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Home My WebLink AboutWetlands Delineation Memo ® TrR C Exhibit K Wetland Delineation Memo SIRE Southold Solar Project January 2025 Special Exception and Site Plan Application Package �Ilk TrRC Memorandum To: Jeremy Karpf, Director, Project Development Summit Ridge Energy From: Lisa Downing-Schmidt, TRC Subject: Site Visit and Delineation—Summit Ridge Southold Landfill Solar Project Date: August 30, 2024 CC: Laura Lefebvre(TRC) Introduction On January 24,2023,one TRC wetland scientist visited the proposed Summit Ridge Energy(SRE)Southold Landfill Solar Project(Project), located in the Hamlet of Cutchogue, Town of Southold, Suffolk County, New York.The scientists reviewed current ground conditions and conducted a wetland and waterbody delineation within the defined study area (the Project Site; see Attachment A— Figure 1). This memorandum summarizes the results of the wetland and waterbody delineation conducted for the Project. The Project Site is located on a 60.02-acre parcel including a capped municipal landfill. The wetland and waterbody delineation survey was conducted on a 20.59-acre section depicted on the location map (refer to Attachment A—Figure 1). Land use within the Project Site consists of a capped landfill. The Project Site is located on land zoned as Light Industrial. TRC reviewed publicly available data from appropriate agencies prior to the resource delineation.The online United States Fish and Wildlife Service National Wetlands Inventory(NWI) Mapper was accessed to identify the presence of federally mapped wetlands and waters. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation's (NYSDEC's) Environmental Resource Mapper was accessed to identify the presence of state-mapped wetlands and waters.The United States Department of Agriculture(USDA)Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) online Web Soil Survey was accessed to determine the mapped soils within the Project Site, and the hydric ratings for the soil map units were analyzed. Delineation Methodology Prior to conducting the wetland delineation, TRC reviewed multiple references to gain a preliminary understanding of the characteristics of the Project Site, including: • United States Geographic Survey 7.5-minute series topographic quadrangles; • Aerial photographs; • NWI-mapped wetlands; • NYSDEC Environmental Resource Mapper; • Flood Emergency Management Agency(FEMA) Floodplain; and • USDA NRCS Web Soil Surveys. Site Visit and Delineation Memo—SRE Summit Ridge Solar Project August 30, 2024 Page 2 of 3 The review prior to conducting the wetland delineation indicated that the Project Site was vacant and that there were potentially no wetlands, hydric soils, or floodplains present. The wetland delineation was conducted in accordance with the methodologies described in the United States Army Corps of Engineers' (USACE) Wetlands Delineation Manual (1987 Manual) (Environmental Laboratory, 1987) and Regional Supplement to the Corps of Engineers Wetland Delineation Manual: Northcentral and Northeast Region (2012 Regional Supplement) (Version 2.0; 2012). Wetlands are defined by the USACE as areas that are inundated or saturated by surface water or groundwater at a frequency and duration sufficient to support, and that under normal circumstances do support, a prevalence of vegetation typically adapted for life in saturated soil conditions, including swamps, marshes, bogs, and bottomlands. The 1987 Manual and 2012 Regional Supplement identify three environmental factors to consider when making wetland determinations. This three-factor approach involves indicators of hydrophytic vegetation, hydric soil, and wetland hydrology as described below. • Vegetation—Vegetation was documented and evaluated based on NWI classifications for dominant wetland and upland vegetative communities. Hydrophytic vegetation was identified and categorized by using the USACE's 2018 National Wetland Plant List(NWPL)for the Northcentral and Northeast Region compiled by Lichvar et al. The NWPL provides wetland indicator status ratings of vascular plants in the United States. An important characteristic of the vegetation ratings in the NWPL is that plants that generally tend to be on the drier end of the spectrum may be considered hydrophytic if they display morphological adaptations to living in a wet soil (e.g., very shallow roots or buttressed trunks). • Hydric Soils — Subsurface Project Site soils within the upper 20 inches of ground surface were inspected for the presence of hydric soils, defined by the USACE as soils "that formed under conditions of saturation, flooding, or ponding long enough during the growing season to develop anaerobic conditions in the upper part." Hydric soil indicators were assessed based on the presence of soil morphologies used to make on-site determinations of hydric soil conditions, as identified in Field Indicators of Hydric Soils in the United States (version 8.2), compiled by Vasilis et al., for the USDA NRCS (2018). • Hydrology — Evidence of wetland hydrology at the Project Site was determined based on observations of surface saturation and inundation, topographic depressions, surface water connections and drainage patterns, and water-stained leaves, along with evidence of hydrology based on plant characteristics such as adventitious roots or moss growth on the lower parts of trees. Delineation Results The TRC wetland scientist confirmed that no wetland features exist within the Project Site. The TRC wetland scientists did not observe wetland vegetation, hydrology, or hydric soils. One intermittent stream with defined bed and banks was present. It is TRC's opinion that this feature is non-jurisdictional. If you have any questions regarding TRC's assessment, or would like additional information, please do not hesitate to contact me at IIdo niiirngsclh�irrnidt�d ppir „I IrI„es::.coirn or(315)430-9190. Site Visit and Delineation Memo—SRE Summit Ridge Solar Project August 30, 2024 Page 3 of 3 Sincerely, La- Lisa Downing-Schmidt Senior Environmental Science, TRC Enclosures: Attachment A—Figures Figure 1—Delineated Wetland Resource Map Attachment B—Stream Data Form ATTACHMENT A Figures e z z w 0 7 x 5 z < w cv o w ? p U 0 J r � F n _ W Z Z � V K Q p zre Q F K p W - N O � Z W M , r i i Z , r / � y d a r it ✓ , a , ATTACHMENT B Stream Data Form STREAM AND WATERBODY INVENTORY CLIENT: SUMMIT RIDGE PROJECT: SOUTHOLD LANDFILL IRCS-MJR-01 Intermittent PLOT OVERVIEW ID S-MJR-01 Classification Intermittent Waterbody Name Date 2023-01-24 10:59:42 Evaluators Matt Regan Address (Approx.) Cutchogue Suffolk County NY 11935 US Location Description Lat. 1 Long. (WGS84) 41.031138757281965, -72.50197665772633 STREAM 1 WATERBODY CHARACTERISTICS Flow Stage Moderate Flow Direction NE Average Depth (in.) 3 Probed Stream Depth 0 to 6 inches Perceptible Flow Yes Obstruction NA Channel Substrate Cobble/Gravel Channel Gradient 2 to 4% (1 to 2 deg) Moderate Is floodplain present? no Bankfull Width (ft) NA Existing Water Width (ft) 3 Top of Bank(ft) 3 Water Quality Presumed Regulatory Authority Ordinary High Water Mark(ft) 3 Canopy Closure (Est.) OHWM Indicators Bed and Banks,Natural Line Impressed on Bank Water Quality Comments Bank Substrate Cobble/Gravel Aquatic Habitat Observed Use Observed Fauna RTE Species & Evidence Notes BANK HEIGHT(ft) BANK SLOPE BANK EROSION POTENTIAL' Left Bank 0.5 25 to 35% (14 to 20 deg) Low Steep Right Bank 0.5 25 to 35% (14 to 20 deg) Low Steep 71tlR "o , 4. 1tl "hIf" l4,aIIC h y Mb t3F,W NO,H eueu6fl4aW W0 PHOTOS Upstream Photo: F Downstream Photo: r � �s pp4��`'u" �'U l�° p i �W��uH n a " ^YC'�✓�r �'"rm 'f'"r, � ��.� ,,i y✓�4 �ii 9 ;��,bQ��m' ��ti Jwl �q ar,�ll�ti✓ r ,, iY !;�✓r1 r�'v 1 �y1�irl�i'��i�a�r�m r,� i i au r i ✓t Across StreamlWaterbody Photo: e 1 1� Y� " N"wW III Ul B 11 lag '',of t3F, NO,M eueudl N4";W Poi!0