TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: The Jacksonville District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) has received a complete prospectus proposing the establishment of a mitigation bank pursuant to the 2008 Compensatory Mitigation for Losses of Aquatic Resources regulations (33 CFR Part 332) as described below:
APPLICANT: PHRD, LLC
15315 Indian Head Drive
Tampa, FL 33618
LOCATION: The proposed project, identified as the 173.61-acre Bullfrog Creek Mitigation Bank (BFCMB), is located approximately 1.2 miles west of the town of Wimauma and 1.6 miles north of County Road 674; with the westerly boundary of the project site abutting West Lake Drive. More specifically, the project is located within Section 33, of Township 31 south, and Range 20 east, Hillsborough County, Florida.
APPROXIMATE CENTRAL COORDINATES: Latitude: 27.7412°
Longitude: -82.3155°
PROSPECTUS SUMMARY: Pursuant to 33 CFR 332.8(d)(4), the Corps has posted a full copy of the BFCMB prospectus online so that it is available for review by the public. The prospectus may be downloaded from the Regulatory In-Lieu Fee and Bank Information Tracking System (RIBITS) at web address: https://ribits.usace.army.mil.
Once on the RIBITS homepage, select "Jacksonville" from the "ALL DISTRICTS" drop down menu located in the lower left corner of the screen. Once the district filter has been selected, click on the “Existing Banks & ILF Sites” link located in the Navigation box (upper left corner). This will generate a list of projects, scroll down the list and click on the “Bullfrog Creek MB” link. On this page, click on the "Cyber Repository" link located on the menu bar above the General Information box, then click on the Prospectus Documents folder to access the prospectus associated with the BFCMB project.
If you are unable to access the web address, a copy of the prospectus is available upon request to the project manager listed at the end of this public notice.
PROJECT GOALS AND OBJECTIVES: The applicant seeks authorization to rehabilitate, establish and preserve wetlands and uplands on the 173.61-acre property. The primary ecological goal of the BFCMB is to restore and permanently protect the hydrology and wildlife habitat of 173.61 acres of wetland habitats and adjacent upland buffer habitats while increasing the wetland function of Bullfrog Creek in the Tampa Bay watershed. Specific restoration objectives include:
• Rehabilitation of 109.46 acres of riverine floodplain mixed wetland hardwood forested wetlands that provide flood attenuation, nutrient cycling, aquifer recharge, and wildlife habitat within the watershed.
• Rehabilitation of 33.98 acres of wet pine flatwoods forested wetlands that provide flood attenuation, water quality treatment, nutrient cycling, aquifer recharge, and wildlife habitat within the watershed.
• Establishment of 23.03 acres of mixed wetland hardwood forested wetlands that provide flood attenuation, water quality treatment, nutrient cycling, aquifer recharge, and wildlife habitat within the watershed.
• Rehabilitation of 7.14 acres of adjacent upland buffer habitats that provide wetland buffers and create intact corridors with adjacent conservation lands.
• Preservation of all 173.61 acres of restored wetland habitat and upland buffer habitat in order to protect and manage the natural resources in perpetuity.
ECOLOGICAL SUITABILITY OF THE SITE: A review of available information indicates that the property historically consisted of the riverine floodplain of Bullfrog Creek containing mixed wetland hardwood forested wetlands. Upgradient along the western edges of the floodplain, several tributaries drained into Bullfrog Creek. Upgradient along the eastern edge of the floodplain, wet pine flatwoods were present through which upgradient precipitation would sheet flow downgradient before reaching the floodplain of Bullfrog Creek. Farther upgradient along the slope, pine flatwoods were present along with one small live oak hammock. In the historical natural condition, this reach of Bullfrog Creek would receive hydrologic inputs from the upstream reach of Bullfrog Creek to the south, from the small perpendicular tributaries to the west, from the sheet flow through wet pine flatwoods from the east, and from direct precipitation onto the site.
ESTABLISHMENT AND OPERATION OF THE BANK: The proposed BFCMB would be established and operated by PHRD, LLC, as both Sponsor and Owner of the property. The BFCMB is proposed to be established as a single and complete project. Following BFCMB successful implementation and attainment of final success criteria, long-term management activities will be implemented in order to ensure the sustainability of BFCMB. In addition, surety bonds or irrevocable letters of credit and stand-by trust funds are proposed to provide sufficient financial assurances to ensure construction, implementation and long-term management of the proposed BFCMB.
PROPOSED SERVICE AREA: The project is located within the 12-Digit HUC Bullfrog Creek Subwatershed, identified as Hydrologic Unit Code (HUC ) 031002060700, which is part of the larger 8-Digit HUC Tampa Bay Subbasin (HUC 03100206). The Applicant proposes a Mitigation Service Area (MSA) that is coincident with the entirety of the Tampa Bay Subbasin. The BFCMB MSA is anticipated to include wetland habitat communities that could reasonably be expected to occur on the BFCMB.
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.
Comments regarding the proposed mitigation bank should be submitted in writing to the District Engineer at the address below within 30 days from the date of this notice.
If you have any questions concerning this proposed project, you may contact Ms. Marie L. Huber by electronic mail at Marie.L.Huber@usace.army.mil, by fax at 904-232-1904, or by telephone at 904-232-1683 or at the following address:
DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
JACKSONVILLE DISTRICT CORPS OF ENGINEERS
P. O. BOX 4970
JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 32232-0019
IMPACT ON NATURAL RESOURCES: Preliminary review of this application indicates that an Environmental Impact Statement will not be required. 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. By means of this notice, we are soliciting comments on the potential effects of the project on threatened or endangered species or their habitat
EVALUATION: After the end of the comment period, the district engineer will review all comments received and make an initial determination as to the potential of the proposed project to provide compensatory mitigation for activities authorized by Department of the Army permits. That determination 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. Factors relevant to the proposal will be considered including 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.
The 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 proposed activity. All comments received will be considered by the Corps during the formulation of the initial determination of potential for the proposed activity.
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.