Required Project Regulatory Reviews Waters and Wetlands: US Army - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Required Project Regulatory Reviews

• Waters and Wetlands: US Army Corps of

Engineers through CWA Section 404

• Construction Stormwater: NPDES

Construction Stormwater Discharge Permit (GP 3-9020), administered by Vermont DEC Construction Stormwater Discharge Permit (GP 3-9020), administered by Vermont DEC

• Operational Phase Stormwater: NPDES

Multi-Sector General Permit (GP 3-9003), administered by Vermont DEC

Current Project Permitting Status

• Project avoids all impacts to Waters and Wetlands
• Project has filed for a Construction Stormwater

permit including an Erosion Prevention and Sediment Control Plan that meets Vermont DEC criteria

• Project is preparing a Stormwater Pollution
• Project is preparing a Stormwater Pollution

Prevention Plan for coverage under the Multi- Sector General Permit, and a stormwater pond design that voluntarily meet Vermont Stormwater Management Manual criteria for Operational Phase Stormwater management from the site

• Project avoids all impacts to Flood prone areas

including LaPlatte River floodplain and river corridor

Wetlands

• All wetlands and streams were field

delineated in May 2015.

• Delineations were reviewed in the field and
• Delineations were reviewed in the field and

approved by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

• The project has been designed so that there

will be no impacts to wetlands or streams.

Floodplains

• The project is located entirely outside the

LaPlatte R. 100-year floodplain as designated by FEMA.

• Project activities are outside the DEC River

Corridor of the LaPlatte R.

• The floor elevation of the salt sheds will be

almost 11 feet higher than the floodplain elevation and over 10 feet higher than the all-time highest Lake Champlain level of 103.3 feet from May 2011.

• Lake Champlain in the days following the

1927 flood reached a maximum of 99.9 feet.

What State Permit Conditions is Vermont Railway Meeting Voluntarily?

• The project will include stormwater

management facilities that voluntarily meet the requirements of the Vermont Stormwater Management Manual for site

• peration.
• peration.

How Will the LaPlatte River Water Quality be Protected?

• 1. By implementing Best Management

Practices during construction.

• 2. By voluntarily constructing a stormwater

pond designed to the criteria of the pond designed to the criteria of the Vermont Stormwater Management Manual to capture and treat runoff.

• 3. Through the implementation of a

mandatory Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan for Industrial Facilities.

Construction Stormwater General Permit 3-9020 Approach to Water Quality Protection

• EPSC Plan is based on use of Best Management Practices

(BMPs), including:

• Structural Measures:
• Silt fences
• Stabilized construction entrance
• Erosion control blankets
• Non-Structural Measures:
• Phased construction
• Restriction on concurrent earth disturbance
• Prompt stabilization/revegetation

Multi-Sector General Permit(MSGP) Overview

• Federal NPDES Program delegated to VT DEC

(GP 3-9003)

• Regulates Operational Phase Stormwater

Runoff from certain Industrial Facilities

• Requires the preparation of a Stormwater
• Requires the preparation of a Stormwater

Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) and implementation of Control Measures

What is a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan?

• A Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan:
• Creates a detailed inventory of potential pollutant sources

and exposed materials.

• Identifies and implements Best Management Practices

(BMPs) and Required Control Measures.

• Requires monitoring of the site conditions and annual
• Requires monitoring of the site conditions and annual

reporting to the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation.

• Mandates spill prevention and means of response.
• Requires site maintenance and employee training.
• Places conditions or restrictions on vehicle and equipment

washing.

What Stormwater Control Measures are required?

• Minimize exposure of materials to rainfall and snowmelt
• Good housekeeping
• Maintenance
• Spill prevention and response
• Spill prevention and response
• Management of runoff
• Employee training
• Conditions and limitations on vehicle or equipment washing

Were Floodplain Forests Cleared?

• No. Floodplain forests were not cleared.

Only trees outside the floodplain and

• utside wetland areas were cleared.

Was a Clayplain Forest Cleared?

• No. The area cleared has not been mapped

as a Clayplain Forest by either the State of Vermont or VHB.

Did Vermont Railway Require a Permit for Tree Clearing?

• No. A permit to clear the forest was not

required.

• Authorization from the State to clear
• Authorization from the State to clear

forested areas is triggered for projects involving more than 40 acres of clearing.

• Otherwise, tree clearing is allowed, using

the VT Acceptable Management Practices, which were followed in this case,

Was Critical Habitat affected by tree clearing?

• No. The State of Vermont does not

designate Critical Habitat. That is designated by the federal government under the Endangered Species Act.

• No federal critical habitats are present

within the vicinity of the project.

What kind of forest was cleared?

• Approximately 19 acres were cleared.
• About half that amount was young forest

consisting largely of shrubs and saplings. consisting largely of shrubs and saplings.

• The western half was mature forest.
• No floodplain forest was cleared.

Did the State map any Significant Natural Communities in the Project Area?

• The current database for the State Natural

Heritage Inventory does not include any significant natural communities within the project limits.

• VHB mapped approximately 2.9 acres in the

western portion as Sand-Over-Clay forest.

• The amount of Sand-Over-Clay forest

cleared is less than 1/6th of the total project clearing.