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) as described below:
APPLICANT: Dixie County
Attn: Jamie Storey
P.O. Box 2600
Cross City, Florida 32628
WATERWAY AND LOCATION: The project would affect waters of the United States associated with the Gulf of Mexico. The project site is located in the Gulf of Mexico that is approximately 57 miles from the mouth of the Steinhatchee River and approximately 61 miles from the mouth of the Suwanee River and the Gulf of Mexico, Dixie County, Florida.
Directions to the site are as follows: From Panama City travel north on US 231 approximately 24 miles and turn right onto SR 20. Go approximately 50 miles then continue on SR 267 South for approximately 31 miles to US 98 East. Follow US 98 East approximately 83 miles to SW 351. Turn left on 3rd Street and end at the Horseshoe Beach Marina. Launch and head west to the project location.
APPROXIMATE CENTRAL COORDINATES 49.55 ACRE PROJECT AREA:
North Corner:
Latitude 29.186621; Longitude -84.169387
East Corner:
Latitude 29.182704; Longitude -84.164951
South Corner:
Latitude 29.178813; Longitude -84.169414
West Corner:
Latitude 29.182728; Longitude -84.173849
PROJECT PURPOSE:
Basic: The basic project purpose is construction of an artificial reef.
Overall: The overall project purpose is construction of an artificial reef to support the formation of new marine life and to service commercial and recreational users within the Dixie County area.
EXISTING CONDITIONS: The open water system consists of a saltwater system. There is no onsite submerged aquatic vegetation. The existing onsite area consists of unvegetated open water bottom. The proposed project would be placed in an area with no seagrass beds or coral habitat. The existing area surrounding the project area consists of open water and unvegetated bottom. The water depth at the project area is approximately 70 feet.
PROPOSED WORK: The applicant seeks authorization to deploy 1,103,408 cubic yards of material for the construction of artificial reef habitat within 49.55 acres of open surface water (unvegetated bottom). The artificial reef will be constructed of broken clean concrete. Any exposed rebar will be cut off prior to deployment. The material will be transported by barge and placed at the site by backhoe/crane mounted on a barge.
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:
The project would be placed in an area with no grass beds or other submerged habitat and will cause no impacts to the nearest wetlands.
COMPENSATORY MITIGATION – The applicant has provided the following explanation why compensatory mitigation should not be required:
There would be no functional loss to the aquatic environment, however, the proposed project would create a permanent reef where none currently exist. The project is expected to provide habitat for marine life.
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: Gulf sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi), Smalltooth sawfish (Pristis pectinate), Green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas), Hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata), Kemp’s ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys kempii), Leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea) sea turtle, Loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta), West Indian Manatee (Trichechus manatus), Red-cockaded Woodpecker (Picoides borealis), and Eastern Indigo snake (Drymarchon corais couper).
The Corps has determined the proposed project may affect but is not likely to adversely affect the Gulf sturgeon, Smalltooth sawfish, Swimming sea turtles (Green, Hawksbill, Kemp’s ridley, Leatherback, Loggerhead), or it’s designated critical habitat. The Corps will request National Marine Fisheries Service concurrence with this determination pursuant to Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act.
The Corps has determined the proposal would have no effect on any listed threatened or endangered species or designated critical habitat.
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 affect approximately 49.55 acres of open surface water (unvegetated bottom) and at a water depth of approximately 70 feet. Our initial determination is that the proposed action would not have a substantial adverse impact on EFH or Federally managed fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico. 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.
Navigation: Based on the Florida State Plane coordinates provided by the applicant, the waterward edge of the proposed structure is approximately 56 miles away from the near bottom edge of the nearest federal channel which is the Horseshoe Cove federal channel.
SECTION 408: The applicant will not require permission under Section 14 of the Rivers and Harbors Act (33 USC 408) because the activity, in whole or in part, would not alter, occupy, or use a Corps Civil Works project.
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 Panama City Permits Section, 415 Richard Jackson Blvd, Suite 411, Panama City Beach, FL 32407 within 30 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, Randy Turner, in writing at Panama City Permits Section, 415 Richard Jackson Blvd, Suite 411 Panama City, FL 32407; by electronic mail at Randy.L.Turner@usace.army.mil; or, by telephone at (850) 763-0717 ext. 3.
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.
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 hearin