Public Notice
U.S. Army Corps In Reply to Application Number
of Engineers NAB-2018-61509-P09 (Anne Arundel County DPW/Boat Launch
Baltimore District Facility at Solley Cove Park)
PN 19-28 Comment Period: May 17, 2019 – June 16, 2019
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 Chris Rager
Bayland Consultants & Designers, Inc.
7455 New Ridge Road, Suite T
Hanover, Maryland 21076
WATERWAY AND LOCATION: All work is proposed in Curtis Creek, and in an intertidal zone contiguous with Curtis Creek, at Solley Cove Park, off of the Patapsco River, Anne Arundel County, Maryland.
PROPOSED WORK AND PURPOSE: The applicant proposes, in accordance with the attached plans, to improve public access to waterways throughout the county, and reduce traffic and congestion at nearby marinas and boat ramps. The improvements will involve the following construction phases: (1) to remove 2 dilapidated piers, 31 pilings and an existing boat launch; (2) build one 54’ x 21’ ramp, along with an adjacent littoral drift wall and an adjacent 75’ x 6’ floating pier; (3) improve an existing “soft launch” site by mechanically dredging 38 cubic yards of sediment to a maximum depth of -2’ mean low water (MLW) and replace with 35 cubic yards of firm sand; (4) emplace 298 square feet of landscape stones to retain the sand; (5) mechanically dredge 87 cubic yards of material from the boat launch area to a maximum depth of -5 ‘ MLW; (6) construct 410 linear feet of stone breakwaters around the entire site; and (7) plant 12,188 square feet of marsh vegetation landward of the breakwaters. All dredged material will be transported by trucks to the Anne Arundel County Rock Creek Dredge material Placement facility located off of Water Oak Point Road, approximately 5 miles from the proposed construction site.
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. No compensatory mitigation is proposed since no wetland fill 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 U.S. Army 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 U.S. Army 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 of Engineers, Baltimore District, [Attn: Matthew Gall, CENAB-OPR-P], 1631 South Atherton Street, Suite 101, State College, Pennsylvania 16801 or matt.gall@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 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 EFH as described under MSFCMA for adult Little Skate and Winter Skate; juvenile and adult Bluefish, Scup, Windowpane Flounder, Black Sea Bass, Atlantic Herring, and Clearnose Skate; larvae, juveniles and adult Summer Flounder; and, adult, eggs, larvae and juvenile stages of Red Hake, all managed species under the MSFCMA. According to the Maryland Department of Natural Resource’s Merlin on-line database, the proposed lease site has been identified as being EFH for spawning yellow perch.
The project has the potential to adversely affect EFH or the species of concern by the alteration of spawning, nursery, forage and/or shelter habitat. The project may have an adverse effect on approximately 0.56 acre of EFH as described under the MSFCMA for the species and life stages identified above. This habitat consists of a mostly mud/silt substrate which does not support submerged aquatic vegetation. The project area is not a Habitat Area of Particular Concern. According to the Virginia Institute of Marine Science survey maps, there was no submerged aquatic vegetation within the area. The Baltimore District has made a preliminary determination that site-specific impacts would not be substantial and an abbreviated consultation will be conducted with National Marine Fisheries Service. No mitigative measures are recommended at this time to minimize adverse effects on EFH. This preliminary determination may be modified if additional information indicates otherwise and could change the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ preliminary determination.
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. The 401 certifying agency has a statutory limit of one year 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 Program. This certification statement is available for inspection in the District Office; however, public comments relating to consistency must be received by the Tidal Wetlands Division, Maryland Department of the Environment, Montgomery Park Business Center, 1800 Washington Blvd. Suite 430, Baltimore, Maryland 21230, within the comment period as specified above. It should be noted that the MDE has a statutory limit of six months in which to make its 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 may affect, but is not likely to adversely affect, federal listed threatened or endangered species or their critical habitat, pursuant to Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act, as amended. 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. Currently unknown archeological, scientific, prehistoric, or historical data may be lost or destroyed by the work to be accomplished under the requested permit.
The evaluation of the impact of the work described above on the public interest will include application of the guidelines promulgated by the Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, under authority of Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. Any person who has an interest, which may be adversely affected by the issuance of this permit, may request a public hearing. The District Engineer must receive the request, which must be in writing, to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District, 1631 South Atherton Street, Suite 101 State College, Pennsylvania 16801, within the comment period as specified as 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.
If you have any questions concerning this matter, please contact the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Project Manager, Mr. Matt Gall, by phone at 814-235-1762 or by e-mail at
matt.gall@usace.army.mil; or submit them in writing by mailing to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers of Engineers, Baltimore District; Regulatory Branch, Pennsylvania Section; ATTN: Mr. Matthew Gall, 1631 South Atherton Street, Suite 101, State College, PA 16801.
FOR THE DISTRICT ENGINEER:
Wade B. Chandler
Chief, Pennsylvania Section
Regulatory Branch