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) as described below:
If you are interested in receiving additional project drawings associated with this public notice, please send an e-mail to the project manager by electronic mail at angela.m.smith@usace.army.mil
APPLICANT: RaceTrac Inc
200 Gallaria Parkway SE Suite 900
Atlanta, GA 30339
WATERWAY AND LOCATION: The project would affect aquatic resources associated with Lake Stewart. The project site is located at 622 East Broad Street in Section 19, Township 22 South, Range 25 East, Groveland, Lake County, Florida.
Directions to the site are as follows: The site is located at the southeast corner of where State road 50 and State road 33 meet in Groveland, Florida.
APPROXIMATE CENTRAL COORDINATES: Latitude 28.5568
Longitude -81.8509
PROJECT PURPOSE:
Basic: Expansion of Gas Station
Overall: To expand the existing RaceTrac gas station to accommodate additional fuel pumps, an overhead canopy, underground storage tanks, and other accompanying features to accommodate semi-trailer trucks.
EXISTING CONDITIONS: The wetland system consists of a freshwater system. The onsite vegetation consists of mixed scrub-shrub community. The project site is an existing gas station property. The existing area surrounding the project area consists of commercial and residential properties.
PROPOSED WORK: The applicant seeks authorization to expand existing gas station with additional fuel pumps, including an overhead canopy, underground storage tanks, and other accompanying features to accommodate semi-trailer trucks. In order to accommodate these additions, the existing drainage retention area south of the RaceTrac store will need to be enlarged and relocated. Work on site will include clearing and grading 2.8 acres 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 project team coordinated with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) for Access and Drainage connection permits. The FDOT is requiring coordination with their current plans to modify the intersection due to State Road 33 and State Road 50 being a high truck traffic area. The effect of this coordination is the new driveway which is placed as far south from the intersection as is practicable and revisions to the internal truck routing. During the redesign of the layout the project team re-evaluated the potential use of underground vaults for stormwater treatment in order to reduce the project area and minimize wetland impacts. It was determined, however, that existing soil types and treatment requirements were not amenable to underground dry retention. Minimization has otherwise been implemented.”
COMPENSATORY MITIGATION – The applicant has offered the following compensatory mitigation plan to offset unavoidable functional loss to the aquatic environment:
Uniform Mitigation Assessment Method (UMAM) was used to assess the functional losses to wetland 1 onsite. Functional losses to wetland 1 would include 1.587 direct loss and 0.04 temporary impact. Too offset the impacts the applicant proposes to purchase mitigation from a local 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:
Eastern Indigo Snake: Based on its evaluation of the project using the August 2013 north Florida effect determination key for the eastern indigo snake, the Corps has determined that the project may affect but is not likely to adversely affect for the eastern indigo snake (Drymarchon corais couperi) (A>B>C>D>E). No further consultation is necessary.
The Corps has determined the proposal would have no effect on the following listed threatened or endangered species or designated critical habitat: Britton’s beargrass (Nolina brittoniana), Eastern Black Rail (Laterallus jamaicensis ssp. jamaicensis), Everglade snail kite (Rostrhamus sociabilis plumbeus), Lewton's polygala (Polygala lewtonii), Papery whitlow-wort (Paronychia chartacea), Pigeon wings (Clitoria fragrans), Pygmy fringe-tree (Chionanthus pygmaeus), Sand skink (Neoseps reynoldsi), Whooping crane (Grus americana).
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 2.8 acres of freshwater non-tidal forested wetlands inland of EFH. Our initial determination is that the proposed action would not have a substantial adverse impact on EFH or Federally managed fisheries in Florida. 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 Charleston District Northwest Permits Section, 1519 Taylor Street, Columbia SC 29201 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, Angela Smith, in writing at the Charleston District Northwest Permits Section at 1519 Taylor Street Columbia, SC 29201; by electronic mail at angela.m.smith@usace.army.mil; or, by telephone at (803)995-1746.
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 is required from the St. Johns River Water Management District. Environmental Resource Permit No. 118787-3 issued on March 08, 2024 which provides the required WQC for the site.
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.
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