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

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Project Partners The project team used TCAPP’s Partner User Portal to consider which agencies would be considered partners. TCAPP identifies partners as those parties with a decision-making role at one or more points in the transportation planning process. These decisions are fiscal and/or legal in nature. Several agencies provide regulatory approvals for the Hoopstick Creek Bridge Replacement project. Their specific roles are described as follows: • FHWA reviews and approves all NEPA evaluations conducted by the SCDOT. The South Carolina office of the FHWA was invited to all meetings and kept informed on project status throughout. Staff attended and participated in the agency workshop but were not present or participatory during subsequent meetings. • USACE provides permitting decisions in compliance with Section 404 of the Clean Water Act and Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act. The SCDOT currently funds three liaison positions at the USACE. USACE personnel attended the agency workshop, site visit, and all meetings, regularly engaging in discussion about the pilot project and general process improvements. • SCDHEC Bureau of Water and OCRM provide Section 401 of the Clean Water Act certification of federal actions and permits for compliance with the Coastal Zone Management Act, respectively. The SCDOT currently funds personnel positions at SCDHEC Bureau of Water. SCDHEC Bureau of Water and OCRM were active participants in the agency workshop, site visit, and second meeting. The agency did not attend the final meeting. While the following agencies generally do not issue permit or NEPA decisions, their consultation and involvement are essential to project success. Therefore, the SCDOT also considers the following agencies to be partners: • National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries provides review in accordance with Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management, the Marine Mammal Protection, and the Endangered Species acts. NOAA Fisheries was invited to all meetings and kept informed on project status throughout. However, the agency’s representative was unable to attend the agency workshop or site visit. The NOAA Fisheries representative attended the final meeting and was an active participant, expressing interest in improving environmental coordination. • U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) provides consultation on the Endangered Species Act. USFWS was invited to all meetings and kept informed on project status throughout. The agency’s staff did not attend any meetings or participate in the pilot project. • South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) is a state resource agency that provides consultation on protected species and wildlife. SCDNR was invited to all 12