Public Notice
U.S. Army Corps In Reply to Application Number
of Engineers NAB-2019-00199-P07 (PA DOT – SR56 SR 4028 Intersection)
Baltimore District
PN-19-33 Comment Period: May 31, 2019 to June 30, 2019
THE PURPOSE OF THIS PUBLIC NOTICE IS TO SOLICIT COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC REGARDING THE WORK DESCRIBED BELOW. NO DECISION HAS BEEN MADE AS TO WHETHER OR NOT A PERMIT WILL BE ISSUED AT THIS TIME.
This District has received an application for a Department of the Army permit pursuant to Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (33. U.S.C. 1344) as described below:
APPLICANT: Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, Engineering District 9-0
Attn: Mr. Andrew Gonsman
1620 North Juniata Street
Holidaysburg, Pennsylvania 16648
WATERWAY AND LOCATION OF THE PROPOSED WORK: In an unnamed, perennial tributary to Adams Run, at the intersection of State Route 56 (Quaker Valley Road) and State Route 4028 in East St. Clair Township, Bedford County, Pennsylvania, near the Village of Fishertown. The coordinates for the project are 40.12789 north and -78.5811 west.
PROPOSED WORK AND PURPOSE: The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) is proposing to construct roadway improvements along approximately 0.775 mile of State Route (SR) 0056, locally know as Quaker Valley Road in East Saint Clair Township, Bedford County, Pennsylvania. The proposed improvements include widening the two lane roadway to provide for a center left turn lane that would tie into the existing three lane sections on each end of the project. All widening would be along the existing westbound lanes (left side). An unnamed tributary to Adams Run parallels SR 56 on the westbound side and would be impacted by the widened roadway. Two existing box culverts that carry the unnamed tributary would also be replaced with elliptical concrete pipes. The culvert replacements and appurtenant structures are water dependent. The proposed typical section would allow for 4 foot shoulders, two 12 foot travel lanes and a 14 foot center left turn lane. A design exception would be required for the 4 foot shoulder width. Drainage and guide rail updates would be completed throughout the project length.
The work would permanently impact 0.288 acre of emergent wetland and impact 1,395 linear feet of streams, including 966 linear feet of channel relocation. Wetland impacts are proposed to be mitigated through the debiting of credits from the Huntingdon Wetland Bank operating under the PennDOT Wetland Umbrella Mitigation Banking Instrument. Impacts to waterways are proposed to be mitigated through improvement of the relocated channel. All work is proposed to be completed in accordance with the enclosed plan(s).
The decision whether to issue a permit will be based on an evaluation of the probable impacts, 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 reasonable 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, economic, 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, mineral needs, and consideration of property ownership and in general, the needs and welfare of the people.
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 provided will become part of the public record for this action. 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: Mr. John Gibble, 401 East Louther Street, Suite 205, Carlisle, Pennsylvania 17013 or at john.gibble@usace.army.mil within the comment period specified above.
The applicant is required to obtain a water quality certification in accordance with Section 401 of the Clean Water Act from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. The Section 401 certifying agency has a statutory limit of one year from the date of this public notice to make its decision.
The applicant must obtain any state or local government permits which may be required.
A preliminary review of this application indicates that the proposed work will not affect federally- 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.
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 request permit.
The evaluation of the impact of this project 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 request, which must be in writing, must be received by the District Engineer, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District, Attn: Mr. John Gibble, 401 East Louther Street, Suite 205, Carlisle, Pennsylvania 17013 or at john.gibble@usace.army.mil, within the comment period as specified above to receive consideration. Also it must clearly set forth the interest which may be adversely affected by this activity and the manner in which the interest may be adversely affected.
It is requested that you communicate this information concerning the proposed work to any persons know 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 Mr. John Gibble of this office at
(717) 249-9457 or john.gibble@usace.army.mil .
FOR THE DISTRICT ENGINEER:
Wade B. Chandler
Chief, Pennsylvania Section
Regulatory Branch