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 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 (33 U.S.C. §403) and Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. § 1344) as described below:
APPLICANT: Val E. Osinski
2168 Coral Way
Big Pine Key, FL 33043
WATERWAY AND LOCATION: The project would affect waters of the United States, tributary to Florida Bay. The project site is located at 2168 Coral Way in Section 14, Township 66 South, Range 29 East, Big Pine Key, Monroe County, Florida 33043. (MM± 31) (RE#00312080-000000).
Directions to the site are as follows: From Miami, drive south on U.S. 1, Overseas Highway, to approximately mile marker 31; turn right on Wilder Road, left on South Street, Right at Avenue B to Watson Blvd. Left on Matthews Road, right at Minorca and left on Coral Way.
APPROXIMATE CENTRAL COORDINATES: Latitude 24.703253° North
Longitude -81.349776 ° West
PROJECT PURPOSE:
Basic: The basic project purpose is to launch and retrieve vessel from the water.
Overall: The project purpose is to launch and retrieve vessel from the water within Big Pine Key, Monroe County, FL.
EXISTING CONDITIONS: The project site has a single-family residence with a pool and dock, located immediately adjacent to Florida Bay. The shoreline supports clusters of red mangroves with buttonwood. The are no known corals or seagrasses within the project footprint.
PROPOSED WORK: The applicant seeks authorization to construct a boat ramp (56.7 feet long by 20 feet wide), which proposes to excavate below the mean high-water line (85 square feet, 10 cubic yards) and impact 295 square feet of mangroves. The project will avoid 980 square feet of mangroves (5 pages). Temporary turbidity curtains will be deployed for the duration of all construction activities, in/over waters of the United States.
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:
Prior to the start of construction, turbidity curtains will be deployed to isolate the construction site from ambient waters. These will remain in place until all construction inducted turbidity has subsided and water quality has returned to pre-construction conditions.
COMPENSATORY MITIGATION: The applicant has offered the following compensatory mitigation plan to offset unavoidable functional loss to the aquatic environment:
If mitigation is required by the Army Corps of Engineers, the appropriate mitigation will be determined with a UMAM and payment made to the Keys Restoration Fund.
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: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) has determined the project may affect, but is not likely to adversely affect (“MANLAA”) the West Indian manatee (Trichechus manatus). Since the proposal by the applicant is for in-water construction, potential impacts to the endangered West Indian manatee were evaluated using The Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District, and the State of Florida Effect Determination Key for the Manatee in Florida, April 2013 (Key). Use of the Key resulted in the following sequential determination: A > B > C > G > H>I>N > 0 > P (4), may affect, not likely to adversely affect “MANLAA”. This determination is partially based on the implementation of the Standard Manatee Conditions for In-Water Work, 2011. By letter dated April 25, 2013, the Corps received concurrence from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) regarding MANLAA determinations for the West Indian manatee in accordance with 50 CFR 402.14(b)1 and pursuant to the Key. No further coordination with the FWS is required.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) has determined the project may affect, but is not likely to adversely affect (“MANLAA”) the American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus).
The project is located within American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) consultation area. According to the 28 October 2014 American Crocodile Key, the property does not support suitable nesting habitat for the crocodile. Use of the Key resulted in the sequence #2 may affect, not likely to adversely affect. Therefore, the Corps has reached a “may affect not likely to adversely affect” determination on the American crocodile and its suitable nesting habitat.
The Corps has determined that the project will have “no effect” on the Piping plover (Charadrius melodus), and roseate tern (Sterna dougallii). The proposed work is located outside of native habitat for these species. No impact to native /natural habitat is included
Potential impacts to the silver rice rat were evaluated using the Silver Rice Rat (Oryzomys palustris natator) Species Key, dated 29 July 2013, and resulted in the following sequential determination: A > B > C , “may affect, but not likely to adversely affect.” This determination is partially based on the applicant being provided with the cat brochure. Although the subject parcel is not located within the designated critical habitat, use of the Silver Rice Rat Critical Habitat Assessment Guide dated 29 July 2013, resulted in the following sequential determination A > B > C “may affect, but not likely to adversely affect.” Based on the information provided above the Corps has reached a MANLAA determination on the silver rice rat and its designated critical habitat. The Corps received programmatic concurrence from the FWS for projects that have a NLAA determination; therefore, no incidental take will occur and no further consultation with the FWS is required.
The Corps has determined A >B> C“may affect, but not likely to adversely affect on the Silver rice rat (Oryzomys palustris natator).This determination is partially based on the applicant being provided with the cat brochure.
The subject parcel is listed on the FWS 2011 Suitable Habitat List as being located within the focus area for the Key deer. Potential impacts to the aforementioned species and its habitat were evaluated using the respective FWS Species Assessment Guides (SAGs) dated 29 July 2013. Use of the SAGs resulted in the following sequential determination: A > B (1), “may affect, not likely to adversely affect (NLAA)” the Key deer. This determination is partially based on the applicant not proposing any fencing and proposing habitat compensation commensurate with the amount of native habitat lost. The Corps received programmatic concurrence from the FWS for projects that have a “NLAA” determination; therefore, no incidental take will occur and no further consultation with the FWS is required.
The Corps has determined A > B (1), “may affect, not likely to adversely affect (NLAA)” for the Key Deer (Odocoileus virginianus clavium). This determination is partially based on the applicant not proposing any fencing and proposing habitat compensation commensurate with the amount of native habitat lost.
Potential impacts to the LKMR were evaluated using the Lower Keys marsh rabbit (LKMR; Sylvilagus palustris hefneri) Species Key, dated 29 July 2013, and resulted in the following sequential determination: A > B > (1) “may affect, but not likely to adversely affect.” This determination is partially based on the applicant being provided the cat brochure. The Corps received programmatic concurrence from the FWS for projects that have a “NLAA determination; therefore, no incidental take will occur and no further consultation with the FWS is required.
The Corps has determined A > B “may affect, but not likely to adversely affect (NLAA).” for the Lower Keys marsh rabbit (Sylvilagus palustris hefneri). This determination is partially based on the applicant being provided the cat brochure.
The Corps has determined the proposed project may affect, but is not likely to adversely affect (“MANLAA”) the swimming green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas), loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) and their critical habitat, hawksbill sea turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata), kemps ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys kempii), leatherback sea turtles (Dermochelys coriacea and Acorpora sp. and its designated critical habitat. A no effect determination was reached on and corals species; (Dendrogyra cylindrus, Orbicella annularis, Orbicella faveolata, Orbicella franksi, Mycetophyllia ferox). The Corps will request National Marine Fisheries Service concurrence with these determinations pursuant to Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act.
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 would impact approximately 100 square feet submerged aquatic resources utilized by various life stages of land and marine species. Our initial determination is that the proposed action would not have a substantial adverse impact on EFH or Federally managed fisheries in the Florida Keys. 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 jurisdictional line has not been verified by Corps personnel.
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 Miami Permits Section, 9900 Southwest 107th Avenue, Suite 203, Miami, Florida, 33176, within 21 days from the date of this notice (i.e. on or before March 26, 2021).
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, Adriana M. Cabrera at the letterhead address, by electronic mail at Adriana.M.Cabrera@usace.army.mil, or by telephone at (305) 526-7183.
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.