SEG Requests Response Deadline Extension (Until Jan 6, 2023)

Summers End has requested that the Army Corps extend the response deadline to the Sept 21, 2022 Request for Additional Information until Jan 6, 2023.  They base this extension request on the rainy weather and sea conditions which has affected turbidity in Coral Harbor.

The Army Corps agrees to this extension.


November 18, 2022
US. Army Corps of Engineers
Attention: Samantha Burns, Section Chief
Jacksonville Regulatory Division

RE: SAJ-2004-12518-CHF (St John Marina)

Dear Ms. Burns,
Summers End (St. John Marina) respectfully requests an extension of time to complete the benthic survey following the Scope of Work that was approved on October 6, 2022. Although the survey was initiated upon approval, weather and sea conditions have not allowed completion of the survey. The recommended archeological investigation is still pending approval of the Work Plan (WP) submitted to the USACE on October 14, 2022.
The applicant worked with US. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and National Marine Fisheries Service Essential Fish Habitat and Protective Resources Division (NMFS EFH/PRD) to develop the scope of work which resulted in the methods having a visibility requirement of 10ft during all surveys. Visibility has been extremely poor since the time of approval due to the heavy rainfall associated with tropical weather, including a 9” rainfall.
Additionally, the USACE required additional archeological surveys as part of the Section 106 consultation. The applicant contracted an archeological consultant who has worked with USACE archeologist, Robin Moore regarding the survey area and method of survey. The draft of the comprehensive archeological report and findings was submitted to the Corps on October 5, 2022. The archeological survey resulted in archeologist recommending investigation on 8 targets. The consulting archeologist has worked with Robin Moore on the methods necessary to complete the investigation and finalize the archeological report. The archeological consultant submitted the Work Plan (WP) to Mr. Moore on October 14, 2022. The archeologist has followed up multiple times since the submission of the WP and is still awaiting approval.
The applicant is prepared to immediately undertake the recommended investigation upon approval of the WP.
The applicant received the Request for Additional Information (RAI) from the Corps on September 21, 2022, most of the requested information in the RAI requires the completion of the updated benthic survey. Another portion of the RAI requires the completion of the archeological study, and the Work Plan has not yet been approved by the USACE. The September 21, 2022 RAI required a deadline for this submission to be within 60 days, however, the applicant could not start the benthic survey at that time because the Scope of Work had not yet been approved and the required archeological survey Work Plan has yet to be approve. The parameters of the benthic survey are such that a 60-day time would have been tight to complete the survey and required reports. The benthic Scope of Work was not approved until October 6, 2022, and the USACE’s 60-day clock had already started on September 21, 2022, and there has not been sufficient time to complete the necessary work due to rainy weather which impacts turbidity.
Additionally, the applicant still has not received approval of the archeological Work Plan to complete the investigation. The applicant respectfully requests the USACE’s assistance in receiving a response on the workplan the week of November 21, 2022, so the archeologist has time to schedule travel and complete the investigation before the end of this year.
The applicant respectfully requests the timeframe to submit the RAI be extended to January 6, 2022, as well as the input/approval of the Work Plan for the archeology be provided as quickly as possible.
We appreciate your consideration of this request and are looking forward to finalizing the requested information and providing your agency and the resource agencies the information necessary to evaluate our permit application.
Regards,
Chaliese Summers


From: Gonzalez, Alberto CIV USARMY CESAJ (USA)
To: Chaliese Summers
Cc: Amy Dempsey; Jeff Boyd; Saylor Fontenot
Subject: RE: SE – timeframe to complete surveys and RAI response
Date: Monday, November 21, 2022 1:08:00 PM

Good afternoon Chaliese,
The Corps is in receipt of the extension request. Please accept this email as the approval for an extension to provide the requested information identified in the 21 September 2022 RAI to Jan 6, 2023.
Thanks,
Albert