Sponsor: North Fork Wetlands, LLC
Attention: Sean Bierle
PO Box 854
Cascade, Idaho 83611
Email: sbierle@alzar.org
Telephone: (833) 862-5927
Location: The proposed bank site is adjacent to the North Fork Payette River located at 1600 Airport Way in Cascade, Valley County, Idaho at Latitude/Longitude: 44.4798232°, ‑116.0116846°. The site is in Section 8, Township 13 North, Range 4 East.
Mitigation Banking: A mitigation bank is a site where aquatic resources (e.g., wetlands and streams) are restored, established/created, enhanced, and/or preserved for the purpose of providing compensatory mitigation for impacts authorized by USACE under the authority of Section 404 of the Clean Water Act and/or Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act. The mitigation bank sponsor is the person or legal entity responsible for establishing, and in most circumstances, operating the mitigation bank. A mitigation bank sells compensatory mitigation credits to permittees whose obligation to provide compensatory mitigation is transferred to the mitigation bank sponsor.
Prospectus: This public notice includes only summarized information and figures from the full prospectus. A prospectus is the preliminary proposal prepared by a mitigation bank sponsor and provides an overview of a proposed mitigation bank. USACE invites interested parties to review the full prospectus.
A copy of the full prospectus for the proposed Bank is available for review on the USACE Regulatory In-lieu Fee and Bank Information Tracking System (RIBITS) website (https://ribits.ops.usace.army.mil). At this website, in the left column under “FILTER” select the “USACE District” radio button and from the dropdown list, select “Walla Walla”. Then, in the same column under “MENU” select “Banks and Sites.” On the next page, find and select “North Fork Payette River Mitigation Bank (Pending)”. Once the page loads, select “[Cyber Repository]” along the top menu. Here you will be able to download the full prospectus. Alternatively, a copy of the full prospectus may be requested from USACE.
Bank Description: The proposed Bank site is 236-acres and includes wetlands, ditches, a pond, and riverine channels (North Fork Payette River and Big Creek). The proposed aquatic resource outputs include 93-acres of emergent marsh wetland restoration, 80-acres of emergent marsh wetland enhancement, 1,650-linear feet of perennial stream restoration, 63-acres of upland buffer, 5,666-linear feet of riparian buffer, and emergent wetland preservation (amount yet to be determined).
The objectives of the Bank for wetland ecology include increasing wetland area and connectivity, improving wetland hydrological function, and enhancing vegetative diversity and habitat complexity within the wetlands. This work would include the expansion of existing wetland areas by grading the topography to create additional wetland swales and hydrologic connections. This work would also include filling existing drainage ditches and reconfiguring existing irrigation systems to restore natural hydrology and increase the extent of wetland habitat. Hydrological function will be improved by reconfiguring the existing irrigation network to enhance natural hydrology and improve climate resiliency by utilizing existing water rights to support restored wetlands. Vegetative diversity and habitat complexity will be increased by removing invasive and non-native vegetation and by replacing it with a diverse mix of native wetland species, including both herbaceous plants and woody species.
The objectives for stream restoration include reducing sediment load, improving water quality, and enhancing aquatic habitat complexity. This work would entail streambank stabilization measures using large woody debris and native vegetation to reduce erosion and sedimentation, particularly in Big Creek. Aquatic habitat complexity would be enhanced by constructing in-stream structures, such as large wood installations, to promote pool development and floodplain connectivity through strategic placing of wood and other natural materials.
A final objective is to identify and protect the high-functioning wetlands on site. This work would entail using an Idaho functional assessment method tool to assess the condition of existing wetlands. The wetlands with high functional scores will be prioritized for preservation to protect their ecological integrity and ensure long-term conservation.
In addition, riparian buffers with an average of 200-feet width are proposed adjacent to the restored stream channel of Big Creek and existing portions of the North Fork Payette River. 200-foot-wide upland buffers will also be implemented adjacent to the restored and enhanced wetlands on the property.
Site preparation will begin after the Mitigation Banking Instrument has been approved by the Corps. Tentatively, the site preparation sequence will include: installing Best Management Practices (BMPs) such as silt fencing and coir logs, isolating the work area, clearing and grubbing vegetation, and beginning earthwork such as stockpiling topsoil, filling ditches, de-compacting soil in wetlands, grading and shaping of soils, planting, and site reclamation. The Bank would be protected in perpetuity with a conservation easement. The sponsor is considering working with The Payette Land Trust as a potential project partner regarding long-term management of the Bank.
Service Area: A mitigation bank service area is the geographic area within which impacts can be mitigated at a specific mitigation bank. The proposed service area for this Bank is the divided into three levels of service. The primary service area will encompass the following subbasins: North Fork Payette (Hydrologic Unit Code (HUC) 17050123), Payette (HUC 17050122), Middle Fork Payette (HUC 17050121) South Fork Payette (HUC 17050120) Lower Boise (HUC 17050114), Boise-Mores (HUC 17050112), and Weiser (HUC 17050124). The secondary service area will encompass the following subbasins: C.J. Strike Reservoir (HUC 17050101), Middle Snake-Succor (HUC 17050103), and North & Middle Forks Boise (HUC 17050111). The tertiary service area will encompass the Middle Snake-Boise (HUC 170501). All proposed service areas are limited to the boundary of Idaho (see attached enclosure Page 2 of 3). This service area includes the urbanizing areas of Washington County, a portion of Adams County, a portion of Valley County, Boise County, a portion of Elmore County, Gem County, Payette County, Canyon County, Ada County, a portion of Camas County, Owyhee County, and a portion of Twin Falls County. The proposed service area includes the cities of Weiser, Council, McCall, Boise, Mountain Home, Emmett, Payette, Nampa, Meridian, Eagle, and Homedale. The proposed service area is depicted in the enclosure labeled Department of Army Number (DA No.: NWW-2024-00111).
Drawings: Drawings are attached and labeled with the USACE reference number NWW-2024-00111. Copies of this public notice, which have been mailed or otherwise physically distributed, feature drawings in black and white. The electronic version features those drawings in color, which we think more accurately illustrates the proposed mitigation bank. To access the electronic version of this public notice, go to the Walla Walla District Regulatory website at https://www.nww.usace.army.mil/Business-With-Us/Regulatory-Division/Public-Notices/.
Endangered Species: Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) (16 U.S.C 1536) requires federal agencies to consult with the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and/or U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) on all actions that may affect a species listed (or proposed for listing) under the ESA as threatened or endangered or that may adversely modify designated critical habitat. USACE’s preliminary review indicates the administrative action to authorize a mitigation bank would not affect listed species or critical habitat. USACE will complete a separate evaluation for activities to construct the proposed mitigation bank that may require a Department of the Army permit.
Historic Properties: Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) of 1966, as amended (16 U.S.C. 470), requires Federal agencies to consult with the appropriate State and/or Tribal Historic Preservation Officer to take into account the effects of actions they undertake or permit on historic properties listed in or eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. USACE’s preliminary review indicates the administrative action to authorize a mitigation bank would not affect historic properties. USACE will complete a separate evaluation for activities to construct the proposed mitigation bank that may require a Department of the Army permit.
Corps Public Hearing Requests: Any person may request in writing within the comment period specified in this notice that a USACE public hearing be held to consider this proposed mitigation bank. Requests for a USACE public hearing shall state with particularity the reasons for holding a public hearing.
Evaluation: USACE will evaluate the proposed mitigation bank in accordance with
33 CFR Part 332. The decision whether to authorize the bank will be based on an evaluation of the probable impact, including cumulative impacts, of the described activity on the public interest. That decision will reflect the national concern for both protection and utilization of important resources. The benefit, which reasonably may be expected to accrue from the described activity, must be balanced against its reasonably foreseeable detriments. All factors, which may be relevant to the proposal will be considered including the cumulative effects thereof; among those are conservation, economics, aesthetics, general environmental concerns, wetlands, historic properties, fish and wildlife values, flood hazards, floodplain values, land use, navigation, shoreline erosion and accretion, recreation, water supply and conservation, water quality, energy needs, safety, food and fiber production, mineral needs, consideration of property ownership and, in general, the needs and welfare of the people.
USACE is soliciting comments from the public; Federal, State, and local agencies and officials; Native American Tribes; and other interested parties in order to consider and evaluate the impacts of the proposed Bank. Any comments received will be considered by USACE to determine whether to authorize the proposed Bank. To make this decision, comments are used to assess impacts on endangered species, historic properties, water quality, general environmental effects, and the other public interest factors listed above. Comments are used in the preparation of an Environmental Assessment and/or an Environmental Impact Statement pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act. Comments are also used to determine the need for a public hearing and to determine the overall public interest of the proposed Bank.
Submitting Comments: Interested parties are invited to provide comments on the proposed Bank. All comments must be received no later than the expiration date of this public notice to ensure consideration. All comments received will become part of the administrative record and are subject to public release under the Freedom of Information Act including any personally identifiable information such as names, phone numbers, and addresses. Additional information about the proposed Bank may be obtained from the USACE contact listed below.
Comments may be submitted online, by conventional mail or by email. Comments may be submitted online at the Regulatory Request System website (https://rrs.usace.army.mil/rrs). At this website, select Public Notices and under Filter Notices select Walla Walla District. Comments submitted by conventional mail or email must include the USACE reference number as shown on page one and include the commenter’s name and address. To be accepted, email comments must originate from the author’s email account and must include on the subject line of the email message the USACE reference number. Comments may be submitted to the following mailing address or email address:
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Lia E. Landowski
Coeur d’Alene Regulatory Field Office
1910 Northwest Blvd., Suite 210
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho 83814
Email: lia.e.landowski@usace.army.mil
Telephone: (986) 810-0177
Enclosure:
North Fork Payette River Mitigation Bank Designs