February 17, 2023
CENAO-WRR
NAO-2023-00248 (Field of Streams Mitigation Bank)
FEDERAL PUBLIC NOTICE
The District Engineer received a prospectus to establish a stream and wetland compensatory mitigation site for Federal and State permits as described below:
SPONSOR
Abundance Mitigation, LLC
Attn: Andrew Hindman
6799-A Kennedy Road
Warrenton, Virginia 20187
Latitude and Longitude: 38.642 N, -77.628 W
WATERWAY AND LOCATION OF THE PROPOSED WORK: The proposed compensatory mitigation site (Site) is located at Elk Run Road and Tenerife Road, near Catlett, Fauquier County, Virginia. The site is approximately 45 acres and is a mixture of active crop fields, hayfields, and forestland. The Site is located within the Potomac River Basin.
PROPOSED WORK AND PURPOSE: The Sponsor proposes to design, construct, establish and operate a stream and wetland compensatory mitigation site known as the Field of Streams Mitigation Bank (Bank). The purpose of the Bank is to provide off-site compensatory mitigation for projects that result in unavoidable impacts to streams wetlands, and waters of the United States.
The Sponsor proposes to construct the Bank in one (1) Phase. The Sponsor proposes the following credit breakdown:
Stream credits proposed
5,050 Unified Stream Methodology (USM) credits are derived from restoration, enhancement, buffer plantings.
Wetland credits proposed
16.24 wetland credits are derived from wetland creation, enhancement, buffer plantings and preservation.
The Bank is located within Hydrologic Unit Code (HUC) 02070008. The Bank’s primary service area will include the portions of the Potomac River watershed (HUC 02070008, 02070010, 02070011) located in Virginia. Counties included in the proposed service area would include all or portions of Loudoun, Fairfax, Prince William, Fauquier, Stafford, King George, Westmoreland, and Northumberland. The banks Secondary Service area will include upper portions of the Potomac Watershed (HUC 02070004) and the Shenandoah Watershed (HUCs 02070001, 02070005, 02070006, 02070007).
Oversight of Bank would be by an existing group of federal and state agency representatives. This interagency oversight group is known as the Interagency Review Team (IRT). The Norfolk District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) chair the IRT.
The actual approval of the use of the Bank for a specific project is the decision of USACE pursuant to Section 404 of the Clean Water Act and/or by DEQ pursuant to Section 401 of the Clean Water Act and Title 62.1 of the Code of Virginia. USACE and DEQ provide no guarantee that any individual or general permit will be granted authorization to use the Bank to compensate for unavoidable wetland or stream impacts associated with a proposed permit. Authorization by the Virginia Marine Resources Commission may also be required.
AUTHORITY: Issuance of a public notice regarding proposed compensatory mitigation sites is required pursuant to the “Compensatory Mitigation for Losses of Aquatic Resources; Final Rule,” (Rule) as published in the April 10, 2008, Federal Register, Vol. 73, No. 70, Pages 19594-19705 (33 CFR Parts 325 and 332).
FEDERAL EVALUATION OF PROPOSAL: USACE is soliciting comments from the public; Federal, state, and local agencies and officials; Indian Tribes; and other interested parties to consider and evaluate this proposed mitigation site. This is not an application for work in waters of the United States. USACE is evaluating this proposal and will consider any comments received. Comments are used to assess impacts on endangered species, historic properties, water quality, conservation, economics, aesthetics, general environmental concerns, wetlands, fish and wildlife values, flood hazards, flood plain values, land use classification, navigation, shoreline erosion and accretion, recreation, water supply and conservation, water quality, energy needs, safety, food and fiber production, mineral needs, and consideration of property ownership.
Preliminary review indicates that: (1) no environmental impact statement would be required; (2) after conducting the Norfolk District ESA Project Review Process, there may be an affect to species listed under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 and the Official Species List and Species Conclusion Table are located at Public Notices (army.mil) ; and (3) there are known properties eligible for inclusion or included in the National Register of Historic Places are in the Bank property. Additional information might change any of these findings.
COMMENT PERIOD: Comments on this project should be made in writing, addressed to the Norfolk District, Corps of Engineers-(ATTN: Charlottesville Field Office), Mr. Vinny Pero, at the address below, or via email at vincent.d.pero@usace.army.mil and should be received by the close of business on March 17, 2023. The Prospectus and Drawings can be viewed at:
Public Notices (army.mil)
NOTE: RIBITS is no longer supported by Internet Explorer (IE). Please use a different browser to access the above link.
If you have any questions about this Bank, please contact:
Mr. Vinny Pero
920 Gardens Blvd., Suite103-B
Charlottesville, Virginia 22901
757-297-0011
vincent.d.pero@usace.army.mil