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Putnam County. Continental Building Products. Palatka, Florida. PROJECT PURPOSE: Basic: The basic project purpose is transportation. Overall: The overall project purpose is the installation of two rail lines to improve rail access to the applicant’s facility.

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: The Jacksonville District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) 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: Continental Building Products

886 North Highway 17

Palatka, Florida 32177

WATERWAY AND LOCATION: The project would affect waters of the United States (wetlands) associated with Cedar Creek, a tributary to the St. Johns River. The project site is located at 886 North Highway 17 (Putnam County Property Appraiser Parcel Identification Number 06-09-27-0000-0010-0000), in Section 31, Township 8 South, Range 27 East; and, Section 6, Township 9 South, Range 27 East, Palatka, Putnam County, Florida.

APPROXIMATE CENTRAL COORDINATES: Latitude 29.750151°

Longitude -81.641198°

PROJECT PURPOSE:

Basic: The basic project purpose is transportation.

Overall: The overall project purpose is the installation of two rail lines to improve rail access to the applicant’s facility.

EXISTING CONDITIONS: The project corridor encompasses two vegetative communities characterized by the Florida Land Use, Cover, and Forms Classification System (FLUCFCS). These communities are Upland Coniferous Forest (FLUCFCS code 410) and Wetland Forested Mixed (FLUCFCS code 630).

Upland Coniferous Forest: This community is comprised mainly of longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) slash pine (Pinus elliottii) with scattered saw palmetto (Serenoa repens), bitter gallberry (Ilex glabra), and bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum).

Wetland Forested Mixed: This community is characterized by a mixture of conifers and hardwood tree species with an open to dense understory. Dominant vegetation includes slash pine, bald cypress (Taxodium distichum), sweet bay (Magnolia virginiana), loblolly bay (Gordonia lasianthus), fetterbush (Lyonia lucida), and Virginia chain fern (Woodwardia virginica).

PROPOSED WORK: The applicant seeks authorization to discharge clean fill material over a total of 6.33 acres of wetlands to facilitate the installation of two rail lines.

AVOIDANCE AND MINIMIZATION INFORMATION – The applicant has provided the following information in support of efforts to avoid and/or minimize impacts to the aquatic environment:

The applicant indicates that the proposed rail lines must extend from the adjacent CSX main line, which parallels State Route 17 at the project site. The proposed rail lines also must be placed east of the CSX main line to access the site. Therefore, the proposed location is the only viable site. Additionally, due to the cost associated with the construction of retaining walls capable of withstanding the weight of trains, the applicant indicates that the use of retaining walls was deemed impractical. Therefore, the applicant determined that the proposed use of fill was the only practical alternative; and, the rail line bed is the minimum width necessary to support the proposed rail lines.

COMPENSATORY MITIGATION – The applicant has offered the following compensatory mitigation plan to offset unavoidable functional loss to the aquatic environment:

The applicant’s ecological agent submitted a Wetland Rapid Assessment Procedure (WRAP) qualifying and quantifying the loss of wetland functions and services associated with the work proposed. The WRAP calculated the functional loss as 4.26 units. In consideration of the WRAP, the applicant would purchase 4.26 palustrine forested wetland credits from the Sundew Mitigation Bank (SAJ-2000-04530).

CULTURAL RESOURCES: The Corps is not aware of any known historic properties within the permit area. By copy of this public notice, the Corps is providing information for review. Our final determination relative to historic resource impacts is subject to review by and coordination with the State Historic Preservation Officer and those federally recognized tribes with concerns in Florida and the Permit Area.

ENDANGERED SPECIES:

Eastern Indigo Snake (Drymarchon corais couperi) frequents several habitat types, including pine flatwoods, scrubby flatwoods, high pine, dry prairie, tropical hardwood hammocks, edges of freshwater marshes, agricultural fields, coastal dunes, and human-altered habitats. Therefore, this species could utilize the area encompassed by the ESA scope of analysis for this project. Gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) burrows are commonly utilized as refuge from winter cold and/or desiccating conditions in xeric habitats; and, hollowed root channels, hollow logs, or burrows of rodents, armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus), or land crabs (Cardisoma guanhumi) provide shelter in wetter habitats. A recent survey of the project site identified 21 active/inactive gopher tortoise burrows on the overall property. In consideration of the potential presence of eastern indigo snake habitat, the Corps utilized The Eastern Indigo Snake Programmatic Effect Determination Key, August 2013. Use of this key resulted in the sequence A-B-C-D-E-may affect, but is not likely to adversely affect, as the applicant has agreed to implement the Standard Protection Measures for the Eastern Indigo Snake, August 12, 2013. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) has indicated that they concur with determinations of may affect, not likely to adversely affect based on the key for eastern indigo snakes; and, that no additional consultation is necessary.

The Corps executed a Resources At Risk (RAR) report. The RAR did not indicate that the site is utilized by, or contains habitat critical to, any other federally listed threatened or endangered species. The Corps also reviewed geospatial data and other available information. The Corps has not received or discovered any information that the project site is utilized by, or contains habitat critical to, any other federally listed threatened or endangered species.

ESSENTIAL FISH HABITAT (EFH): This notice initiates consultation with the National Marine Fisheries Service on EFH as required by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act 1996. The proposal not affect marine or estuarine habitat or EFH. Our initial determination is that the proposed action would not adversely effect EFH or federally managed fisheries in the St. Johns River. Our final determination relative to project impacts and the need for mitigation measures is subject to review by and coordination with the National Marine Fisheries Service.

NOTE: This public notice is being issued based on information furnished by the applicant. This information has not been verified or evaluated to ensure compliance with laws and regulation governing the regulatory program. The Corps has not yet verified the proposed extent of Federal jurisdiction.

AUTHORIZATION FROM OTHER AGENCIES: Water Quality Certification may be required from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and/or one of the state Water Management Districts.

COMMENTS regarding the potential authorization of the work proposed should be submitted in writing to the attention of the District Engineer through the Jacksonville Permits Section, Post Office Box 4970, Jacksonville, Florida 32232 within 15 days from the date of this notice.

The decision whether to issue or deny this permit application will be based on the information received from this public notice and the evaluation of the probable impact to the associated wetlands. This is based on an analysis of the applicant's avoidance and minimization efforts for the project, as well as the compensatory mitigation proposed.

QUESTIONS concerning this application should be directed to the project manager, Mark Evans, in writing at the Jacksonville Permits Section, Post Office Box 4970, Jacksonville, Florida 32232; by electronic mail at mark.r.evans@usace.army.mil; by facsimile transmission at (904)232-1940; or, by telephone at (904)232-2028.

IMPACT ON NATURAL RESOURCES: Coordination with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the National Marine Fisheries Services, and other Federal, State, and local agencies, environmental groups, and concerned citizens generally yields pertinent environmental information that is instrumental in determining the impact the proposed action will have on the natural resources of the area.

EVALUATION: 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 benefits, 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 cumulative impacts thereof; among these are conservation, economics, esthetics, general environmental concerns, wetlands, historical properties, fish and wildlife values, flood hazards, floodplain values, land use, navigation, shoreline 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. Evaluation of the impact of the activity on the public interest will also include application of the guidelines promulgated by the Administrator, EPA, under authority of Section 404(b) of the Clean Water Act or the criteria established under authority of Section 102(a) of the Marine Protection Research and Sanctuaries Act of 1972. A permit will be granted unless its issuance is found to be contrary to the public interest.

The US Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) 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 to determine whether to issue, modify, condition, or deny a permit for this proposal. To make this determination, comments are used to assess impacts to endangered species, historic properties, water quality, general environmental effects, and the other public interest factors listed above. Comments are also used to determine the need for a public hearing and to determine the overall public interest of the proposed activity.

COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT CONSISTENCY: In Florida, the State approval constitutes compliance with the approved Coastal Zone Management Plan. In Puerto Rico, a Coastal Zone Management Consistency Concurrence is required from the Puerto Rico Planning Board. In the Virgin Islands, the Department of Planning and Natural Resources permit constitutes compliance with the Coastal Zone Management Plan.

REQUEST FOR PUBLIC HEARING: Any person may request a public hearing. The request must be submitted in writing to the District Engineer within the designated comment period of the notice and must state the specific reasons for requesting the public hearing.

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