Pilot Testing of the TCAPP Decision Guide and Related Capacity Products: Hoopstick Creek, South Carolina (2014)

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Abbreviations ACE Agency Coordination Effort ADT average daily traffic CBC Comprehensive Business Consultants, LLC CHATS Charleston Area Transportation Study EA Environmental Assessment EIS environmental impact statement ENV environmental permitting/NEPA Decision Guide ESO Environmental Services Office FHWA Federal Highway Administration LEDPA Least Environmentally Damaging Practicable Alternative MPO metropolitan planning organization NEPA National Environmental Policy Act NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration OCRM Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management PAR Program Action Request SCDAH South Carolina Department of Archives and History SCDHEC South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control SCDNR South Carolina Department of Natural Resources SCDOT South Carolina Department of Transportation SHPO State Historic Preservation Office SHRP 2 Second Strategic Highway Research Program TCAPP Transportation for Communities—Advancing Projects through Partnerships Tidewater Tidewater Environmental Services, Inc. USACE U.S. Army Corps of Engineers USFWS U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 46

APPENDIX A Survey Monkey Assessment Results Coordination and Communication 1) Does your agency encounter problems coordinating with the DOT during the environmental permitting/NEPA process? (Yes or No) “Would like to see alternatives before Individual Permit public comment period. Pre- application coordination is best.” “Coordination/agency input earlier in the process (prior to permit application) could address design issues, which could avoid costly project modifications during the permitting process.” a. If Yes, have the 2 previous TCAPP meetings aided communication between your agency and the DOT? (Yes or No) b. If No, how could the DOT improve interagency coordination? (open text) 47

“Discussions and site visit addressing early (pre-permit application) agency coordination have been useful and could serve as an example for future projects.” “Our communication was good before TCAPP and has remained that way.” “The previous TCAPP meetings have helped identify areas where communication needs to be improved.” 2) What are the biggest obstacles to interagency coordination during the environmental permitting/NEPA process? (open text) Time for submittals Need to have a representative from each agency at meetings Cannot complete consultation until final plan is presented (conflicts with SCDOT/FHWA process) Communicating what each agency needs Lack of communication Having enough information to provide comments on Not receiving constructive comments from agencies during early coordination Agency concerns and comments not always incorporated into project designs Not being engaged with resource agencies early in the project development process 3) Are there obstacles to interagency coordination within your agency? (Yes or No) a. If Yes, please explain. (open text) Staff availability and time. Offices in our agency do not communicate their needs or concerns adequately. Interagency Meetings 4) What aspect of the interagency meetings do you believe is the weakest? Why? (open text) Attendance Need to have a representative from each agency at meetings Past comments not considered when presenting new projects 48

Delivery of project information Receiving constructive feedback Explanation of why options are not available or viable a. Strongest? Why? (open text) Desire to develop a project that satisfies regulatory requirements Opportunity for agencies to address information requirements prior to permit applications 5) Does the DOT provide your agency with sufficient information prior to the agency meetings? (Yes or No) a. If No, what specific ideas do you have that DOT can do to improve this? (open text) Insufficient information Basic project description sometimes provided, by detailed information at meetings Not provided in timely manner Projects pushed through permitting process, decisions already made by SCDOT 6) Does the DOT provide your agency with sufficient time to review materials prior to agency meetings? (Yes or No) Shared Goals 7) What steps in the environmental permitting/NEPA process are most important to your agency? Please rank the milestones from highest to lowest importance. 1. Purpose and Need 2. Alternatives Analysis 3. Avoidance and Minimization of the LEDPA 4. Compensatory Mitigation of the LEDPA 5. Defining Study Area 8) Do you feel that your agency’s role in the environmental permitting/NEPA process at SCDOT is clear? (Yes or No) 49

Process will only improve if all agencies, including FHWA, are involved. Agencies need more input prior to design. 9) Have the 2 previous TCAPP meetings helped define or clarify your agency’s role in the process? (Yes or No) 50