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) and Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 (33 U.S.C. §403) as described below:
APPLICANT:
Pinellas County Public Works Dept.
c/o Mr. Gregory Cutrone, P.E.
14 South Harrison Ave, 4th Floor
Clearwater, FL 33756
WATERWAY AND LOCATION: The project would affect waters of the United States in St. Joseph Sound. The project site is located in waters under the Dunedin Causeway Tidal Relief Bridge (Bridge No. 150067) in Sections 08 & 09, Township 28 South, Range 15 East, Dunedin, Pinellas County, Florida.
Directions to the site are as follows: From the intersection of Alt U.S. 19 and Causeway Blvd, travel west approximately 2.1 miles to the bridge site.
APPROXIMATE CENTRAL COORDINATES:
Latitude: 28.059423°
Longitude: -82.811546°
PROJECT PURPOSE:
Basic: Erosion control and prevention.
Overall: Scour abatement under the Dunedin Causeway Tidal Relief Bridge in Pinellas County, Florida.
EXISTING CONDITIONS: The project area consists of 0.88 acre of estuarine, subtidal, unconsolidated bottom under the Dunedin Causeway Tidal Relief Bridge. The applicant’s environmental consultants conducted field surveys of the project area and determined that the project area does not support seagrass or mangrove habitat. The nearest identified seagrass to the construction limits of the project area is approximately 90 feet at the closest point. The field surveys identified three areas of sparse hardbottom which support 5%-15% density of small corals and sponges in the project area. The total area of identified sparsely inhabited hardbottom comprises approximately 500 square feet, located near the east and west bridge embankments. The corals were identified as Siderastrea radians, 10 cm in diameter or smaller, growing on rip rap rubble. The project area is less than one mile from the Gulf of Mexico.
PROPOSED WORK: The applicant seeks authorization to perform dredging and filling activities to implement scour abatement measures under the Dunedin Causeway Tidal Relief Bridge within a total work area of 1.145 acres, spanning from the west seawall to the east seawall, and 119 feet north to south. Work entails excavating a total of 2,800 cubic yards from a 25.5 foot wide swath along both the northern and southern project limits (0.395 acre total); discharging 850 cubic yards of articulating concrete block mattresses over 0.75 acre; and re-depositing the dredged material onto the same north and south dredged swaths for final toe-down and burying of the articulating concrete block mattresses.
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: “From an engineering perspective, the ACB scour countermeasure method is recommended over other potential alternatives (e.g. rubble rip-rap covering a smaller footprint) for this particular location given the severity of the identified scour and site-specific conditions. It has been determined that the entire footprint of the bridge requires stabilization, regardless of the selected material. Since there are no seagrass communities, mangroves, or oyster beds within or immediately adjacent to the project area, and since the only submerged resources consist of sparse hardbottom communities, only minimal adverse effects are anticipated to occur as part of this project.”
COMPENSATORY MITIGATION – The applicant has provided the following explanation why compensatory mitigation should not be required: “No wetland mitigation is proposed since impacts will occur to open water habitat with sandy bottom; the coral may be relocated prior to construction if required by permits.”
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 project may affect, but is not likely to adversely affect the West Indian manatee (Trichechus manatus). The Corps has concurrence with this determination pursuant to the Effect Determination Key for the Manatee, dated April 2013 (Manatee Key). Use of the Manatee Key resulted in the following sequential determination: A > B > C > G > N > O > P5 > MANLAA. This determination is based on the applicant following the standard manatee construction conditions.
The Corps has determined the proposed project may affect, but is not likely to adversely affect the smalltooth sawfish (Pristis pectinata), green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas), loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta), hawksbill sea turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata), Kemp’s ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys kempii) and leatherback sea turtles (Dermochelys coriacea). The Corps will request National Marine Fisheries Service concurrence with this determination pursuant to Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act by separate letter.
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 has the potential to impact sparse hardbottom habitat consisting of small corals and sponges growing on rip rap rubble. The applicant is amenable to relocating the corals prior to construction. 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 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 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.