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Dam Remova l Permitting Overview

Lynnette Ba tt, Americ an Rivers

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Common Permitting Issues

Sediment

management

(quality

and

quantity)

Historic/culturalpreservation

Wetlandsimpacts

Rare/threatened/endangeredspecies

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Federa l Permits/

Regula tory Review

NEPAreview(leadfederalagency)

EndangeredSpeciesActSec7consultation(USFWS,NMFS;oftenalsoNCWRC,NCNHP)

FERCLicenseSurrender(ifFERCregulateddam)

CWASec404Permit(USACE)

RiversandHarborsAct,Sec10Permit(USACE)

MagnusonStevensFisheryConservationandManagementAct(NMFS)consultation

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Sta te Permits/

Regula tory Review SEPA

CWASec401certification(NCDWQ)

NationalHistoricPreservationActSec106consultation(NCSHPO)

DamSafetyreview/permitifregulated(NCDLR)

Trout

buffers,

in

mountains

(NC

DLR) CoastalAreaManagementAct(CAMA)

certification,oncoast(NCDCM)

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Example p roblem Sediment Management

Simkins DamRemoval

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Examp le p rob lem: Sed iment Mngmt

Simkins

DamRemoval

Projectproposedtoallow60,000CYofsandtomove

downstream Permittingtook2years

$50,000sedimenttransportmodel

$20,000additionalwork Generalpermittingactivitiescostover$200,000in

agencyandnonprofittime+$60,000inconsulting

timeProblem:Peopleareunfamiliarwithsedimenttransport,

reluctanttorelyonpastexamplesSolution:AdoptfederalBLMdecisionmakingtree

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Solutions Federa l guidanc e

*TimRandle(USBR)

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Solutions Federa l guidanc e

*TimRandle(USBR)

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Example Problem Wetlandsand Nutrients

Milburnie DamRemoval

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Example Prob lem:

Wetlands and Nutrients Forwetlands,lookatwhatfunctionalvalueislost/gained(NC

WAM)inadditiontoacreage

Changeinwetlandtypecouldbevaluable(ie,toriparian/emergentwetlandwithappropriatehydrology)

MAGuidanceonwetlands:restorationofstreamhabitatandriparianareaisconsideredmitigationforlossof

impoundment

wetlands

Nutrients:focusonsourcereductionandstormwater

BMPs;

impoundmentinariverisnotgoodplacetostorenutrients;alsomayreducefloodplainfunctions/filteringdownstream

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Example problem Cultural Resourc es

SawmillDamRemoval,MA

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Example p rob lem: Cultura l Resourc es

SawmillDamproject

Archeologicalreview=$25K

Archeologicalphotography/report=$25K Stonemason=$15K

Problem:Damsareseenashistoricstructures,oftenhavemillbuildingfoundationsattached

Solution:Streamlinedassessmentandgeneralpermitfordamswithoutintactmillbuildings.Focusmoreonmonitoringtheconstruction

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Example problem T&E Spec ies Management

EelRiverProject

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Example Prob lem: T&E Spec ies

EelRiverproject

NaturalHeritageshowedthatEasternBoxTurtlehad

beenfoundinthewatershedhistorically

Projectsoughttocreate4acresofsandbluffs(ideal

habitat)thatdidnotexistpriortotheproject

Studiesandturtlemanagementplancost$8K

Problem:Werecreatinghabitat,notdestroyingitSolution:Shouldberecommendationsorconditions

imposedby

the

Natural

Heritage

staff

no

studies

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The Pennsylva nia Model

Statestaffdedicatedtodamremovalpermitting

Streamlinedprocess

PreapplicationmeetingwithOwner,agencies

Plansubmittal permitleveldetail

PADEPcoordinatesUSACE,HistoricCommission,

NaturalResourcesandUSFWS(ESAissues)

SoilandErosionControlPlan

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Recommendations

ForProjectManagers:

Consultearlyandoften

Dositevisitw/regulatorsandagencypartnersbefore

initiatingpermitting

Maintaincommunication,answerQsthoroughly

Plansufficienttime

ForRegulators:

Considershorttermimpactforlongtermgain

Consistencyinpermitting/predictableregulatoryprocess

Learnfrompastsuccessesaswellasmistakes

Createguidancedocumentonprocessandkeyissues

Considermorestreamlinedapproach

UseNCACT/SCABasforumtoaddressbroaderchallenges

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Questions/

Comments