Pier_USACOE_20230918-Permit_NWP-13.pdf

September 18, 2023

Regulatory Division North Permits Branch Jacksonville Permits Section

SAJ-2000-03468 (NWP-JRP)

National Park Service Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve Attn. Mr. Robert Kidd, Chief, Science and Resource Management 13165 Mount Pleasant Road Jacksonville, Florida 32225 Sent via email: steven_kidd@nps.gov

Dear Mr. Kidd:

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) has completed the review of your application for a Department of the Army permit received on July 24, 2023. Your application was assigned file number SAJ-2000-03468. The activities subject to this permit are authorized pursuant to authorities under Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 (33 U.S.C. § 403) and Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. § 1344). The project is located in the St. Johns River at 12713 Ft. Caroline Road (Duval County Property Appraiser – Parcel Identification Number 160298-0000), in Section 44, Township 1 South, Range 28 East, Jacksonville, Duval County, Florida. A review of the information and drawings provided indicates that the proposed work would result in the replace approximately 30 linear feet of rip rap revetment around the base of the existing pier at the park. The rip rap revement will be placed at a 2:1 slope. The rip rap revetment will fill approximately 0.01 acres (16 cubic yards) of open water below the high tide line (HTL). The installation of the rip rap revetment located above the HTL would not affect navigable waters of the United States and will not result in a discharge of dredged or fill material into waters of the United States.

Your project, as depicted on the enclosed drawings (Attachment 1), is authorized by

Nationwide Permit (NWP) 13 (Bank Stabilization). This verification is valid until March 14, 2026. In order for this NWP authorization to be valid, you must ensure that the work is performed in accordance with the Nationwide Permit General Conditions, the Jacksonville District Regional Conditions, and the General and Project-Specific Special Conditions listed below. Furthermore, if you commence or are under contract to commence this activity before the date that the relevant NWP is modified or revoked, you will have 12 months from the date of the modification or revocation of the NWP to complete the activity under the present terms and conditions of this NWP. You can access the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' (Corps) Jacksonville District's Regulatory

DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY

CORPS OF ENGINEERS, JACKSONVILLE DISTRICT

701 SAN MARCO BOULEVARD

JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 32207-8175

mailto:steven_kidd@nps.gov

-2-

Source Book webpage for links to view NWP information at:

https://www.saj.usace.army.mil/Missions/Regulatory/Source-Book/. Please be aware this Internet address is case sensitive and should be entered as it appears above. Once there, you will need to select “Nationwide Permits.” Among other things, this part of the Source Book contains links to the federal register containing the text of the pertinent NWP authorization and the associated NWP general conditions, as well as separate links to the regional conditions applicable to the pertinent NWP verification.

You must comply with all of the special and general conditions for NWP-13, including any project-specific conditions included in this letter and all conditions incorporated by reference as described above.

General Conditions:

1. The time limit for completing the work authorized ends on March 14, 2026.

2. You must maintain the activity authorized by this permit in good condition and in conformance with the terms and conditions of this permit. You are not relieved of this requirement if you abandon the permitted activity, although you may make a good faith transfer to a third party in compliance with General Condition 4 below. Should you wish to cease to maintain the authorized activity, or should you desire to abandon it without a good faith transfer, you must obtain a modification of this permit from this office, which may require restoration of the area.

3. If you discover any previously unknown historic or archeological remains while accomplishing the activity authorized by this permit, you must immediately notify this office of what you have found. We will initiate the Federal and state coordination required to determine if the remains warrant a recovery effort of if the site is eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places.

4. If you sell the property associated with this permit you must obtain the signature of the new owner on the attached transfer form (Attachment 2) and forward a copy to this office to validate the transfer of this authorization.

5. If a conditioned water quality certification has been issued for your project, you must comply with the conditions specified in the certification as special conditions to this permit.

6. You must allow a representative from this office to inspect the authorized activity at any time deemed necessary to ensure that it is being or has been accomplished in accordance with the terms and conditions of your permit.

https://www.saj.usace.army.mil/Missions/Regulatory/Source-Book/

-3-

Project Specific Special Conditions:

The following project specific special conditions are included with this verification:

1. Reporting Address: The Permittee shall submit all reports, notifications, documentation, and correspondence required by the general and special conditions of this permit to either (not both) of the following addresses:

a. For electronic mail (preferred): SAJ-RD-Enforcement@usace.army.mil (not to exceed 15 MB).

b. For standard mail: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Regulatory Division, Enforcement Section, P.O. Box 4970, Jacksonville, FL 32232-0019.

The Permittee shall reference this permit number, SAJ-2000-03468 (NW – JRP), on all submittals.

2. Commencement Notification: Within 10 days from the date of initiating the work authorized by this permit, the Permittee shall submit a completed “Commencement Notification” form (Attachment 3).

3. Fill Material: The Permittee shall use only clean fill material for this project. The fill material shall be free from items such as trash, debris, automotive parts, asphalt, construction materials, concrete block with exposed reinforcement bars, and soils contaminated with any toxic substance in toxic amounts, in accordance with Section 307 of the Clean Water Act.

4. Jacksonville District Programmatic Biological Opinion (JAXBO): Structures and activities authorized under this permit will be constructed and operated in accordance with all applicable PDCs contained in the JAXBO, based on the permitted activity. Johnson’s seagrass and its critical habitat were delisted from the Endangered Species Act on May 16, 2022. Therefore, JAXBO PDCs required to minimize adverse effects to Johnson’s seagrass and its critical habitat are no longer applicable to any project. Failure to comply with applicable PDCs will constitute noncompliance with this permit. In addition, failure to comply with the applicable PDCs, where a take of listed species occurs, would constitute an unauthorized take. The NMFS is the appropriate authority to determine compliance with the Endangered Species Act. The most current version of JAXBO can be accessed at the Jacksonville District Regulatory Division website in the Endangered Species section of the Sourcebook located at:

http://www.saj.usace.army.mil/Missions/Regulatory/SourceBook.aspx mailto:SAJ-RD-Enforcement@usace.army.mil http://www.saj.usace.army.mil/Missions/Regulatory/SourceBook.aspx

-4-

JAXBO may be subject to revision at any time. The most recent version of the JAXBO must be utilized during the design and construction of the permitted work.

5. Manatee Conditions: The Permittee shall comply with the “Standard Manatee Conditions for In-Water Work – 2011” (Attachment 4). The most recent version of the Manatee Conditions must be utilized.

6. Cultural Resources/Historic Properties:

a. No structure or work shall adversely affect, impact, or disturb properties listed in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP), or those eligible for inclusion in the

NRHP.

b. If, during the ground disturbing activities and construction work within the permit area, there are archaeological/cultural materials encountered which were not the subject of a previous cultural resources assessment survey (and which shall include, but not be limited to: pottery, modified shell, human remains, ceramics, stone tools or metal implements, dugout canoes, evidence of structures or any other physical remains that could be associated with native cultures or early colonial settlement), the Permittee shall immediately stop all work and ground-disturbing activities within a 100-meter diameter of the discovery and notify the Corps at the addresses listed in the Reporting Address Special Condition within the same business day (8 hours). The Corps shall coordinate with the Florida State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) to assess the significance of the discovery and devise appropriate actions.

c. Additional cultural resources assessments may be required of the permit area in the case of unanticipated discoveries as referenced in accordance with the above Special Condition and, if deemed necessary by the SHPO or Corps, in accordance with 36 CFR 800 or 33 CFR 325, Appendix C (5). Based on the circumstances of the discovery, equity to all parties, and considerations of the public interest, the Corps may modify, suspend, or revoke the permit in accordance with 33 CFR Part 325.7. Such activity shall not resume on non-federal lands without written authorization from the SHPO for finds under his or her jurisdiction, and from the Corps.

d. If the unlikely event that human remains are encountered on federal or tribal lands, or in situations where the Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979 or the Native American Graves Protection Repatriation Act of 1990 applies, all work and ground disturbing activities within a 100-meter diameter of the unmarked human remains shall immediately cease and the Permittee shall immediately notify the Corps, within the same business day (8-hours). The Corps shall then notify the appropriate

-5-

THPO(s) and SHPO. Based on the circumstances of the discovery, equity to all parties, and considerations of the public interest, the Corps may modify, suspend, or revoke the permit in accordance with 33 CFR Part 325.7. After such notification, project activities on federal lands shall not resume without written authorization from the Corps, and/or appropriate THPO(s), SHPO, and federal manager. After such notification, project activities on tribal lands shall not resume without written authorization from the appropriate THPO(s) and the Corps.

7. Self-Certification: Within 60 days of completion of the work authorized by this permit, the Permittee shall complete the attached “Self-Certification Statement of Compliance” form (Attachment 5) and submit it to the Corps. In the event that the completed work deviates in any manner from the authorized work, the Permittee shall describe the deviations between the work authorized by this permit and the work as constructed on the “Self-Certification Statement of Compliance” form. The description of any deviations on the “Self-Certification Statement of Compliance” form does not constitute approval of any deviations by the Corps.

8. Assurance of Navigation and Maintenance: The Permittee understands and agrees that, if future operations by the United States require the removal, relocation, or other alteration, of the structures or work herein authorized, or if in the opinion of the Secretary of the Army or his authorized representative, said structure or work shall cause unreasonable obstruction to the free navigation of the navigable waters, the Permittee will be required, upon due notice from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, to remove, relocate, or alter the structural work or obstructions caused thereby, without expense to the United States. No claim shall be made against the United States on account of any such removal or alteration.

This letter of authorization does not include conditions that would prevent the ‘take’ of a state-listed fish or wildlife species. These species are protected under sec.

379.411, Florida Statutes, and listed under Rule 68A-27, Florida Administrative Code.

With regard to fish and wildlife species designated as species of special concern or threatened by the State of Florida, you are responsible for coordinating directly with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). You can visit the FWC license and permitting webpage (http://www.myfwc.com/license/wildlife/) for more information, including a list of those fish and wildlife species designated as species of special concern or threatened. The Florida Natural Areas Inventory (http://www.fnai.org/) also maintains updated lists, by county, of documented occurrences of those species.

This letter of authorization does not give absolute Federal authority to perform the work as specified on your application. The proposed work may be subject to local

-6-building restrictions mandated by the National Flood Insurance Program. You should contact your local office that issues building permits to determine if your site is located in a flood-prone area, and if you must comply with the local building requirements mandated by the National Flood Insurance Program.

This letter of authorization does not preclude the necessity to obtain any other Federal, State, or local permits, which may be required.

Thank you for your cooperation with our permit program. The Corps’ Jacksonville

District Regulatory Division is committed to improving service to our customers. We strive to perform our duty in a friendly and timely manner while working to preserve our environment. We invite you to complete our automated Customer Service Survey at https://regulatory.ops.usace.army.mil/customer-service-survey/. Please be aware this Internet address is case sensitive and you will need to enter it exactly as it appears above. Your input is appreciated – favorable or otherwise.

Should you have any questions related to this NWP verification or have issues accessing the documents referenced in this letter, please contact Janice Price at the Jacksonville Permits Section at P.O. Box 4970, Jacksonville, Florida 32232, by telephone at 904-570-4542, or by email at Janice.R.Price@usace.army.mil.

Sincerely, Janice Price Project Manager

Enclosures

1. Drawings

2. Department of Army Permit Transfer Request

3. Commencement Notification

4. Standard Manatee Conditions for In-Water Work 2011

5. Self-Certification Statement of Compliance

Cc:

CESAJ-RD-E, Paula Johnson, Paula.R.Johnson@usace.army.mil https://regulatory.ops.usace.army.mil/customer-service-survey/ mailto:Paula.R.Johnson@usace.army.mil

Fort Caroline National Memorial

Fo rt Ca ro lin e Rd

ESRI 2023, National Park Service 2023 Map by: F. Southwell

0 250 500125 Feet

Legend Project Location (30.386784, -81.498959)

12713 Fort Caroline Road Jacksonville, FL 32225

SAJ-2000-03468 NPS Ft. Caroline Rip Rap

Fort Caroline National Memorial Pier Erosion

East Side Pier. Significant erosion undermining bank. Rip Rap material sloughing out and away from bank.

Approx. loss of 4’-6’ Bank. Exposed retention material.

West Side Pier. Significant erosion undermining bank. Rip Rap material sloughing out and away from bank.

Approx loss of 4’-6’ bank. Exposed retention material.

Underside Pier. Pilings and abutment exposed. Rip Rap Material Sloughing away from bank.

Pedestrian walkway approach to Pier. Right side failing due to undercut bank. Currently a 2” fall from level.

DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY PERMIT TRANSFER REQUEST

DA PERMIT NUMBER: SAJ-2000-03468 (NWP-JRP)

When the structures or work authorized by this permit are still in existence at the time the property is transferred, the terms and conditions of this permit will continue to be binding on the new owner(s) of the property. Although the construction period for works authorized by Department of the Army permits is finite, the permit itself, with its limitations, does not expire.

To validate the transfer of this permit and the associated responsibilities associated with compliance with its terms and conditions, have the transferee sign and date below and mail to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Enforcement Section, Post Office Box 4970, Jacksonville, FL 32232-0019 or submit via electronic mail to:

SAJ-RD-Enforcement@usace.army.mil (not to exceed 15 MB).

(TRANSFEREE-SIGNATURE) (SUBDIVISION)

(DATE) (LOT) (BLOCK)

___________________________________ (STREET ADDRESS)

(NAME-PRINTED)

(MAILING ADDRESS)

(CITY, STATE, ZIP CODE)

mailto:SAJ-RD-Enforcement@usace.army.mil

Dated 9/18/2019

COMMENCEMENT NOTIFICATION

Within 10 days of initiating the authorized work, submit this form via electronic mail to saj-rd-enforcement@usace.army.mil (preferred, not to exceed 15 MB) or by standard mail to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Enforcement Section, P.O. Box 4970, Jacksonville, FL 32232-0019.

1. Department of the Army Permit Number: SAJ-2000-03468 (NW-JRP)

2. Permittee Information:

Name: __________________________________________

Email: __________________________________________

Address: __________________________________________

Phone: __________________________________________

3. Construction Start Date: ______________________

4. Contact to Schedule Inspection:

Name: __________________________________________

Email: __________________________________________

Phone: __________________________________________

Signature of Permittee

Printed Name of Permittee

Date mailto:saj-rd-enforcement@usace.army.mil mailto:saj-rd-enforcement@usace.army.mil

STANDARD MANATEE CONDITIONS FOR IN-WATER WORK

The permittee shall comply with the following conditions intended to protect manatees from direct project effects:

a. All personnel associated with the project shall be instructed about the presence of manatees and manatee speed zones, and the need to avoid collisions with and injury to manatees. The permittee shall advise all construction personnel that there are civil and criminal penalties for harming, harassing, or killing manatees which are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the Florida Manatee Sanctuary Act.

b. All vessels associated with the construction project shall operate at "Idle Speed/No Wake” at all times while in the immediate area and while in water where the draft of the vessel provides less than a four-foot clearance from the bottom. All vessels will follow routes of deep water whenever possible.

c. Siltation or turbidity barriers shall be made of material in which manatees cannot become entangled, shall be properly secured, and shall be regularly monitored to avoid manatee entanglement or entrapment. Barriers must not impede manatee movement.

d. All on-site project personnel are responsible for observing water-related activities for the presence of manatee(s). All in-water operations, including vessels, must be shutdown if a manatee(s) comes within 50 feet of the operation. Activities will not resume until the manatee(s) has moved beyond the 50-foot radius of the project operation, or until 30 minutes elapses if the manatee(s) has not reappeared within 50 feet of the operation. Animals must not be herded away or harassed into leaving.

e. Any collision with or injury to a manatee shall be reported immediately to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) Hotline at 1-888-404-3922. Collision and/or injury should also be reported to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Jacksonville (1-904-731-3336) for north Florida or Vero Beach (1-772-562-3909) for south Florida, and to FWC at ImperiledSpecies@myFWC.com

f. Temporary signs concerning manatees shall be posted prior to and during all in-water project activities. All signs are to be removed by the permittee upon completion of the project. Temporary signs that have already been approved for this use by the FWC must be used. One sign which reads Caution: Boaters must be posted. A second sign measuring at least 8 ½” by 11" explaining the requirements for “Idle Speed/No Wake” and the shut down of in-water operations must be posted in a location prominently visible to all personnel engaged in water-related activities. These signs can be viewed at MyFWC.com/manatee. Questions concerning these signs can be sent to the email address listed above.

mailto:ImperiledSpecies@myFWC.com�

CAUTION: MANATEE HABITAT

All project vessels

IDLE SPEED / NO WAKE

When a manatee is within 50 feet of work all in-water activities must

SHUT DOWN

Report any collision with or injury to a manatee:

Wildlife Alert:

1-888-404-FWCC (3922)

cell * FWC or #FWC

Dated 9/18/2019

SELF-CERTIFICATION STATEMENT OF COMPLIANCE

Within 60 days of completion of the authorized work, submit this form via electronic mail to saj-rd-enforcement@usace.army.mil (preferred, not to exceed 15MB) or by standard mail to U.S.

Army Corps of Engineers, Enforcement Section, P.O. Box 4970, Jacksonville, FL 32232-0019.

1. Department of the Army Permit Number: SAJ-2000-03468 (NW-JRP)

2. Permittee Information: Name: ____________________________________________

Email: ____________________________________________

Address: __________________________________________

Phone: ___________________________________________

3. Date Authorized Work Started: _________________ Completed: _______________

4. Contact to Schedule Inspection: Name: ____________________________________

Email: ____________________________________

Phone: ___________________________________

5. Description of Authorized Work (e.g. bank stabilization, fill placed within wetlands, docks, dredging, etc.): ________________________________________________________

6. Acreage or Square Feet of Impacts to Waters of the United States: _________________

7. Describe Mitigation completed (if applicable): __________________________________

8. Describe any Deviations from Permit (attach drawing(s) depicting the deviations):

I certify that all work and mitigation (if applicable) was done in accordance with the limitations and conditions as described in the permit. Any deviations as described above are depicted on the attached drawing(s).

Signature of Permittee

Printed Name of Permittee

Date mailto:saj-rd-enforcement@usace.army.mil