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)
APPLICANT:
Mr. Anthony Rinaldi
Arnold Road Propco, LLC
359 Springfield Avenue, 2nd
Summit, New Jersey 07901
WATERWAY AND LOCATION: The project would affect aquatic resources associated with the Nassau River. The project site is located on the north and south sides of the Gold Star Family Parkway north of the Jacksonville International Airport in Sections 39 and 40, Township 1 North, Range 26 East, in the City of Jacksonville, Duval County, Florida.
Directions to the site are as follows: From I-95 west on Pecan Park Road to Arnold Road and then Gold Star Family Parkway.
APPROXIMATE CENTRAL COORDINATES: Latitude 30.524101°
Longitude -81.699395°
PROJECT PURPOSE:
Basic: To construct an industrial park
Overall: To construct industrial buildings, stormwater management ponds, access roads and parking to facilitate the construction of an industrial park in northern Duval County.
EXISTING CONDITIONS:
Site Conditions: The project site is approximately 841.64 acres in size and consists of approximately 513 acres of wetlands. The property encompasses the following Florida Land Cover Classifications:
1. Uplands
a. Coniferous Plantation (FLCCS 183332) (298.85 acres) – This vegetative community consisted primarily of planted slash pine (Pinus elliottii) with gallberry (Ilex glabra), saw palmetto (Serenoa repens), wax myrtle (Morella cerifera), blackberry (Rubus sp.), red cedar (Juniperus virginiana), live oak (Quercus virginiana), saw greenbrier (Smilax bona-nox), and Carolina jessamine (Gelsemium sempervirens).
b. Roads (FLCCS 1841) (19.68 acres) – This land cover classification consisted of Gold Star Family Parkway which runs through the property.
2. Wetlands
Bottomland Forest (FLCCS 22331) (48.67 acres) – This vegetative community consisted primarily of bald cypress (Taxodium distichum), Chinese tallow (Triadica sebifera), loblolly bay (Gordonia lasianthus), sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua), swamp tupelo (Nyssa biflora), Carolina willow (Salix caroliniana), loblolly pine (Pinus taeda), red maple (Acer rubrum), fetterbush (Lyonia lucida), Virginia chain fern (Woodwardia virginica), pickerelweed (Pontederia cordata), rush (Juncus sp.), and saw palmetto.
Mixed Hardwood-Coniferous Swamps (FLCCS 2240) (22.64 acres) – This vegetative community consisted primarily of slash pine, pond cypress (Taxodium ascendens), swamp tupelo, red maple, myrtle leaf holly (Ilex myrtifolia), sweet gallberry (Ilex coracea), fetterbush, saw palmetto, highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum), peelbark St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum), and Virginia chain fern.
Wet Coniferous Plantation (FLCCS 1833321) (441.40 acres) – This vegetative community consisted primarily of planted slash pine with loblolly bay, red maple, pond cypress, Chinese tallow, gallberry, fetterbush, blackberry (Rubus spp.), St. John’s wort, and bushy bluestem (Andropogon glomeratus).
Freshwater Non-Forested Wetlands (FLCCS 2100) (1.15 acres)– This vegetative community consisted of St. John’s wort, yellow-eyed grass (Xyris sp.), red root (Ceanothus americanus), sedge (Carex sp.), rush, and dwarf sundew (Drosera brevifolia).
PROPOSED WORK: The applicant seeks authorization to discharge approximately 123,700 cubic yards of fill material into approximately 25.56 acres of freshwater, non-tidal forested and herbaceous wetlands for constructions of the industrial buildings, stormwater management ponds, access roads and parking associated with an industrial park. The proposed work also includes the temporary impacts to 0.81 acre of wetlands.
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 proposed project would avoid approximately 486.18 acres of forested wetlands with upland buffers.
COMPENSATORY MITIGATION – The applicant has offered the following compensatory mitigation plan to offset unavoidable functional loss to the aquatic environment:
The applicant is proposing to purchase 15.99 UMAM credits from an approved mitigation bank.
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 would have no effect on Eastern black rail (Laterallus jamaicensis ssp. jamaicensis), sea turtles, red-cockaded woodpecker (Picoides borealis), as the habitats for these species are not present within the project area.
The Corps has determined that the proposed project may affect, but it not likely to adversely affect the Eastern indigo snake (Drymarchon couperi), wood stork (Mycteria americana) and the tricolored bat (Perimyotis subflavus).
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 25.56 acres of palustrine forested wetlands inland of tidal waters and EFH. Our initial determination is that the proposed action would not have a substantial adverse impact on EFH or Federally managed fisheries in the Nassau River. 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 activity 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 Jacksonville Permits Section, 701 San Marco Boulevard, Jacksonville, Florida 32207 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, Tracy D. Sanders, in writing at the Jacksonville Permits Section, 701 San Marco Boulevard, Jacksonville, Florida 32207; by electronic mail at Tracy.d.sanders@usace.army.mil; or, by telephone at (904) 232-1171.
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 St. Johns River Water Management District
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.