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: Peter H Clark
14785 Preston Road, STE 975
Dallas, Texas 75254
WATERWAY AND LOCATION: The project would affect waters of the United States associated with the Atlantic Ocean. The project site is located at 1021 11th Street, in Section 08, Township 66 South, Range 32East, Marathon, Monroe County, Florida 33050 (RE# 00320130-000000).
Directions to the site are as follows: US Highway No 1 South to mile marker 47±. Left at 11th Street.
APPROXIMATE CENTRAL COORDINATES: Latitude 24.704151ºN
Longitude -81.111838ºW
PROJECT PURPOSE:
Basic: Marina reconfiguration and expansion.
Overall: Increased water access and fueling station at an existing marina facility in the Atlantic Ocean in Boot Key Harbor.
EXISTING CONDITIONS: The facility was previously a private marina testing facility with approximately 15,000 square feet of over water structure. The shoreline in the vicinity of the proposed project consists of mostly seawalls and other improvements.
51 Siderastrea radians corals (2,592 sq cm) are located within the proposed construction footprint(no direct impact but indirect shading impacts), no mangroves, and no hardbottom were identified as being in the area.
PROPOSED WORK: The applicant seeks authorization to reconfigure an existing marina by removing existing mooring piles, docks and piers (10,320 sq ft) and construct floating docks and piers (11,725 sq ft), (42) 16" guide piles, floating dock (435 sq ft), floating fuel dock (2,850 sq ft), floating access landing (65 sq ft) and 5' x 24' gangway (120 sq ft), (2) 5.2' x 40' floating piers (470 sq ft), (2) 20,000 lb boat lifts, and a floating platform (1,125 sq ft) at a marina.
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 start of construction, turbidity curtains will be deployed to isolate the construction site from ambient waters. These will remain in place until construction induced turbidity has subsided and water quality has returned to pre-construction conditions The applicant agrees to comply with the "Standard Manatee Conditions for In Water Work - 2011".
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 Keys Restoration Fund.
CULTURAL RESOURCES:
The Corps is evaluating the undertaking for effects to historic properties as required under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. This public notice serves to inform the public of the proposed undertaking and invites comments including those from local, State, and Federal government Agencies with respect to historic resources. Our final determination relative to historic resource impacts may be subject to additional coordination with the State Historic Preservation Officer, those federally recognized tribes with concerns in Florida and the Permit Area, and other interested parties.
ENDANGERED SPECIES:
The Corps has determined the proposed project may affect, not likely to adversely affect the West Indian Manatee (Trichechus manatus). Use of The Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District, and the State of Florida Effect Determination Key for the Manatee in Florida (the Key) dated April 2013 and the May 2019 Addendum produced the sequential determination of A-B-C-G-H-I-J-K-P paragraph 3 “may affect, not likely to adversely affect”. However, given the size and change of use of the existing marina facility the Corps will initiate informal consultation with USFWS to seek concurrence with the determination via the above-mentioned key.
The Corps has determined the proposed project may affect but is not likely to adversely affect Loggerhead (Caretta caretta), Green (Chelonia mydas), and Kemp’s Ridley (Lepidochelys kempii) sea turtles, Smalltooth sawfish (Pristis pectinata). The Corps will seek concurrence through informal consultation with National Marine Fisheries Service’s Protected Resources Division.
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 16,790 square feet of submerged bottom/marine habitat utilized by various life stages of penaeid shrimp complex, spiny lobster, coastal migratory/pelagic fish, red drum, snapper/grouper, and coral and coral reef fishery. 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.
Navigation: The proposed structure is not located in the vicinity of a federal navigation 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.
COMMENTS regarding the potential authorization of the work proposed should be submitted in writing to the attention of the District Engineer through the Florida Keys Permits Section, 9900 Southwest 107th Avenue, Suite 203, Miami, Florida, 33176 within 18 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, Maena.C. Angelotti, in writing at the Florida Keys Permits Section, 9900 Southwest 107th Avenue, Suite 203, Miami, Florida, 33176; by electronic mail at Maena.C. Angelotti@usace.army.mil (preferred) or by telephone at 786-417-5339.
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.
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.
WATER QUALITY CERTIFICATION: Water Quality Certification may be required from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP).
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.