PN15-57 (MD SHA/FMIS #DO302A21/MD 16 @ Woods Road/Intersection Improvements (roundabout construction) - Dorchester County

Published Sept. 22, 2015
Expiration date: 10/20/2015

               Public Notice                                                       

U.S. Army Corps              In Reply to Application Number           

of Engineers                     CENAB-OP-RMN (MD SHA/FMIS # DO302A21/MD 16 @ Woods

                                           Road/Intersection Improvements (roundabout construction)          

                                           2015-61126-M24

 

PN 15-57                           Comment Period:  September 22, 2015 to October 20, 2015

                                     

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 404 of the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. 1344), as described below:

                   

APPLICANT:            Mr. Todd Nichols

         Maryland State Highway Administration

                     707 N. Calvert Street

                     Baltimore, Maryland 21202

WATERWAY AND LOCATION:    Nontidal wetlands adjacent to Little Maple Dam Branch, near Cambridge, Dorchester County, Maryland

PROPOSED WORK:  The Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) proposes, in accordance with the attached plans, to replace the existing intersection at MD 16 and Woods Road with a single lane roundabout.  A 10-foot shared use bike/pedestrian path will be included behind the curb in all four quadrants of the intersection. A minimum 6-foot shoulder will be provided to accommodate bikes leading to the roundabout.  The roadway improvement project will result in a total of 32,229 square feet (SF) of permanent impacts to palustrine emergent and palustrine forested wetlands.  The applicant has proposed relocating the existing roadside drainage feature containing palustrine emergent wetlands as in-kind mitigation for project impacts.  SHA proposes to mitigate for palustrine forested impacts (4,597 SF) by purchasing credits at the Maple Dam Mitigation Bank in Dorchester County, Maryland. The permanent impacts to palustrine forested wetlands were reduced by relocating stormwater management features and adjusting slopes.

The purpose of the proposed interchange is to construct a roundabout to improve safety for drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians at a dangerous intersection.

All work is to be completed in accordance with the enclosed plan(s).  If you have any questions concerning this matter, please contact Mrs. Mary Frazier at 410-962-5679 or Mary.A.Frazier@usace.army.mil.

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 impact of the work described above on the public interest will include application of the Clean Water Act Section 404 (b) (1) Guidelines promulgated by the Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, under the authority of the 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-OP-RMN, P.O. Box 1715, Baltimore, Maryland 21203-1715, within the comment period specified above.

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, Wetlands and Waterways Program, Montgomery Park Business Center, 1800 Washington Boulevard, Suite 430, Baltimore, Maryland 21230, within the comment period as specified above to receive consideration.  The Section 401 certifying agency 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’s concurrence or objection to the applicant’s consistency certification statement.  Public comments relating to consistency must be received by the Maryland Department of the Environment, Wetlands and Waterways Program, Montgomery Park Business Center, 1800 Washington Boulevard, Suite 430, Baltimore, Maryland 21230-1708 within the comment period as specified above to receive consideration.  MDE has a statutory limit of 6 months to concur or object to the applicant’s consistency determination.

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 may affect listed species or their critical habitat pursuant to Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act as amended.   The Delmarva fox squirrel is known to occur on or within the immediate vicinity of the project site. 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 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, CENAB-OP-RMN], P.O. Box 1715, Baltimore, Maryland 21203-1715, within the comment period as specified as above to receive consideration.  Also, it must clearly state 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 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