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
If you are interested in receiving additional project drawings associated with this Public Notice for the proposed project described, please send an e-mail to the project manager by electronic mail at Tracey.L.Wheeler@usace.army.mil.
APPLICANT: City of Mexico Beach
Attention: Chris Truitt
201 Paradise Path
Mexico Beach, Florida 32456
WATERWAY AND LOCATION: The project would affect aquatic resources associated with Salt Creek, the Mexico Beach Canal, and the Gulf of Mexico. The project site is located at the Mexico Beach Inlet.
Directions to the site are as follows: From Mexico Beach, head northwest on US 98 West towards 17th Street. Cross over the Mexico Beach Canal. Turn left onto Canal Parkway and head south toward the Gulf of Mexico. Mexico Beach Jetties are located at the end of Mexico Beach Parkway.
APPROXIMATE CENTRAL COORDINATES: Latitude 29.949621°
Longitude -85.430386°
PROJECT PURPOSE:
Basic: Maintain navigation.
Overall: To repair existing jetty structures that have been damaged during multiple hurricanes, extend the eastern jetty to match the length of the western jetty to reduce sedimentation into the Mexico Beach Canal, and maintain navigable access to the existing marina and canal system.
EXISTING CONDITIONS: The Mexico Beach Canal was completed in 1955, providing boaters quick access to the Gulf of Mexico and is situated on the northwest coast of Florida in the Panhandle. The existing structure, oriented north to south is composed of sheet pile cores, stones, and riprap that connects to a seawall canal system. The existing structure has two components: east jetty (29.949807, -85.430080 to 29.950521, -85.430399) and west jetty (29.950492, -85.430684 to 29.949784, -85.430435). Most of the coastal shoreline is well-developed as a permanent and seasonal residential area with high amounts of recreational use. The jetty and surrounding beach is exposed to open ocean and a high-energy coastline. The City of Mexico Beach regularly maintains the shoreline directly east of the Jetty and contains a dredge placement site to the east of the jetty where dredged materials from the canal and jetty opening is placed. The beach contains a foredune of mostly sea oats waterward of residential and business properties.
PROPOSED WORK: Following Hurricane Michael, the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) was authorized to provide federal assistance to communities within designated areas. The City of Mexico Beach (COMB), the subrecipient, is seeking funding from FEMA in the form of Public Assistance (PA) and Hazard Mitigation grant funding to extend, enhance, and repair the jetties of the Mexico Beach Canal at the entrance to St. Joseph Bay located in the City of Mexico Beach, Bay County, Florida. The applicant seeks authorization to impact 0.23 acre of open water in order to repair and expand the existing jetty structures located to the east and west of the Mexico Beach Canal. Work is proposed on both jetties to reduce sand penetration and the need to conduct maintenance excavation within the mouth of the existing canal.
The current east jetty measures approximately 273 linear feet (LF) in length by 53 LF in width from toe slope to toe slope and is comprised of stone and concrete rip rap boulders connecting to a sheet pile seawall. The applicant proposes to extend the east jetty 152 LF seaward of its current location for a total length of 339 feet and to add 285 feet of sheet pile to the core of the east jetty as well as armor stone that would tie into the existing jetty head. The east jetty would increase in width to 70 feet from toe slope to toe slope at the widest point. The completed east jetty would cover approximately 23,730 square feet and have a top elevation of 10 feet above the mean-high-waterline (MHW). It would be constructed using approximately 285 feet of sheet pile core (vinyl/ composite), geotextile fabric, marine mattress, stones/ riprap, and sand tightening to a maximum depth of 15 feet below the (MHWL). All current sheet piles would remain in place and existing stones would be repurposed as toe stone in the new east jetty extension.
The existing west jetty was last repaired and expanded in 2010 and is composed of a concrete walkway, concrete box culverts acting as riprap, an armor stone jetty head and steel sheet pile core. The proposed work includes repairs to a 42-foot portion of the western jetty trunk including the demolition of the existing concrete box culverts and installation of a vinyl/composite sheet pile core and armor stone. The enhanced structure would tie into the existing western jetty head and existing sheet pile core seawall. Additional components include geotextile fabric, marine mattress, sand tightening, and replacement of the concrete walkway. The completed west jetty would cover an area of approximately 3,190 square feet and have a top elevation of approximately 7 feet above MHWL. The structure would have a gravel base with sand tightening to a maximum depth of 15 feet below MHWL. Existing west jetty stone would be repurposed as toe stone in the jetty repair.
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:
All equipment and supplies would be staged on high ground and construction would occur from the land. On land work is expected to be confined within the existing jetty footprint and existing rights of way. Excavation would be limited to the area necessary for placement of sheet piles, marine mattresses, and armor stone. All excavated jetty materials including sand and riprap/rubble would be reused, and the existing steel sheet piles would remain in place.
COMPENSATORY MITIGATION:
The applicant has provided the following explanation why compensatory mitigation should not be required:
All work would occur within the footprint of existing structures and would reduce the need for maintenance excavation activities.
CULTURAL RESOURCES:
As Lead Federal Agency, FEMA has evaluated the undertaking for effects to historic properties as required under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act and has followed the guidelines of 33 CFR Part 325, Appendix C. FEMA consulted with the State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) and received concurrence for a determination of No Adverse Effect to Historic Properties. Tribal consultation letters were submitted to ten federally recognized tribes with vested interest in Bay County, Florida. None of the tribes express any objections to the proposed project.
ENDANGERED SPECIES:
As Lead Federal Agency, FEMA consulted with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) – Protected Resource Division for affects to federally listed threatened and endangered species. An informal consultation was conducted with the USFWS to determine the potential impacts of the Proposed Action. USFWS concurred that the Proposed Action may affect but is not likely to adversely affect the St. Andrew Beach Mouse, West Indian Manatee, Green Sea Turtle, Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle, Loggerhead Sea Turtle, and Atlantic Sturgeon; nor adversely modify or destroy the existing designated critical habitat for piping plover, Gulf sturgeon, and Loggerhead sea turtle. An informal consultation was conducted with the NMFS to determine the potential impacts of the Proposed Action. NMFS concurred that the Proposed Action may affect but is not likely to adversely affect the Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle, Loggerhead Sea Turtle, Green Sea Turtle, Atlantic Sturgeon, Smalltooth sawfish, and Giant mana ray; nor adversely modify or destroy the existing designated critical habitat for Gulf sturgeon and Loggerhead sea turtle. No further consultation is required.
ESSENTIAL FISH HABITAT (EFH): As Lead Federal Agency, FEMA initiated consultation with the NMFS – Habitat Conservation Division on EFH as required by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act 1996 (MSA). FEMA sent an MSA-EFH consultation letter to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on August 9, 2023, requesting concurrence with the determination that the proposed work may adversely affect EFH. The letter included conservation measures and Best Management Practices (BMP) to avoid EFH impacts. NOAA concurrence was received on August 10, 2023, in an email that stated “NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Southeast Region, Habitat Conservation Division (HCD) has reviewed the information provided and performed a desktop assessment of the project area using Google Earth software and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's Seagrass Habitat in Florida website. From our evaluation of the project area, we anticipate any adverse effects that might occur on marine and anadromous fishery resources would be minimal. Therefore, the NMFS HCD does not have any EFH conservation recommendations to provide regarding these activities.”.
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 Panama City Permits Section, 415 Richard Jackson Boulevard, Suite 411, Panama City Beach, Florida 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, Tracey L. Wheeler, in writing at the Panama City Permits Section, 415 Richard Jackson Boulevard, Suite 411, Panama City Beach, Florida 32407; by electronic mail at Tracey.L.Wheeler@usace.army.mil; or by telephone at (850)287-0138.
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.
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 was issued by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP). The project was assigned FDEP application no. 0416748-001-JC.
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.
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