The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Regulatory Program in Georgia

Transcription

1 The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Regulatory Program in Georgia David Lekson, PWS Kelly Finch, PWS Richard Morgan Savannah District August, 2013 US Army Corps of Engineers

2 Topics Savannah District Regulatory Division Regulatory Efficiencies On the Horizon 2

3 Introduction Joined Savannah District in Jan years as Branch Chief in the Wilmington District, NC Certified Professional Wetland Scientist with extensive field and teaching experience across the country Participated in regional and national initiatives (wetland delineation and assessment, Mitigation/Banking); Served 6- month detail at the Pentagon in 2012 Evaluated phosphate/sand/rock mining, wind energy, port and military projects, water supply, landfills, utilities, transportation (highway, airport, rail), and other large-scale commercial and residential projects 3

4 Georgia Largest state east of the Mississippi River 59,425 Square miles Abuts 5 states 5 Ecoregions 159 Counties 70,000 Miles of waterways 7.7 Million acres of wetlands TN NC SC AL FL 4 BUILDING STRONG

5 Savannah Regulatory Organization Lake Lanier Piedmont Branch Mr. Ed Johnson (678) Morrow Coastal Branch Ms. Kelly Finch (912) Savannah Albany 35 Team members 3 Field Offices & Savannah 3 Branches (Piedmont, Coastal, Multipurpose Management) 5

6 Regulatory Efficiencies General Permits Re-issuance of existing Regional and Programmatic General Permits New RGP37 for Inshore GADNR Artificial Reefs Electronic PNs New In-Lieu-Fee Mitigation Program Forming a Reservoir Working Group with state and federal resource agencies Written agreements with NRCS, GFC, EPA to aid property owners in understanding regulatory programs 6

7 On The Horizon CWA Jurisdiction Rule EPA Coastal Wetlands Report Corps / NMFS Re-initiation of Consultation on the 2012 Nationwide Permit Program ESA Listing of Atlantic Sturgeon FL lawsuit against GA regarding water use 7 BUILDING STRONG

8 Department of the Army Permits Standard Permits: Individual Permit Letter of Permission General Permits: Nationwide Permit Programmatic General Permit Regional Permit Hickory Log Creek Reservoir Cherokee County Riprap Living Shoreline 8

9 Programmatic General Permits PGPs are issued by Savannah District for routine activities with minimal impacts, both individually and cumulatively Corps delegates verification of PGP use to state, local or other agency with existing authority to permit the activity Permitting agency submits quarterly PGP use and compliance reports to Corps 9

10 Programmatic General Permits Corps Savannah River Lakes Corps Chattahoochee River Lakes Corps Coosa River Lakes Lake Blackshear (Flint River) Georgia Power Company Lakes Coastal Georgia Recreational Docks Offshore Fishing Reefs New Inshore Fishing Reefs 10

11 Regional Permits RPs are also issued by Savannah District for routine activities with minimal impacts, both individually and cumulatively Proposals to use a RP are submitted to Crops for review and verification Streamlined approval process for projects that comply with terms and conditions for use of RP 11

12 Regional Permits Public Roads and Bridge Projects Public Bridge and Culvert Replacement Five-Acre Recreational Ponds Ft. Benning BRAC Projects Under Development Statewide Docks BRAC Road Project Recreational Pond 12

13 26 Water Supply Reservoirs Permitted in Georgia Since 1987 Lake Horton, Fayette County 13

14 Reservoir Applications Being Processed Dawson County Russell Creek Hall County Glades Farm Paulding County Richland Creek Jackson County Parks Creek Carroll County Indian Creek Newton County Bear Creek Fulton County Bear Creek 14

15 Hall County (Glades Farm) Chattahoochee River pump-storage 850 acre reservoir 49 mgd yield Impacts: 39.2 acres of wetland 94,851 feet of stream 15

16 Dawson County (Russell Creek) Etowah River pump-storage 137 acre reservoir 11.5 mgd yield Impacts: 5.9 acres of wetland 22,344 feet of steam 16

17 Carroll County (Indian Creek) Tallapoosa River pump-storage 643 acre reservoir 18.0 mgd yield Impacts: 18.8 acres of wetland 47,468 feet of stream 17

18 Paulding County (Richland Creek) Etowah River pump-storage 305 acre reservoir 35 mgd yield Impacts: 0.89 acres of wetland feet of steam 18

19 Fulton County (Bear Creek) Chattahoochee River pump-storage 440 acre reservoir 16.4 mgd yield Impacts: 30 acres of wetland 5.5 acres of open water 40,413 feet of steam 19

20 Newton County (Bear Creek) Ocmulgee River pump-storage 1,242 acre reservoir 28 mgd yield Impacts: 136 acres of wetland 126,720 feet of steam 20

21 Jackson County (Parks Creek) Oconee River pump-storage 166 acre reservoir 4 mgd yield Impacts: 0.26 acres of wetland 15,975 feet of steam 21

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23 Website Updates Bottom Line Consistency throughout Corps New link, easy navigation: Updated content Avatar updates coming soon 23

24 Electronic Joint Public Notices The Facts Faster, easier Reduced printing cost Digital searchable format 24

25 Electronic Joint Public Notices 25

26 In Lieu Fee Definition: A program involving the restoration, establishment, enhancement and/or preservation of aquatic resources through funds paid to a governmental or non-profit natural resources management entity. 26

27 The Facts In lieu fee accounts for about 5% of the total compensatory mitigation in the Savannah District On June 9, 2013, Savannah District the Georgia Land Conservation Center in-lieu fee mitigation program expired for non-compliance with the 2008 mitigation rule. Georgia Land Trust has submitted a program instrument to Savannah District to sponsor a new in-lieu fee program that complies with the 2008 mitigation rule. This instrument is under review. 27

28 Moates Creek, BUILDING Habersham STRONG County reg199.ppt 28

29 reg199.ppt L&K SITE, BUILDING Lumpkin County STRONG

30 reg199.ppt Altamaha River Watershed, BUILDING McIntosh STRONG County

31 Flint River Site in Dougherty BUILDING County STRONG reg199.ppt 31