BUFFER MITIGATION INCREASE! 

The North Carolina Ecosystem Enhancement Program (NCEEP) sent out the following statement:

“Pursuant to 15A NCAC 2B .0269 (Riparian Buffer Mitigation Fees to the N.C. Ecosystem Enhancement Program), EEP will apply an inflation adjustment to the payment rate for riparian buffer mitigation on Jan. 31, 2012.  For the 2011 calendar year, the Engineering News Record has published a Construction Cost Index inflation rate of 2.5 percent.  Based on this, the payment rate for riparian buffer mitigation will change from 96 cents per square foot to 99 cents per square foot.”

Other options may exist for your project to satisfy this mitigation requirement.  S&EC can assist you in identifying these.  Please contact Bob Zarzecki, bzarzecki@sandec.com, or a member of his staff if you have any questions.

More News….

NATIONWIDE PERMITS EXPIRE ON MARCH 18, 2012!

All existing Nationwide Permits (NWP’s) to impact wetlands and streams expire on March 18, 2012.  If you need to impact wetlands or streams prior to summer 2012, then you should get your applications in by February 1st.  S&EC has the staff and expertise to help you through this process.  The reason for this urgency is that there could be a “limbo period” where you cannot obtain a permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps).

The Corps Wilmington District Office is waiting for the final proposal for the new NWP’s from their Headquarters (HQ) in Washington, DC.  HQ intends for their proposal to be sent to the District well in advance of the expiration date to allow time to finalize the Regional Conditions that are required prior to District acceptance of the new NWP’s.  If the Regional Conditions are not approved by March 18, 2012 then there will be a “limbo period” when there will be no new verifications for the use of NWP’s.  In other words you can’t get a permit to impact wetlands or streams during this time.  This is a real possibility and occurred the last time the NWPs expired back in 2007.

If you’re able to get your applications in by February 1st, then you can most likely plan on “commencing or being under contract to commence the activity” almost immediately after you get the verification (remember it may be only 1 or 2 days before March 18th since the Corps will probably get a large number of PCN’s before February 1st).  You’ll want to submit your application as early as possible.

Missing the February 1st deadline, will most likely mean you’ll have to wait until the Regional Conditions for the new NWP’s are finalized, and the Corps is able to get through the backlog of applications to be processed under the new NWP’s.  There is also more certainty with the existing NWP’s although we don’t anticipate major changes with the new NWP’s or the Regional Conditions.

If you already have a NWP verification approval from the Corps that is valid until March 18, 2012, then you will be granted a one year extension if you have “commenced work or are under contract to commence work” prior to March 18, 2012.  S&EC can assist you in obtaining the necessary confirmation for your project from the Corps.

Please contact Bob Zarzecki at bzarzecki@sandec.com or a member of his staff if you have any questions.

Soil & Environmental Consultants, PA (S&EC) has conducted groundwater hydrology evaluations for surface and subsurface wastewater systems, and provided permit consultation for compliance with NCDENR, NCDWQ and local County regulations on a wide variety of projects in North Carolina.  Example projects include:

Coastal Studies Institute in Manteo, Dare County, NC – Project work consisted of Soil/Site Evaluation, Hydrologic Evaluation, and Site Loading Capacity for an Infiltration Basin Wastewater System.  The design daily flow was 7,000 GPD. This project is currently in the construction phase.

Lake Wheeler Road Expansion Project in Raleigh, Wake County, NC – Soils Evaluation, Hydrology Analysis & Hydrogeologic Study, NCDENR & Wake County Permit Coordination. The design daily flow was 13,000 GPD.

North Carolina Forest Service in Chatham County, NC – Soils Evaluation, Hydrologic Evaluation, Wastewater System Design and Permitting.

Garner Wastewater Treatment Facility in Wake County, NC – Project work consisted of Soil/Site Evaluation, Hydrologic Evaluation, Phosphorus Loss Assessment Study and Site Loading Capacity for a Proposed Spray Irrigation Wastewater System for the Garner Wastewater Treatment Facility. The design daily flow was 500,000 GPD. This project is currently in the design phase.

Highland Meadows in Banner Elk, Watauga County, NC – Project work consisted of Soil/Site Evaluation, Ksat measurements, Hydrologic Evaluation and Site Loading Capacity for a Proposed Residential Development. This project is currently in the design phase for multiple subsurface drip irrigation systems to be permitted by NCDEH. The design daily flow is 22,000 GPD.

Slash Creek, LLC in Dare County, NC – Project work related to the Soil Analysis, Ksat measurements, Hydrologic Mounding Analysis and Groundwater Modeling for the disposal of the reuse quality treated wastewater at this site. The design daily flow was 18,000 GPD and was permitted by NCDWQ in 2005. 

Ginguite in Dare County, NC – Project work related to the Soil Analysis, Ksat measurements, Hydrologic Mounding Analysis and Groundwater Modeling for the disposal of the reuse quality treated wastewater at this site.  The design daily flow was 32,500 GPD and was permitted by NCDWQ in 2001. 

Clarkton Wastewater Treatment Facility in Bladen County, NC – Project work consisted of Soil/Site Evaluation, Ksat measurements, Hydrologic Evaluation and Site Loading Capacity for a Proposed Reuse Spray Irrigation Wastewater System for the Clarkton Wastewater Treatment Facility. The design daily flow was 240,000 GPD, however after our analysis this site was not pursued for permitting by the Town of Clarkton. 

S&EC prepared design recommendations for the installation of select stormwater treatment devices for a large commercial quarry operation in Nash County, NC.  The project scope included the design of five wet detention basins and associated appurtenances in accordance with the North Carolina Best Management Practices (BMP) and the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources (NCDENR) Erosion and Sediment Control Planning and Design manual.  S&EC prepared necessary design reports and construction documents including Construction Drawings and Technical Specifications for regulatory agency review.

S&EC prepared restoration design plans for approximately 1,000 linear feet of mountain stream and approximately 3 acres of wetlands that were inadvertently impacted as a result of development activities within an 1,800 acre residential property near Black Mountain, in McDowell County, NC.  The project scope included evaluation of existing impaired/impacted site conditions, the development of a conceptual restoration plan, the development of construction documents including Construction Drawings and Technical Specifications, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and N.C. Division of Water Quality (DWQ) regulatory coordination, contractor coordination and construction oversight, and success monitoring.  Stream restoration utilized collected reference reach data and Rosgen-based natural channel design methodologies.

S&EC performed hydraulic analyses for a proposed crossing within the Franklin County Industrial Park to determine water surface profiles for various design storms for the proposed Hub Road Extension.  Working directly for the Kerr-Tar Regional Economic Development Corporaiton, S&EC’s project scope included the development of representative U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) HEC-RAS (River Analysis System) models to accurately evaluate the proposed crossing’s effect on water surface elevation for both existing and future developed flow conditions.  S&EC’s project scope also included the preparation of the hydrologic and hydraulic report for submittal to the Federal Emergency Managment Agency (FEMA) including base flood elevations, Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) revisions, the Conditional Letter of Map Revision (CLOMR) application, and necessary review coordination with FEMA.  In addition S&EC performed a jurisdictional delineation of regulated wetlands and streams, and evaluated the proposed crossing in regard to USACE and NCDENR Division of Water Quality and permitting requirements.  Following construction S&EC will evaluate post-construction conditions and prepare the Letter of Map Revision (LOMR) application with all the necessary supporting information for FEMA review.

Veridea will be a new, sustainable, mixed-use urban community constructed on +/- 1,000 acres within the Town of Apex in Wake County, North Carolina.  S&EC worked with the developer by providing listed species surveys, suitable habitat assessments and coordination with local, Federal and State agencies. Project scope involved surveys for Federally Threatened and Endangered species, Federal Species of Concern, and North Carolina listed species along the fall line of the Cape Fear and Neuse River Basins. During site investigations representative species of plant and animal were recorded in order to properly categorize habitat areas on-site.

S&EC was responsible for the restoration design plans for restoration of approximately 5,000 linear feet of piedmont stream and its associated riparian buffer.  The project also included the restoration and creation of a combined total of approximately 14.5 acres of riverine wetlands.  Services also included evaluation of existing impaired/impacted site conditions, the development of construction documents, an erosion and sedimentation pollution control plan, regulatory coordination and permitting, construction observation and five years of post-construction site monitoring.

S&EC prepared restoration design plans for approximately 7,500 linear feet of piedmont stream and its associated riparian buffer and wetlands on the Gray Farm property near Statesville in Iredell County, NC.  Project performed as part of a full-delivery project for the North Carolina Ecosystem Enhancement Program (NCEEP) with a North Carolina mitigation banking firm (American Wetlands).  Project included evaluation of existing impaired/impacted site conditions, a Phase I environmental assessment, the development of a project Restoration Plan, the development of construction documents including a  sediment and erosion control and planting plan, regulatory coordination and 404/401 permitting, contractor coordination and construction oversight, as-built drawings and Mitigation Plan, and 5-years of post-contruction success monitoring.  Design utilized collected reference reach data and Rosgen-based natural channel design methodologies for stream restoration.

Soil & Environmental Consultants, PA (S&EC) has conducted soil evaluations for surface and subsurface wastewater systems, stormwater BMP’s, and provided permit consultation for compliance with NCDENR, NCDWQ and local County regulations on thousands of properties throughout North Carolina.  Example projects include:

Lake Wheeler Road Expansion Project in Raleigh, NC – Project work consisted of Soil/Site Evaluation, Hydrology Analysis & Hydrogeologic Study, NCDENR & Wake County Permit Coordination. The design daily flow was 13,000 GPD.

Garner Wastewater Treatment Facility in Wake County, NC – Project work consisted of Soil/Site Evaluation, Hydrologic Evaluation, Phosphorus Loss Assessment Study and Site Loading Capacity for a Proposed Spray Irrigation Wastewater System for the Garner Wastewater Treatment Facility,Wake County,North Carolina.  The design daily flow was 500,000 GPD.

City of Raleigh Wastewater Treatment Facility in Wake County, NC – Project work consisted of Soil/Site Evaluation, Irrigation System Evaluation, Agronomic Management Plan and Site Loading Capacity for a Proposed Spray Irrigation System on Agricultural fields at the Neuse River Wastewater Treatment Facility.

Wake County Mudcats Baseball Facility in Wake County, NC – Project work consisted of Soil/Site Evaluation, Irrigation System Evaluation, Agronomic Management Plan and Site Loading Capacity for a Proposed Spray Irrigation System on the newly constructed baseball field.

Flood Study Working Map

S&EC performed hydraulic analyses for a stream crossing at the proposed Apex Town Park to determine water surface profiles for various design storms for a planned community park service road within the Town of Apex, North Carolina.  S&EC’s project scope included the conversion of available hard-copy HEC-2 (Water Surface Profiles) models into U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) HEC-RAS (River Analysis System) format for use.  Subsequent hydraulic modeling utilized HEC-RAS to simulate existing and future developed flow conditions.  S&EC prepared recommendations for the design of the proposed crossing for the design engineers.  S&EC’s project scope also included the preparation of the hydrologic and hydraulic report for submittal to the Federal Emergency Managment Agency (FEMA) including base flood elevations, water surface profiles, flood mapping revisions, the Conditional Letter of Map Revision (CLOMR) application, and necessary review coordination with FEMA.  In addition S&EC performed a jurisdictional delineation of regulated wetlands and streams, and evaluated the proposed crossing in regard to USACE and NCDENR Division of Water Quality and permitting requirements.  Following construction S&EC evaluated post-construction conditions and prepared the Letter of Map Revision (LOMR) application with all the necessary supporting information for submittal on behalf of the Town of Apex.