PN18-17 (AA DPW/Beverly Triton Beach) - 2017-62146 - AA Co

Published March 23, 2018
Expiration date: 4/23/2018

                                                Public Notice

U.S. Army Corps                   In Reply to Application Number

of Engineers                          CENAB-OPR-MN-(AA DPW/Beverly Triton Beach)

Baltimore District                 2017-62146-M24

 

PN 18-17                                 Comment Period: March 23, 2018 to April 23, 2018

 


THE PURPOSE OF THIS PUBLIC NOTICE IS TO SOLICIT COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE WORK DESCRIBED BELOW.   AT THIS TIME, NO DECISION HAS BEEN MADE AS TO WHETHER OR NOT A PERMIT WILL BE ISSUED.

 

The Baltimore District has received an application for a Department of the Army permit pursuant to Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 and Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. 1344), as described below:

 

APPLICANT:   Anne Arundel County Department of Public Works

c/o Masoud Ghatineh, P.E.

2662 Riva Road

Annapolis, Maryland 21401

 

WATERWAY AND LOCATION: In the Chesapeake Bay at Beverly Triton Beach, Anne Arundel County, Maryland.

 

PROPOSED WORK AND PURPOSE:  The applicant proposes to emplace 27,000 cubic yards of clean sand along 2,352 feet of shoreline as beach nourishment within a maximum of 82 feet channelward of the approximate mean high water shoreline. The purpose of the project is to provide shoreline erosion control and beach nourishment at Beverly Triton Beach.  The beach nourishment area of 13,251 SF will be planted with Spartina patens plugs.

 

The Corps originally permitted this project in 1998 (stone revetment, stone breakwaters and the placement of sand for beach nourishment). The permit received time extensions in 2000 and 2006, and the breakwaters were built. Most of the sand for beach nourishment was placed at the northern section of the project and very little was placed at the middle and southern sections, which is where the sand and marsh planting will be concentrated this time, and the erosion is greater.

 

The proposed project is located within tidal waters in the Chesapeake Bay in Anne Arundel County. All work is to be completed in accordance with the attached plans dated November, 2017. If you have any questions concerning this matter, please contact Mrs. Mary Frazier at (410) 962-5679 or Mary.A.Frazier@usace.army.mil.

 

As part of the planning process for the proposed project, steps were taken to ensure avoidance and minimization of impacts to aquatic resources to the maximum extent practicable based on the existing site conditions and previously authorized work.  No compensatory mitigation is proposed since no wetland impacts are proposed.

 

The decision whether to issue a permit will be based on an evaluation of the probable impact including cumulative impacts of the proposed activity on the public interest.  That decision will reflect the national concern for both protection and utilization of important resources.  The benefit which reasonably may be expected to accrue from the proposal must be balanced against its reasonably foreseeable detriments.  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, cultural values, fish and wildlife values, flood hazards, flood plain values, land use, navigation, shoreline erosion and accretion, recreation, water supply and conservation, water quality, energy needs, safety, food and fiber production, and, in general, the needs and welfare of the people.

 

The evaluation of the impacts of the work described above on the public interest will include application of the Clean Water Act 404(b)(1) Guidelines promulgated by the Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, under authority of Section 404 of the Clean Water Act.

 

The Corps of Engineers is soliciting comments from the public; Federal, State, and local agencies and officials; Indian Tribes; and other interested parties in order to consider and evaluate the impacts of this proposed activity.  Any comments received will be considered by the Corps of Engineers to determine whether to issue, modify, condition or deny a permit for this proposal.  To make this decision, comments are used to assess impacts on endangered species, historic properties, water quality, general environmental effects, and the other public interest factors listed above.  Comments are used in the preparation of an Environmental Assessment and/or an Environmental Impact Statement pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act.  Comments are also used to determine the need for a public hearing and to determine the overall public interest of the proposed activity.

 

Written comments concerning the work described above related to the factors listed above or other pertinent factors must be received by the District Engineer, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District, [Attn: Mrs. Mary Frazier CENAB-OPR-M], 2 Hopkins Plaza, Baltimore, Maryland 21201 or Mary.A.Frazier@usace.army.mil, within the comment period specified above.

 

ESSENTIAL FISH HABITAT: The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSFCMA), as amended by the Sustainable Fisheries Act of 1996 (Public Law 04-267), requires all Federal agencies to consult with the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) on all actions, or proposed actions, permitted, funded, or undertaken by the agency that may adversely affect Essential Fish Habitat (EFH). The project site lies in or adjacent to the Potomac River complex for EFH as described under the MSFCMA for Scopthalmus aquosos (windowpane flounder) juvenile and adult; Pomatomus saltatrix (blue fish) juvenile and adult; Paralicthys dentatus (summer flounder) juvenile and adult; and the eggs, larvae, juvenile, and adult stages of Sciaenops ocellatus (red drum), Scomberomorus cavalla (king mackerel), Scomberomorus maculatus (Spanish mackerel), and Rachycentron canadum (cobia), managed species under the MSFCMA.

 

The project has the potential to adversely affect EFH or the species of concern by loss of spawning, nursery, forage and/or shelter habitat as described under the MSFCMA for the species and life stages identified above.  The Baltimore District has made a preliminary determination that site-specific impacts would not be substantial and an abbreviated consultation will be conducted with NMFS.  No mitigative measures are recommended to minimize adverse effects on EFH at this time. This determination may be modified if additional information indicates otherwise and would change the preliminary determination. The project area is not a Habitat Area of Particular Concern (HAPC).

 

WATER QUALITY CERTIFICATION: The applicant is required to obtain a water quality certification in accordance with Section 401 of the Clean Water Act from the Maryland Department of the Environment.  Any written comments concerning the work described above which relate to water quality certification must be received by the Maryland Department of the Environment, Tidal Wetlands Division, Montgomery Park Business Center,1800 Washington Blvd., Suite 430, Baltimore, Maryland 21230 within the comment period as specified above to receive consideration.  MDE has a statutory limit of one year from the date of this public notice to make its decision.

 

COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM: The applicant has certified in this application that the proposed activity complies with and will be conducted in a manner consistent with the Maryland Coastal Zone Management (CZM) Program.  By this public notice, we are requesting the State concurrence or objection to the applicant’s consistency statement. Public comments relating to consistency must be received by the Maryland Department of the Environment, Tidal Wetlands Division, Montgomery Park Business Center, 1800 Washington Blvd. Suite 430, Baltimore, Maryland 21230-1708, within the comment period specified above to receive consideration.  MDE has a statutory limit of 6 months from the date of this public notice to concur or object to the applicant’s consistency determination.

 

The applicant must obtain any State or local government permits which may be required.

 

ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT: A preliminary review of this application indicates that the proposed work would have no adverse effect to any species listed as threatened or endangered, or their critical habitat, by the NMFS Protected Resource Division (PRD) under the ESA of 1973, as amended since the proposed work is located in water depths less than -3.0 feet mean low water (MLW).  As the evaluation of this application continues, additional information may become available which could modify this preliminary determination.

 

NATIONAL HISTORIC PRESERVATION ACT: Review of the latest published version of the National Register of Historic Places indicates that no registered properties listed as eligible for inclusion therein are located at the site of the proposed work.  Ongoing coordination with the Maryland Historic Trust will determine if known archeological, scientific, prehistoric, or historical data may be affected by the work to be accomplished under the requested permit.

 

Any person who has an interest, which may be adversely affected by the issuance of this permit, may request a public hearing.  The request, which must be in writing, must be received by the District Engineer, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District, [ATTN: Mrs. Mary Frazier], 2 Hopkins Plaza, Baltimore, Maryland 21201, within the comment period as specified above to receive consideration.  Also, it must clearly state the interest that may be adversely affected by this activity and the manner in which the interest may be adversely affected.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is requested that you communicate the foregoing information concerning the proposed work to any persons known by you to be interested and not being known to this office, who did not receive a copy of this notice.

 

FOR THE DISTRICT ENGINEER:

 

 

 

 

                                                                        Joseph P. DaVia

                                                                        Chief, Maryland Section Northern