WETLAND CREATION AT CEDAR POINT

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The Navy received authorization for Minor Nontidal Fills work at BPTF from the USACE on 22 June 2015. In accordance with the terms and conditions of MDSPGP-4 permit number 2014-61196, the Navy must meet compensatory wetland mitigation permit conditions for the impacts to wetlands associated with the BPTF Southern Drawl project. The Navy will fulfill the compensatory mitigation conditions by creating wetlands to offset impacts on 0.31 acre (13,504 sf) of forested nontidal fill for the planned antenna footprint and 3.08 acres (134,165 sf) of forested nontidal wetland conversion to emergent nontidal wetland for the line-of-site clearance.Potential mitigation projects on the BPTF installation were discussed, but due to the presence of various constraints (including unexploded ordnance, protected species, archaeology, and base operations) at Blossom Point, creating wetlands on the installation would not be possible. With all of these things considered, mitigating offsite for the impacts associated with the Southern Drawl expansion project at BPTF is the only feasible option. To mitigate the impacts to wetlands at BPTF, the Navy entered into a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with Maryland Department of Natural Resources (MD DNR) to create wetlands on the Cedar Point Wildlife Management Area (WMA) in Charles County, Maryland. Cedar Point WMA is owned by the MD DNR and immediately adjacent to BPTF, therefore allowing for in-kind, off-site mitigation. The majority of the site has been farmland since before MD DNR acquired the property in 2009.

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