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Public Notice No. 18-36

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Proposed Discharge of Fill Material into Waters of the U.S. Associated with the Extension and Widening of Taxiway C to a Full-Length Taxiway at the Huntsville International Airport in Huntsville, Madison County, Alabama

Public Notice No. 18-36 Nashville District Application No. LRN-2015-00386

Date: August 27, 2018; September 26, 2018

Please address all comments to:

Nashville District Corps of Engineers, Western Regulatory Field Office

2424 Danville Road SW, Suite N, Decatur, AL 35603

Attn: William E. Sinclair JOINT PUBLIC NOTICE US ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS AND STATE OF ALABAMA SUBJECT: Proposed Discharge of Fill Material into Waters of the U.S. Associated with the Extension and Widening of Taxiway C to a Full-Length Taxiway at the Huntsville International Airport in Huntsville, Madison County, Alabama TO ALL CONCERNED: The application described below has been submitted for a Department of the Army Permit pursuant to Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (CWA) for the discharge of fill material into waters of the United States. Before a permit can be issued, certification must be provided by the State of Alabama, pursuant to Section 401 (a)(1) of the CWA, that applicable water quality standards will not be violated. By copy of this notice, the applicant hereby applies for the required certification. APPLICANT: Huntsville Madison County Airport Authority Director of Engineering & Facilities Attn: Mr. Stan Hogan 1000 Glenn Hearn Boulevard, Box 20008 Huntsville, Alabama 35824-0008 LEAD FEDERAL AGENCY: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is considered the lead federal agency for the coordination and conduct of environmental reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). On August 18, 2015, FAA determined the proposed project would have no significant impact on the human environment. The Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) was based on their Environmental Assessment (EA). The Corps is evaluating the FAA EA; however, a separate decision document would be prepared prior to a final decision concerning issuance or denial of the requested DA permit. Comments received would be used in the preparation of any supplemental EA and/or an Environmental Impact Statement, if required, pursuant to NEPA prior to a final decision concerning issuance or denial of the DA permit. LOCATION: The project is located on the southeast portion of the existing Huntsville International Airport, immediately south of the existing Taxiway C terminus, west of Wall Triana Highway in Huntsville, Madison County, Alabama. Within the project site is an unnamed tributary of Barren Fork Creek and adjacent wetlands, tributaries of the Tennessee River Mile 321.0, Right Bank. The project site may be found on the Greenbrier, AL 7.5 Minute USGS Quadrangle Map (Latitude 34.63165°N; Longitude 86.76423°W). (HUC 060300020504, Barren Fork Creek). EXISTING CONDITIONS: The project area consists of approximately 64.25 acres of mowed area, owned and maintained by the airport. Aquatic resources within the project area include 1,842 linear feet of previously channelized intermittent stream, 1.01 acres of herbaceous wetland abutting the stream, and 2.16 acres of forested wetlands adjacent the stream. DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED WORK: The applicant proposes to permanently discharge fill material into 1,842 linear feet of intermittent stream and 1.01 acre of herbaceous wetlands abutting the stream, an unnamed tributary of Barren Fork Creek. 1,339 linear feet of the stream fill is for the construction of a 10’ x 8’ concrete box culvert located under the proposed Taxiway C, 468 linear feet is for the realignment and grading of the channel for long-term maintenance purposes, and 35 linear feet is for the construction of culvert to allow for the construction of a security fence along the eastern perimeter of the airport. The wetland fill is necessary for the construction of Taxiway C and the realignment and grading of the stream. The proposed discharge of fill would facilitate the extension and widening of Taxiway C to a full-length taxiway at the Huntsville International Airport. Plans of the proposed work are attached to this notice. If you wish to view additional plans, please contact this office or visit our web site at: http://www.lrn.usace.army.mil/Media/PublicNotices.aspx

PURPOSE AND NEED: To increase public safety by reducing back taxi operations on the runway. The proposed project is not water dependent. AVOIDANCE AND MINIMIZATION OF IMPACTS TO WATERS OF THE U.S.: Based on information provided in the project application, the applicant would avoid 2.16 acres of forested wetland. COMPENSATORY MITIGATION: The applicant proposes to offset the proposed impacts to 1.01 wetland acres through the purchase of 2.02 wetland credits from the Robinson Spring Mitigation Bank located in Jackson County, Alabama and impacts to 1,842 linear feet of stream through the purchase of 1,105 stream credits from the Flint River Mitigation Bank located in Madison, County, Alabama. The applicant used the Unified Stream Methodology (USM) to assess aquatic resources present within the project and calculate credits required to off-set the project stream impacts.

PUBLIC INTEREST REVIEW/CUMULATIVE EFFECTS: The decision whether to issue a permit will be based on an evaluation of the probable impacts including cumulative impacts of the 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 work must be balanced against its reasonably foreseeable detriments. All factors which may be relevant to the work 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, floodplain values, land use, navigation, shore erosion and accretion, recreation, water supply and conservation, water quality, energy needs, safety, food and fiber production, mineral needs, considerations of property ownership, and, in general, the needs and welfare of the people. The evaluation of the impact of the activity on the public interest will include application of the guidelines promulgated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), under authority of Section 404(b)(1) of the CWA (40 CFR Part 230). SOLICITATION OF COMMENTS: 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 (EA) 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. An EA will be prepared by this office prior to a final decision concerning issuance or denial of the requested DA Permit. HISTORIC AND CULTURAL RESOURCES: The FAA FONSI documented no sites determined to be historically significant or eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) present within the project area. The FAA EA found that the entire project area has been previously disturbed. By letter dated April 30, 2015, (AHC 15-0796), the State of Alabama Historical Commission concurred with the FAA’s determination that the project activities will have no effect on any cultural resources listed on or eligible for the NRHP. The Corps invites responses to this public notice from American Indian Tribes or tribal governments; Federal, State, and local agencies; historical and archeological societies; and other parties likely to have knowledge of or concerns regarding historic properties and areas of cultural significance at or near the project area. The Corps would consider any substantive comments to determine the potential of impacts of the project to historic properties and would initiate any required consultation with the SHPO and American Indian Tribes in accordance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. ENDANGERED AND THREATENED SPECIES REVIEW (Per Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act): On behalf of the FAA, an agent of the airport submitted a letter to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) detailing the proposed Taxiway C project. USFWS replied to the letter (2015-TA-0480) on April 16, 2015, stating that “no federally listed species/critical habitat are known to occur in the project area”. A review of U.S. Fish and Wildlife’s Information for Planning and Conservation (IpaC) website (http://ecos.fws.gov/ipac/) on August 14, 2018 indicated the following Threatened (T) and Endangered (E) species that may occur or could potentially be affected by the activities in this location: • MAMMALS: Gray bat (Myotis grisescens) (E); Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis) (E); Northern Long-eared bat (Myotis septentrionalis) (T) • CRUSTACEANS: ALABAMA CAVE SHRIMP (Palaemonias alabamae) (E) A copy of the notice is being furnished to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) for their review. This public notice serves as coordination with the USFWS pursuant to Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act of 1972 (as amended). Per this notification, we request comments from the USFWS concerning potential impacts to threatened and/or endangered species. After receipt of comments, the USACE will evaluate the potential effects on proposed and/or listed species and their designated critical habitat and initiate consultation with USFWS, if required. OTHER APPROVALS: In addition to the DA permit, other federal, state, and/or local approvals may be required for the proposed work is as follows: • Water Quality Certification from Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) pursuant to Section 401 (a)(1) of the CWA is required for the proposed project. PUBLIC HEARING REQUESTS: Any person may request, in writing, within the comment period specified in this notice, that a public hearing be held to consider this application. Requests for public hearings shall state, with particularity, the reasons for holding a public hearing. COMMENT PERIOD: Written statements received in this office within 30 days from the date of this notice will become a part of the record and will be considered in the determination. Any response to this notice should be directed to the Western Regulatory Field Office, Attention: William E. Sinclair at the above address, telephone (256) 350-5620, or email at william.e.sinclair@usace.army.mil If you received this notice by mail and wish to view all of the diagrams, visit our web site at: http://www.lrn.usace.army.mil/Media/PublicNotices.aspx, or contact Mr. Sinclair at the above address or telephone number, or email. /s/ Timothy C. Wilder Chief, WestBranch Regulatory Division U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

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