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2001-06-01 ~,- ..- '- DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY NEW YORK DISTRICT, CORPS OF ENGINEERS JACOB K. JAVlTS FEDERAL BUILDING NEW YORK, N.Y. 10278-0090 Ill>>:,~ o 1 JUN 2001 Mr. and Mrs. Brian c/o Kim Hanley Civil Technologies 2622 South Avenue Wappingers Falls, and Darce Lomas \'. €.C€.\\I€.D ~\)~ \) ~ 1\)\)\ ,O\NN C\..E.~" REPLY TO ATTENTION OF: Regulatory Branch SUBJECT: - ,,- Permit Application Number 2001-00144-YS by Brian and Darce Lomas and Engineering, P.C. NY 12590 Dear Mr. and Mrs. Lomas: On January 17, 2001, the New York District Corps of Engineers received a request for a Department of the Army jurisdictional determination and authorization for the discharge of fill material into waters of the United States to construct a driveway. This request was made by Ronald Miller of Civil Technologies and Engineering, P.C., as consultant for Brian and Darce Lomas. The site consists of approximately 6.4 acres, in the Hudson River Basin, on Old Hopewell Road in the Town of Wappinger, Dutchess County, New York. In the letter received on January 17, 2001, your consultant submitted a proposed delineation of the extent of waters of the United States within the project boundary. A site inspection was conducted by a representative of this office on February 14, 2001, in which it was agreed that changes would be made to the delineation and that the modified delineation would be submitted to this office. On April 17, 2001, this office received the modified delineation. Based on the material submitted and the observations of the representatives of this office during the site visit, this site has been determined to contain jurisdictional waters of the United States based on: the presence of wetlands determined by the occurrence of hydrophytic vegetation, hydric soils and wetland hydrology according to criteria established in the 1987 "Corps of Engineers Wetlands Delineation Manual," Technical Report Y-87-1i and the presence of a defined water body (e.g. stream channel, lake, pond, river, etc.) which is part of a tributary system. Based on the above, it has also been determined that the drawing entitled "Federal Wetland Disturbance and Mitigation Plan", Drawing No. C-3, Sheet Number 3 of 3, prepared by Civil Technologies and Engineering, P.C., dated March 9, 2001, and last revised on March 14, 2001, appears to be an accurate depiction of , the extent of the waters of the United States on the subject site. This drawing indicates that there are two (2) principal wetland areas on the project site. The first wetland (Wetland A) is located in the southwestern corner of the property and is approximately 1.03 acres within the property boundary. The second wetland (Wetland B), located in the northeastern corner of the property, is approximately 0.91 acre within the property boundary. These wetlan~s ~e considered to be above the headwaters. This determination regarding the delineation shall be considered valid for a period of five years from the date of this letter. Enclosed is a Notification of Administrative Appeal Options which provides information on your acceptance of this approved jurisdictional determination. The submittal entitled "Federal Wetland Disturbance and Mitigation Plan", Drawing No. C-3, Sheet Number 3 of 3, prepared by Civil Technologies and Engineering, P.C., dated March 9, 2001, and last revised March 14, 2001, indicates that the total impacts to waters of the United States would involve the discharge of fill material into a maximum of 0.24 acre of wetlands, with 0.24 acre of mitigation. Based on the information submitted to this office, and accomplishment of notification in accordance with the applicable federal requirements, our review of the project indicates that an individual permit is not required. It appears that the activities within the jurisdiction of this office could be accomplished under Department of the Army Nationwide General Permit Number 29. The nationwide permits are prescribed as a Final Notice of Issuance, Reissuance, and Modification of Nationwide Permits in the Federal Registers of December 13, 1996 (61 FR 65874), August 30, 1999 (64 FR 47175), and March 9, 2000 (65 FR 12818). The work may be performed without further authorization from this office provided the activity complies with the permit conditions listed in Section B, No. 29, Section C, the following special conditions, and any applicable regional conditions added by the State of New York, copies enclosed. Special Conditions (A) The permittee shall accomplish compensatory mitigation through the successful creation of at least 0.24 acre of wetlands from uplands on the project site. The permittee shall ensure that the created wetlands meet the federal wetland criteria outlined in the report entitled "Corps of Engineers Wetlands Delineation Manual", dated January, 1987, with current Corp of Engineers guidance. (B) The permittee shall ensure that all created wetlands in conjunction with the mitigation shall have an eighty-five (85) 2 percent survival and/or coverage rate of hydrophytic plants (those with a regional indicator status of FAC, FAC+, FACW+/-, or OBL in accordance with the report entitled "National List of Plant Species That Occur in Wetlands: Northeast [Region 1]", published by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) which must be met or exceeded at the end of the second growing season following the initial planting/seeding. The permittee shall also ensure that the vegetation in the~reated wetlands does not consisit of more than a total of ten (10) percent areal coverage of common reed (Phraomites australis) and/or purple loosestrife (Lvthrum salicaria). If the eighty-five (85) percent survival and/or coverage rate or the percent cover of common reed (Phraqmites australis) and/or purple loosestrife (Lvthrum salicaria) requirement is not met at the end of the second growing season following the initiation of the activities authorized by this letter, the permittee shall take all necessary measures to ensure the appropriate level of survival by the end of the next growing season, including re-planting and re-grading if necessary. (C) The permittee shall provide photographs showing all representative areas of the mitigation site, taken during the period between 1 June and 15 August in each of the two years immediately subsequent to the initiation of the activities authorized by this letter. (D) The permittee shall provide to this office a report on the status of the mitigation activities, prepared during the period between 1 June and 15 August of the fifth year following the initiation of the activities authorized by this letter. This report shall include the following at a minimum: i. All plant species, along with their estimated relative frequency and percent cover, shall be identified by using plots measuring 10 feet by 10 feet with at least one representative plot located in each of the habitat types within the mitigation site. The location of each plot shall be identified on the plan view engineering drawing. ii. Vegetation cover maps, at a scale of one inch equals 100 feet, or larger scale, shall be prepared. iii. Photographs showing all representative areas of the mitigation site shall be taken. (E) All grading and planting in conjunction with the wetlands mitigation work shall be completed prior to the completion of the discharge of fill authorized herein. (F) The permittee shall ensure that no mowing of the mitigation area shall occur. 3 (G) The permittee shall undertake the authorized filling activities in a manner aimed at reducing impacts upon the general environment. In addition, the permittee shall not stockpile fill or other materials in a manner conducive to erosion, or in areas likely to cause high turbidity runoff during storm events. All exposed soils shall be re-vegetated in a timely manner to further reduce potential effects. The permittee shall also fence off all wetlands and other sens~ti~ ecological areas during construction periods to prevent equipment and personnel from entering these areas. (H) The permittee shall secure a conservation easement or deed restriction on the wetland mitigation site to guarantee its preservation for wetland and wildlife resources. Copies of the instrument(s) effecting such easement shall be submitted to the New York District Corps of Engipeers for approval prior to execution, and the instrument(s) shall be executed and recorded with the Dutchess County Registrar of Deeds within one year following the initial plantings/seedings of the mitigation site. (I) The permittee shall assume all liability for accomplishing the corrective work should the New York District determine that the compensatory mitigation has not been fully satisfactory. If the New York District does not find the mitigation satisfactory, an extension of monitoring time may be required to cover any necessary remedial work. This determination covers only the work described in the submitted material. Any major changes in the project may require additional authorizations from the New York District. Care should be taken so that construction materials, including debris, do not enter any waterway to become drift or pollution hazards. You are to contact the appropriate state and local government officials to ensure that the subject work is performed in compliance with their requirements. This nationwide permit verification is valid for a period of two years from the date of this letter, unless the nationwide permit is modified, suspended or revoked. This verification will remain valid for two years from the date of this letter if the activity complies with the terms of any subsequent modifications of the nationwide permit authorization. If the nationwide permits are suspended, revoked, or modified in such a way that the activity would no longer comply with the terms and conditions of a nationwide permit, and the proposed activity has commenced, or is under contract to commence, the permittee shall have 12 months from the date of such action to complete the activity. This authorization is conditional on the applicant's receipt of the required water quality certificate or waiver from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation 4 , (NYSDEC). No work may be accomplished until the required approval from NYSDEC has been obtained. Within 30 days of the completion of the activity authorized by this permit and any mitigation required by this permit, you are to sign and submit the attached compliance certification form to this office. - ; If any questions should arise concerning this matter, please contact Randy J. English, of my staff, at (212) 264-0184. r~/ ~ Branch Enclosures cf: NYSDEC - Region 3 Town of Wappinger 5