John R. Kasich, Governor
Mary Taylor, Lt. Governor
Scott J. Nally, Director
Certified Mail
[DATE]
J.J.J. Properties, LLC
Mr. Carmen Carbone
5585 Canal Road
Valley View, OH 44128
Re:
Lake County / Leroy Township
Grant of Section 401 Water Quality Certification; Minimal Degradation Alternative
Vrooman Road
ACOE Public Notice No. 2009-01681
Ohio EPA ID No. 134088
Dear Stakeholders:
I hereby authorize the above referenced project under one or both of the following authorities
and it is subject to the following modifications and/or conditions:
Section 401 Water Quality Certification
Pursuant to Section 401 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, Public Law 95-217, I
hereby certify that the above-referenced project will comply with the applicable provisions of
Sections 301, 302, 303, 306, and 307 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act.
Ohio Isolated Wetland Permit
Pursuant to Ohio Revised Code Chapter 6111 and Ohio Administrative Code Chapter 37451, and other applicable provisions of state law, I hereby conclude that the above-referenced
project will comply with the applicable provisions of Sections 6111.03 and 6111.04 of the
Ohio Revised Code.
This authorization is specifically limited to a Section 401 Water Quality Certification and/or
Ohio Isolated Wetlands Permit (here after referred to as “permit”) with respect to water
pollution and does not relieve the applicant of further Certifications or Permits as may be
necessary under the law. I have determined that a lowering of water quality in the Grand
River (HUC 04110004) as authorized by this permit is necessary. I have made this
determination based upon the consideration of all public comments, and including the
technical, social, and economic considerations concerning this application and its impact on
waters of the state.
Vrooman Road
Ohio EPA ID No. 134088
Section 401 Water Quality Certification
PART I
A.
Page 2 of 10
ON-SITE WATER RESOURCES AND IMPACTS
Watershed Setting
The watershed in which this project is located, Red Creek-Grand River (HUC
04110004-06-07), has an area of 26.3 square miles of which 61.3 percent is
developed, 24.4 percent is forest, 7.7 percent is grass/pasture, 4.4 percent is row crop
agriculture, and 2.1 percent is other.
Ohio EPA Aquatic “Use Designations” located in the Red Creek watershed, as found
in OAC rule 3745-1-10, include Warmwater Habitat (WWH) and Seasonal Salmonid
Habitat.
Per the Ohio EPA 2012 Integrated Report, the causes of impairment are as follows:


Other flow regime alterations; and
Unknown toxicity.
The sources of impairment are as follows:

B.
Urban runoff/storm sewers.
Project Description
This project is for the construction of a commercial and industrial development on
approximately 33 acres.
C.
Impacts
Under the minimal degradation alternative, impacts to waters of the state are as
follows:
1.
Streams
[PROVIDE A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE STREAM IMPACTS AND THE
REASON(S) FOR THE IMPACTS]
Vrooman Road
Ohio EPA ID No. 134088
Section 401 Water Quality Certification
Stream
ID
2
3
4
5
6
7
Existing
Use
Type*
E, I, or P
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
P
P
E
I
E
E
Page 3 of 10
QHEI
Score*
Class II; 43
Class II; 50
NA
NA
NA
NA
Total
Total
Length
Length on
Impacted
Site (LF)
(LF)
Fill
965.97
892.44
Fill
1505.81
393.63
None
70.48
0
None
122.08
0
None
96.55
0
None
37.08
0
Totals
2798
1289.1
Impact
Type
Percent
Avoided
7.6
73.9
100
100
100
100
54.0
* As provided by applicant
2.
Wetlands
[PROVIDE A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE WETLAND IMPACTS AND THE
REASON(S) FOR THE IMPACTS]
Wetland
ID
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
3.
Isolated or
Nonisolated?
Non
Non
Non
Non
Non
Non
Non
Non
Non
Non
Forested or
NonForested
Forested
Forested
Forested
Forested
Non
Non
Non
Non
Non
Non
Total
Category Acreage on
Site
2
0.082
2
0.997
2
0.449
2
0.004
2
0.225
2
0.023
2
0.527
NA
0.110
NA
0.014
NA
0.006
Totals
2.437
Total
Acreage
Impacted
0.082
0.997
0.033
0.004
0.007
0.023
0.140
0
0
0
1.286
Percent
Avoided
0
0
92.7
0
96.9
0
73.4
100
100
100
47.2
Lakes - Impacts to lakes are not authorized under this permit.
PART II TERMS & CONDITIONS
A.
Terms and conditions outlined in this section apply to project and mitigation
construction as described in this permit.
Vrooman Road
Ohio EPA ID No. 134088
Section 401 Water Quality Certification
Page 4 of 10
B.
This permit shall be valid for a period of 5 years from the date of issuance.
C.
The Permittee shall notify Ohio EPA, in writing, and in accordance with Part IV
(NOTIFICATIONS TO OHIO EPA) of this permit, upon the start and completion of site
development and mitigation construction.
D.
A copy of this permit shall remain on-site for the duration of the project and mitigation
construction activities.
E.
In the event of an inadvertent spill, the Permittee must immediately call the Ohio EPA
Spill Hotline at 1-800-282-9378, as well as the Ohio EPA Section 401/IWP Manager
(614-644-2872).
F.
Unpermitted impacts to surface water resources and/or their buffers occurring as a
result of this project must be reported within 24 hours of occurrence to Ohio EPA,
Division of Surface Water, Section 401/IWP Manager (614-644-2872), for further
evaluation.
G.
Pesticide application(s) for the control of plants and animals shall be applied in
accordance with rule 3745-1-01 of the Ohio Administrative Code, and may require a
site specific application permit from Ohio EPA. Such a permit may be obtained by
calling 614-644-2001 and speaking with the Toxicology Specialist.
H.
Blasting shall not be done within or near waters of the state (including wetlands)
without prior consultation with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of
Wildlife, to determine what protective measures should be taken to minimize damage
to wildlife.
I.
Any authorized representative of the director shall be allowed to inspect the authorized
activity at reasonable times to ensure that it is being or has been accomplished in
accordance with the terms and conditions of this permit.
J.
In the event that there is a conflict between the permit application, including the
mitigation plan, and the conditions within this permit, the condition shall prevail unless
Ohio EPA agrees, in writing, that the permit application or other provision prevails.
K.
The Permittee shall provide electronic maps of the development area and the
mitigation area to Ohio EPA 401 WQC and Isolated Wetland Permitting Section within
30 days of the date of this certification. JPEG, TIFF, PDF or BMP files are acceptable.
Vrooman Road
Ohio EPA ID No. 134088
Section 401 Water Quality Certification
Page 5 of 10
When sending the electronic files, include the Ohio EPA ID Number and the Army
Corps of Engineers Number (if applicable). If possible, these electronic maps shall be
GIS shape files or Geodatabase files. If this is not possible, the electronic maps shall
be in another electronic format readable in GIS (GIF, TIF, etc). The electronic files
shall be sent to the following e-mail address: EPA.401Webmail@epa.ohio.gov
If the files are too large to send by e-mail, a disk containing the electronic files shall be
mailed to the following address:
Ohio Environmental Protection Agency
Division of Surface Water
Attn: 401 WQC/IWP/Mitigation Section Manager
50 West Town Street, Suite 700
PO Box 1049
Columbus, OH 43216-1049
L.
This proposal may require other permits from Ohio EPA. For information concerning
application procedures, contact the Ohio EPA District Office as follows:
Ohio Environmental Protection Agency
Northeast District Office
2110 East Aurora Road
Twinsburg, Ohio 44087
330-963-1200
Additional information regarding environmental permitting assistance at Ohio EPA
can be found at http://www.epa.ohio.gov/dir/permit_assistance.aspx
M.
Best Management Practices (BMPs)
1.
All water resources and their buffers, which are to be avoided, shall be clearly
indicated on site drawings, demarcated in the field and protected with suitable
materials (e.g., silt fencing) prior to site disturbance. These materials shall
remain in place and be maintained throughout the construction process.
2.
All BMPs for storm water management shall be designed and implemented in
accordance with the most current edition of the Ohio Department of Natural
Resources Rainwater and Land Development Manual, unless otherwise
required by the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)
Vrooman Road
Ohio EPA ID No. 134088
Section 401 Water Quality Certification
Page 6 of 10
general permit for storm water discharges associated with construction
activities (construction general permit), if required.
A copy of the Rainwater and Land Development Manual is available at:
http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/tabid/9186/default.aspx#Manual
3.
A copy of the NPDES construction general permit is available at:
http://www.epa.ohio.gov/dsw/storm/construction_index.aspx#Construction%20
General%20Permit
Straw bales shall not be used as a form of erosion/sediment control.
4.
Grass filter strips shall be established adjacent to all avoided/relocated and unculverted waters of the state, including wetlands and existing buffer areas.
Filter strips shall be vegetated with non-invasive species native to Ohio and
shall be designed and implemented in accordance with the most current edition
of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ Rainwater and Land
Development Manual.
5.
Temporary fill shall consist of suitable non-erodible material and shall be
stabilized to prevent erosion.
6.
Materials used for fill or bank protection shall consist of suitable material free
from toxic contaminants in other than trace quantities. Broken asphalt is
specifically excluded from use as fill or bank protection.
7.
Concrete rubble used for fill or bank stabilization shall be in accordance with
ODOT specifications; free of exposed re-bar; and, free of all debris, soil and
fines.
8.
Cadmium chromium arsenate (CCA) and creosote treated lumber shall not be
used in structures that come into contact with waters of the state.
9.
Trees removed from temporary impact areas to facilitate construction shall be
replaced with appropriate tree species native to Ohio.
PART III MITIGATION
A.
Description of Required Mitigation
Vrooman Road
Ohio EPA ID No. 134088
Section 401 Water Quality Certification
1.
B.
Page 7 of 10
Mitigation shall be the partial funding of the Cleveland Museum of Natural
History’s purchase of the Sawdust property. The Sawdust property is a 442acre property located in Trumbull Township, Ashtabula County, approximately
12 miles away from the project site. The purchase of property to be preserved
in this specific case is acceptable to Ohio EPA because this property meets the
conditions of OAC rule 3745-1-54(E)(5). I have determined that restoration or
creation need not be a component of this compensatory mitigation based on
significant ecological reasons. The mitigation funds required for this transaction
is $288,229. This value was calculated as follows:
a.
If mitigation for wetland impacts were to occur at a mitigation bank, say,
Trumbull Creek, which serves the project area, a mitigation credit would
cost $28,000/credit. The minimal degradation alternative proposes
impacts to 1.116 acres of category 2 forested wetlands and 0.17 acres of
category 2 non-forested wetlands. The off-site mitigation ratios in OAC
rule 3745-1-54 are 2.5:1 and 2.0:1 for forested and non-forested
category 2 wetland impacts respectively. That results in a required
mitigation bank equivalent of 3.1 credits, which, when multiplied by
$36,000/credit comes out to $111,600.
b.
The estimated cost to construct and conduct mitigation monitoring for the
initially proposed constructed stream mitigation project (GOTL Stream
Mitigation Project) was $213,229.
Mitigation and Monitoring Plan
As mitigation for impacts described in Part I.C of this permit the applicant shall
implement the conditions in this permit.
C.
Timing of Mitigation Requirements
1.
D.
Within 30 days of the date of issuance of the 404 permit, a copy of the check
made payable to the Cleveland Museum of Natural History [XXXX] shall be
provided to Ohio EPA. Impacts to waters of the state shall not occur until
the terms of this condition have been met.
Protection in Perpetuity
1. For the above described wetland and stream mitigation area, including buffers, the
Permitee shall submit to Ohio EPA an acceptable, notarized, recorded, and filed
Vrooman Road
Ohio EPA ID No. 134088
Section 401 Water Quality Certification
Page 8 of 10
Environmental Covenant prior to the date of the initial discharge of fill into waters of
the state authorized in the permit. The Environmental Covenant shall include, as
attachments, a metes and bounds (survey) description of the protected area,
survey map, and an aerial photograph showing the boundaries of the protected
area and all mitigation areas inside the protected area and shall protect, in
perpetuity, [LIST COMPONENTS TO BE PRESERVED].
2. Signs shall be placed within visual distance along the mitigation area that indicate
the area is a protected wetland and/or stream mitigation project and that mowing,
dumping, or any other activity that would result in a degradation of the [wetland
and/or stream without prior authorization from Ohio EPA is prohibited.
E.
Reporting
1.
Annual Update Reports
A mitigation construction and project update report shall be submitted to Ohio
EPA by December 31 of each year following the date of this permit and until the
mitigation construction is complete and a mitigation monitoring report is ready
for submittal. Each update report shall contain, at a minimum, the following
information:
a.
The status of all of the mitigation required for the project as specified in
the application and permit including the filing of the required
Environmental Covenant;
b.
The status of the filling activities at the development site including dates
filling was started and completed, or are expected to be started and
completed. If filling activities have not been completed, a drawing shall
be provided, which shows the locations and acreage/feet of
wetlands/streams that have not yet been filled. If filling activities have
been completed, then as-built drawings shall be submitted, which show
where fill was placed.
c.
Mitigation construction start date, completion date, or expected start and
completion date;
d.
A discussion of the extent to which the mitigation has been completed
according to the timelines specified in this permit;
Vrooman Road
Ohio EPA ID No. 134088
Section 401 Water Quality Certification
Page 9 of 10
e.
Current contact information for all responsible parties including phone
number, e-mail, and mailing addresses. For the purposes of this
condition, responsible parties include, but may not be limited to the
Permittee, consultant,
Environmental Covenant holder, and
Environmental Covenant owner.
f.
As-built drawings sized 11" by 17" (to scale) of each of the mitigation
areas, once construction is complete.
PART IV NOTIFICATIONS TO OHIO EPA
All notifications, correspondence, and reports regarding this permit shall reference the
following information:
Permittee Name:
Project Name:
Ohio EPA ID No.:
J.J.J. Properties, LLC
Vrooman Road
134088
and shall be sent to:
Ohio Environmental Protection Agency
Division of Surface Water, 401/IWP Unit
Lazarus Government Center
50 West Town Street
P.O. Box 1049
Columbus, Ohio 43216-1049
You are hereby notified that this action of the director is final and may be appealed to the
Environmental Review Appeals Commission pursuant to Section 3745.04 of the Ohio
Revised Code. The appeal must be in writing and set forth the action complained of and the
grounds upon which the appeal is based. The appeal must be filed with the Commission
within 30 days after notice of the director's action. The appeal must be accompanied by a
filing fee of $70.00, made payable to “Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel," which the Commission,
in its discretion, may reduce if by affidavit you demonstrate that payment of the full amount of
the fee would cause extreme hardship. Notice of the filing of the appeal shall be filed with
the director within three days of filing with the Commission. Ohio EPA requests that a copy
of the appeal be served upon the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, Environmental
Enforcement Section. An appeal may be filed with the Environmental Review Appeals
Commission at the following address:
Vrooman Road
Ohio EPA ID No. 134088
Section 401 Water Quality Certification
Page 10 of 10
Environmental Review Appeals Commission
77 South High Street, 17th Floor
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Sincerely,
Scott J. Nally
Director
cc:
Keith Sendziak, Department of the Army, Buffalo District, Corps of Engineers
Peter Swenson, U.S. EPA, Region 5
Mary Knapp, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
John Kessler, ODNR, Division of Real Estate & Land Management
Dave Snyder, Ohio Historical Preservation Office
Megan Wolf, Ohio EPA, DSW, Section 401-Mitigation Group
Joe Loucek, Ohio EPA-NEDO, DSW, Section 401/IWP
Jeff DeShon, Ohio EPA, DSW, EAS
Jim Bissell, Cleveland Museum of Natural History, 1 Wade Oval Drive University
Circle Cleveland OH 44106-1767
Larry Ludwig, Chagrin Valley Engineering, 22999 Forbes Road, Suite B, Cleveland,
Ohio 44146-5667
Attachments:
Site Location Map (project)
Site Location Map (mitigation)
Response to Comments
[OTHER ATTACHMENTS]
Ohio EPA would appreciate your feedback on the permitting process that you have just
completed. Please visit the web address listed below and take a short survey to offer input
into the Agency’s efforts to provide efficient and effective service.
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/wqc-iwpfeedbackform