SAJ-2021-04078 (SP-HMM)

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: Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners

                      1250 N Eglin Parkway, Suite 100

                       Shalimar, FL  32579

WATERWAY AND LOCATION:  The project site is located in Choctawhatchee Bay,

135-feet north of the Gulf Island National Seashore on Okaloosa Island, in Okaloosa County, Florida.

APPROXIMATE COORDINATES:

PROJECT PURPOSE:

Basic:  Artificial Reef

Overall:  To authorize a nearshore artificial reef site in Choctawhatchee Bay that provides reef habitat, recreational fishing, and diving opportunities off the coast of Okaloosa County, Florida.

EXISTING CONDITIONS: The project site is located in the southwest corner of Choctawhatchee Bay approximately 135-feet waterward of the bay’s southern shoreline, north of Okaloosa Island. The habitat within the proposed artificial reef site contains silty sand sediments with water depths ranging from -12 feet to -16 feet at mean lower low water (MLLW). There are no natural rock outcrops, hard bottom formations, or submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV's) located within the reef deployment area.

PROPOSED WORK:  The applicant proposes to establish a nearshore artificial reef site in Choctawhatchee Bay.  The deployment area would measure 250-foot by 250-foot (1.4-acre) and would provide enhanced habitat and recreational fishing and diving opportunities upon implementation of the project. Additionally, there is a deployment buffer of 10 feet from the perimeter to ensure that deployed materials would remain within the deployment area. Material to be deployed would consist of clean concrete or rock, heavy gauge steel products (¼-inch thickness or greater), and prefabricated structures that are a mixture of clean concrete and heavy gauge steel. Deployed material would have a maximum profile height of no more than half the distance from the seafloor to the water surface at MLLW and would remain a minimum of -6 feet below the MLLW. Prior to each deployment, the applicant would complete and submit the “Florida Artificial Reef Materials Cargo Manifest and Pre-Deployment Notification” form to the Corps and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FFWCC). Following each deployment, the applicant would complete and submit the “Florida Artificial Reef Materials Placement Report and Post-Deployment Notification” form to the Corps and the FFWCC. Additionally, the applicant proposes to conduct yearly monitoring of the reef. Specifically, within 12 months of the effective date of the permit (if issued), and every 12 months thereafter for the duration of the permit, the applicant would submit a report summarizing deployments and issues associated with the reef in the preceding 12 months to both the Corps and FFWCC. The report would document any known changes in material condition (stability, durability, and location) as compared to those same characteristics at the time of deployment. The report may include, but is not limited to, use trends, site management constraints and resolutions, management techniques, modifications of operations, plans, and lessons learned. The report would also include results of any performance monitoring (description of fish and other biota observed). The applicant is requesting a permit duration of 10 years.

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 applicant selected a site that is devoid of SAV and where there are no natural rock outcrops or hard bottom formations.

COMPENSATORY MITIGATION: The applicant has offered the following compensatory mitigation plan to offset unavoidable functional loss to the aquatic environment:  Impacts to special aquatic sites are not proposed. Therefore, the applicant did not provide a compensatory mitigation plan.

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 may affect, but is not likely to adversely affect swimming sea turtles, including green turtle (Chelonia mydas), hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricate), Kemp’s ridley turtle (Lepidochelys kempii), leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea), loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta), giant manta ray (Mobula birostris) and the endangered West Indian manatee (Trichechus manatus), threatened Gulf Sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi), and endangered smalltooth sawfish (Pristis pectinata). The Corps will request U.S. Fish and Wildlife and the National Marine Fisheries Service concurrence with these determinations pursuant to Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act.

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 unvegetated

estuarine subtidal unconsolidated bottom utilized by various life stages of 3 species of shark (Blacktip, Bull, Spinner), Red Drum, 4 species of shrimp (Brown, White, Pink, and Royal red), and 43 species of reef fish. 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 777 feet away from the near bottom edge of the Intracoastal Waterway federal channel.

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. 

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 Pensacola Permits Section, 41 North Jefferson Street, Suite 301, Pensacola, Florida, 32502 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, Holly Millsap, in writing at the Pensacola Permits Section, 41 North Jefferson Street, Suite 301, Pensacola, FL 32502, by electronic mail at Holly.M.Millsap@usace.army.mil,  or by telephone at (850) 470-9823. 

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.  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.  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