<<Date>>

Dear Landowner:

Subject: [insert project description in layperson terminology (e.g. replacement of Bridge No. ## over Y stream on (Road Common Name and S.R.) in Z County)] as project X-1234.

The N.C. Department of Transportation (Department) is constantly working to provide better and safer transportation facilities for public uses in North Carolina. The effects that these proposed facilities have on the human and natural environment are of great concern to the Department and must be adequately described in environmental documents. As part of this process, the Department is obligated to identify and document environmental resources so that impacts can be avoided and/or reduced. Streams and wetlands are two of the resources that must be identified during the review process. The Department has begun planning studies for the proposed project as described above.

Over the next several months, representatives of the Department including engineers, surveyors, geologists, and biologists as well as State and Federal environmental agencies, including the Regulatory Division of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, may be present on your property. They will be collecting data that will be used to design the project and conducting or verifying the limits of streams and wetlands pursuant to Section 404 of the Clean Water Act and/or Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899. These representatives will be wearing safety vests, have picture ID badges, and will be placing flagging or survey markers to identify the limits of streams and wetlands, if present, on the property. These markings do not indicate the final location of a proposed transportation project, but it is very important in our planning process. Please do not disturb these markers.

Please note that if the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has already issued a Jurisdictional Determination on your property confirming the presence of streams and/or wetlands, or if you have general questions or comments about the project, contact the NCDOT Project Manager [insert name] at [email@ncdot.gov] or [phone number], and please reference the above-mentioned project.

Thank you for your cooperation.