospectus are available on the RIBITS web site at
https://ribits.usace.anny.mil. To access the public notices, first select the Wilmington
District from the Filter View drop-down menu in the lower left-hand corner, and then
select the Bank & ILF Establishment tab, or to access the prospectus directly go to
https://ribits.usace.army.mil/ribits apex/f?p=107:278:13399755261145::NO:RP,278:P27
8 BANK ID:5410
Sponsor: LCFUMB, LLC
C/o: Mr. Jon Vincent
1508 Military Cutoff Road, Suite 302
Wilmington, North Carolina 28403
Agent: Mr. Christian Preziosi
Land Management Group, Inc.
3805 Wrightsville Avenue, Suite 15
Wilmington, North Carolina 28403
Authority
The Corps will evaluate this prospectus and the establishment of the mitigation bank site
in accordance with the procedures outlined in 33 CFR Part 332. Additionally, this
proposal will also be reviewed pursuant to the permitting authority under Section 404 of
the Clean Water Act if construction work involves the discharge of fill material in waters
and/or wetlands of the United States.

Location
The proposed Juniper Tract mitigation site is located on the south side of Mill Creek
Road SE and on the north side of Danford Road, immediately east of Bolivia, NC. The
site is situated between a NC DOT mitigation site, located to the west across Highway
17, and the Boiling Spring Lakes Plant Conservation Preserve, located to the southeast.
It is located at Latitude 34.071816, Longitude -78.120178. The tract is situated within
the Lower Cape Fear River 8 -digit Hydrologic Unit Code (HUC) 03030005 of the Cape
Fear River Watershed Basin and the Lower Pee Dee 8 -digit HUC 03040208.
Existing Site Conditions
The proposed Juniper Tract, totaling 782 acres, contains a 765 -acre main parcel (Parcel
ID 12500047) in addition to a 17 -acre permanent conservation easement to be obtained
from an adjacent parcel (portion of Parcel ID 12600017). The main parcel includes a 34 -
acre power line easement that is proposed to be excluded from mitigation credit
generation. The site is situated between a NC Division of Transportation mitigation site,
located to the west across Highway 17, and the Boiling Spring Lakes Plant Conservation
Preserve, located to the southeast (Figure I shows proximity to protected sites). The site
consists predominantly of former headwater wetland flats that drain directly and
indirectly to five different tributaries: Harris Swamp, Bolivia Branch, Willet Branch,
Hickman Branch, and Mill Creek. The non -riparian and riparian wetlands have been
historically ditched and maintained as part of a prescribed silvicultural management plan
implemented by silvicultural operations in the 1970s. The network of drainage ditches
serves to lower groundwater tables and intercept surface water — thus compromising the
ecological functions (i.e. nutrient/sediment retention, flood attenuation, etc.)
characteristic of headwater wetlands.
The site consists predominantly of drained hydric soils characteristic of broad interstream
flats of the outer Coastal Plain. Representative soil units mapped on the NRCS county
soil survey include Muckalee loam, Pantego mucky loam, Rains fine sandy loam, and
Torhunta mucky fine sandy loam. These series are poorly drained to very poorly drained
soils characteristic of non -riparian wetlands and stream floodplains. Approximately
44,100 linear feet of open ditching currently exists throughout the site. This ditching was
installed as part of a timber management plan that lowered water table levels throughout
a large portion of the site and effectively removed and/or compromised wetland
hydrology. An approved jurisdictional determination was obtained by the Land
Management Group (LMG) in 2006 (Action ID 2006-41554-010). A preliminary
wetland mapping effort performed by LMG indicates that approximately 239 acres of
jurisdictional wetlands remain on the tract. The Sponsor is proposing to conduct a
comprehensive wetland delineation to determine existing wetland acreage on the tract.
An approved jurisdictional determination will be obtained as part of the mitigation plan
approval.

Project Purpose
The purpose of the proposal is to establish a wetland and stream mitigation bank in order
to provide compensatory mitigation for non -riparian wetlands, riparian (non-riverine)
wetlands, and stream impacts associated with Department of the Army authorizations
pursuant to Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. Project objectives focus onsestoring,
enhancing, and preserving natural wetland and stream functions associated with non -
riparian wetlands, riparian (non-riverine) wetlands, as well as zero and first -order
streams. Targeted functions include water quality improvements, nutrient and sediment
load reduction, increased surface and subsurface water storage, and increased wildlife
habitat. This is anticipated to benefit the receiving waters of Hickman Branch, Mill
Creek, and the Cape Fear River watershed.
Project Description
The Sponsor proposes to accomplish the following within the 782 -acre site: 1) Restore
1,980 linear feet of first -order stream; 2) Enhance --5,708 linear feet of zero -order
stream; 3) Restore —242 acres of non -riparian wetlands; 4) Enhance —64 acres of non -
riparian wetlands; 5) Preserve —164 acres of non -riparian wetlands; 6) Restore --26 acres
of riparian (non-riverine) wetlands; and 7) Enhance —11 acres of riparian (non-riverine)
wetlands. Overall restoration and enhancement activities consist of the following: 1)
removal or plugging of silvicultural ditches; 2) removal of roadbeds and spoil piles; 3)
grade work to restore first -order stream channels; 4) planting of characteristic wetland
trees and shrubs in select areas.
The Sponsor's estimated credits that the Bank could generate include 31 riparian (non-
riverine) wetland credits, 294 non -riparian wetland credits, and 7,688 stream credits (see
Table 1. Below).
Table 1. Preliminary Mitigation Type and Quantity
Community Type
Mitigation Type
Quantity (ac/lf)
Credit Ratio
Potential
Credits
Non -riparian Wetlands
Restoration
242
1:1
242
Non -riparian Wetlands
Enhancement
64
2:1
32
Non -riparian Wetlands
Preservation
164
8:1
20
Riparian Wetlands
Restoration
26
1:1
26
Riparian Wetlands
Enhancement
11
2:1
5
First -Order Stream
Restoration
1,980
1:1
1,980
Zero -Order Stream
Restoration
5,708
1:1
5,708
Total Wetlands
325
Total Stream
7,688
The proposed Geographical Service Area (GSA) encompasses the entire boundary of the
8 -Digit HUC 03030005- Lower Cape Fear River watershed. The amount of credit
proposed to be generated within the Lower Pee Dee watershed (8 -digit HUC 03040208)

is less than 1 credit of non -riparian wetland, so no change to the current LCFUMB GSA
is proposed. To date, the sponsor has not designated a third party entity to handle the
long-term management of the bank via conservation easement, but the most likely
easement holder will be the Land Trust for America (which currently holds the easement
for the other sites of the LCFUMB). Other potential holders include the North Carolina
Coastal Land Trust and the Cape Fear River Watch.
Evaluation and Commenting Information
The Corps is soliciting comments from the public; Federal, State and local agencies and
officials, including any consolidated State Viewpoint or written position of the Governor;
Indian Tribes and other interested parties in order to consider and evaluate the
establishment of the Juniper Tract addition to the LCFUMB. Any comments received
will be considered by the Corps of Engineers in evaluating the approval of this bank. To
make this decision, all factors which may be relevant to the proposal will be considered
including the cumulative effects thereof, among those are conservation, economics,
aesthetics, general environmental concerns, wetlands, historic properties, fish and
wildlife values, flood hazards, flood plain values (in accordance with Executive Order
11988), land use, navigation, shoreline erosion and accretion, recreation, water supply
and conservation, water quality, energy needs, safety, food and fiber production, mineral
needs, considerations of property ownership, and in general, the needs and welfare of the
people.
The Corps has reviewed the prospectus and has examined all information provided by the
sponsor. Our preliminary review indicates the following: 1) An Environmental Impact
Statement will not be required; 2) Potential effects to listed species of fish, wildlife,
and/or plant species (or Critical Habitat) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 will
be assessed within the proposed 782 -acre bank; 3) There are no known cultural or historic
resources located within the proposed project site; and 4) There are no Essential Fish
Habitat (EFH) areas within the property. A "no effect' determination for threatened and
endangered species and for cultural and/or historic resources has not been made at this
time; and it has been determined that no additional EFH evaluation will be conducted.
Any additional or new information may change these preliminary findings.
Written comments pertinent to the proposed work, as outlined above and as described in
the prospectus, will be received by the Corps of Engineers, Wilmington District, until
5pm, July 20, 2019. Comments should be submitted to Mr. Tyler Crumbley, 69
Darlington Avenue, Wilmington, North Carolina 28403, or at
tyler.a.crumble @usace.army.mil. If you have any questions or are unable to access a
copy of the bank prospectus, please contact Mr. Tyler Crumbley at [phone].

Action ID No: SAW -2019-01067
June 24, 2019
To include an additional site, known as the Juniper Tract, within the Lower Cape Fear
Umbrella Mitigation Bank (LCFUMB). The proposed 782 acre mitigation site is located
ori the south side of Mill Creek Road SE and on the north side of Danford Road,
immediately east of Bolivia, NC. The site is situated between a NC DOT mitigation site,
located to the west across Highway 17, and the Boiling Spring Lakes Plant Conservation
Preserve, located to the southeast. It is located at Latitude 34.071816, Longitude -
78.120178. The tract is situated within the Lower Cape Fear River 8 -digit Hydrologic
Unit Code (HUC) 03030005 of the Cape Fear River Basin and the Lower Pee Dee 8 -digit
HUC 03040208.
No. Cys. Mail To
Mr. Jon Vincent, LCFUMB LLC, 1508 Military Cutoff Road, Suite 302
Wilmington, North Carolina 28403
Mr. Christian Preziosi, Land Management Group, Inc., 3805 Wrightsville
Avenue, Suite 15, Wilmington, North Carolina 28403
Mr. Corey Novak, Land Management Group, Inc., 3805 Wrightsville
Avenue, Suite 15, Wilmington, North Carolina 28403
Honorable David Rouser, House of Representatives, 424 Cannon House
Office Building, Washington, DC 20515
I Honorable David Rouser, House of Representatives, 310 Government
Center Drive, Unit 1, Bolivia, North Carolina 28422
1 Riegelwood NC 28456 (Postmaster)
1 Bolton NC 28423 (Postmaster)
I Delco NC 28436 (Postmaster)
1 East Arcadia NC 28456(Postmaster)
I Wilmington NC 28401 (Postmaster)
1 Wilmington NC 28403 (Postmaster)
1 Wilmington NC 28405 (Postmaster)
1 Castle Hayne NC 28429 (Postmaster)
I Lake Waccamaw NC 28450 (Postmaster)
Mr. Fritz Rohde, National Marine Fisheries Service, Habitat Conservation
Division, Pivers Island, Beaufort North Carolina 28516
Ms. Kathy Matthews, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, P.O. Box 33726,
Raleigh, North Carolina 27636-3726

Mr. Todd Bowers, Region IV -Wetlands Regulatory Section, Water
Management Division, USEPA, 61 Forsyth Street, SW, Atlanta, Georgia
30303
Mr. Chad Coburn, North Carolina Division of Water Resources, 127
Cardinal Drive Ext, Wilmington, North Carolina 28405
Ms. Karen Higgins, North Carolina Division of Water Resources,
NCDEQ- Mail Service Center 1650, Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1650
Ms. Maria Dunn, North Carolina Wildlife Resource Commission, 943
Washington Square Mall, Washington, North Carolina 27889
Mr. Travis Wilson, NC Wildlife Resource Commission, 1718 Highway 56
West, Creedmoor, North Carolina 27522
Mr. Mac Haupt, North Carolina Division of Water Resources, NCDEQ-
Mail Service Center 1650, Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1650
Ms. Debra Wilson, North Carolina Division of Coastal Management, 127
Cardinal Drive Extension, Wilmington, North Carolina 28405

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