4/1/15 - ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLIANCE ORDER ON CONSENT ISSUED. THIS AOC PERTAINS TO RESPONDENTS DEPOSITION OF DREDGED AND/OR FILL MATERIAL INTO JURISDICTIONAL WETLANDS AND WATERS OF THE U.S. INCLUDING APPROX 67 ACRES OF FORESTED WETLANDS. THE DEPOSITIONED OCCURRED DURING ACTIVITIES ASSOCIATED WITH THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A PECAN ORCHARD.
RESPONDENT, AT ALL TIMES RELEVANT TO THIS ORDER, WAS THE OWNDER OR OPERATOR OFTHE 479-ACRE AND 220-ACRE TRACTS LOCATED OFF OF GA HWY 37 IN BERRIEN COUNTY, GA THAT CONTAINED THE DISCHARGE AREA.
BETWEEN ABOUT APRIL 2012 AND MAY 2014, RESPONDENT AND/OR THOSE ACTING ON BEHALF OF RESPONDENT DISCHARGED DREDGED AND/OR FILL MATERIAL INTO FORESTED WETLANDS ON TEH SITE USING EARTH MOVING MACHINERY DURING UNAUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES ASSOCIATED WITH THE CONVERSION OF WETLANDS TO A PECAN ORCHARD. TO DATE, THE UNAUTHORIZED DREDGED AND/OR FILL MATERIAL REMAINS IN WATERS OF THE U.S. RESPONDENT'S UNAUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES IMPACTED APPROX 67.25 ACRES OF FORESTED WETLANDS THAT ABUT AN UNNAMTED TRIBUTARY, WHICH FLOWS TO CAT CREEK, WHICH FLOWS INTO THE WITHLACOOCHEE RIVER, A NAVIGABLE-IN-FACT WATER OF THE U.S.
ON SEPT 25, 2014, ENVIRONMENTAL AUDIT AND ASSESSMENT, INC SUBMITTED SITE INFO TO THE U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS REGARDING THE WORK THAT HAD BEEN CONDUCTED BETWEEN APR 2012 AND MAY 2014. IN DEC 2013, THE COE REFERRED THE CASE TO EPA DUE TO THE SIZE OF THE IMPACTS. ON MARCH 20, 2014, ENVIRONMENTAL AUDIT SUBMITTED A WETLAND DELINEATION MAP TO EPA. MAY MAY 1