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: Hillsborough County Public Works Dept.
c/o James Hudock
601 East Kennedy Blvd, 22nd Floor
Tampa, FL 33602
WATERWAY AND LOCATION: The project would affect waters of the United States associated with Little Bullfrog Creek. The project site is located east of US 301, from north of Ambleside Boulevard to north of Big Bend Road in Riverview, in Section 16, Township 31 South, Range 20 East, Hillsborough County, Florida.
Directions to the site are as follows: From I-75, take the Big Bend Road exit heading east for 2.5 miles to the project site.
APPROXIMATE CENTRAL COORDINATES:
Latitude: 27.790242°
Longitude: -82.316780°
PROJECT PURPOSE:
Basic: Flood relief
Overall: To provide relief for persistent flooding in the Summerfield Golf community due to restricted natural flow in adjacent Little Bullfrog Creek
EXISTING CONDITIONS: The system consists of a culverted portion of Little Bullfrog Creek and associated wetlands. This partially impounded creek system has aggraded and is choked with vegetation, primarily Carolina willow (Salix caroliniana) and Peruvian primrose willow (Ludwigia peruviana). In some areas the channel is no longer visible or does not exist; in other areas the small winding creek system is still visible. Little Bullfrog Creek is a medium-sized, natural creek and canal conveyance that winds in a generally southwestern direction and drains approximately one-fifth of the Bullfrog Creek watershed. Little Bullfrog Creek’s main channel reaches approximately 5.9 miles from its wetland headwaters, through the Summerfield Golf community, across Big Bend Road at two points, and southwesterly across U.S. 301 to its confluence with Lower Bullfrog Creek. Sub-basin areas associated with the Little Bullfrog Creek are comprised largely of residential and agricultural tracts and total 4,548 acres, not including its unnamed southern fork.
PROPOSED WORK: The applicant seeks authorization to dredge 8,213 cubic yards (3.6 acres) of sediment, muck and nuisance vegetation within a 20 foot wide channel in Little Bullfrog Creek from north of Ambleside Boulevard to north of Big Bend Road.
AVOIDANCE AND MINIMIZATION INFORMATION – The applicant has provided the following statement in support of efforts to avoid and/or minimize impacts to the aquatic environment:
“All spoil material will be disposed of in an approved upland location. Temporary matting and low impact equipment (Menzi Muck Machine) will also be utilized to minimize impacts. Only the twenty-foot-wide channel portion of the creek will be dredged. The natural depth or width of the creek will not increase and the adjacent forested wetlands will be avoided. Proper erosion control will be installed to minimize sedimentation.”
COMPENSATORY MITIGATION – The applicant has provided the following explanation why compensatory mitigation should not be required: “Compensatory mitigation will not be required as the project will provide a net environmental benefit. Removing accumulated sediment will improve water conveyance, reduce pollutant levels and increase dissolved oxygen levels beneficial for aquatic organisms thus resulting in net water quality benefits to the receiving system. Additionally, nuisance and exotic vegetation will be physically removed from dredged area and higher stream velocities will discourage new infestation.”
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 Corps has determined the proposed project is “not likely to adversely affect” (NLAA) the endangered wood stork (Mycteria americana). The Corps has programmatic concurrence with the sequential determination of A > B > C > D > E > NLAA pursuant to the 2008 Wood Stork Key in Central and North Peninsular Florida. No further coordination is required.
The Corps has determined the proposed project is “not likely to adversely affect” (NLAA) the eastern indigo snake (Drymarchon corais couperi). Based on the Eastern Indigo Snake Programmatic Effect Determination Key (dated January 25, 2010; August 13, 2013 Addendum), the Corps has programmatic concurrence with the sequential determination of A > B > C > NLAA. No further coordination is required.
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 a freshwater creek. Our initial determination is that the proposed action would not have a substantial adverse impact on EFH or Federally managed fisheries. 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 been verified by Corps personnel.
AUTHORIZATION FROM OTHER AGENCIES: The Southwest Florida Water Management District verified the project is exempt from the need to obtain an Environmental Resource Permit by letter dated April 26, 2017 (file no. 743106).
COMMENTS regarding the potential authorization of the work proposed should be submitted in writing to the attention of the District Engineer through the Tampa Permits Section, 10117 Princess Palm Avenue, Suite 120, Tampa, FL 33610 within 21 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, Jessica Cordwell, in writing at the Tampa Permits Section, 10117 Princess Palm Avenue, Suite 120 Tampa, Florida 33610, by telephone at (813)769-7067, by fax at (813)769-7061, or by electronic mail at Jessica.L.Cordwell@usace.army.mil.
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, aesthetics, 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.
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.