Legal Notice: Notice of Availability of an Environmental Assessment
Public Notice Announcing the Availability of an Environmental Assessment
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Development
Damian’s Craft Meats: Notice of Availability of an Environmental Assessment
AGENCY: Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBS), USDA
ACTION: Notice of Availability of an Environmental Assessment
SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the RBS, as required by the National Environmental Policy Act, is issuing an environmental assessment (EA) in connection with possible impacts related to a project proposed by Damian’s Craft Meats (DCM) of Ann Arbor, MI. The proposal is for construction of a new USDA inspected meat processing facility located on 789 Hogan Rd, Manchester, MI 48158. The property is zoned General Industrial. If implemented, the project will impact approximately 0.57 acres of wetlands, to be mitigated through the purchase of the State of Michigan’s Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) Land Bank Mitigation Credits and acquiring necessary EGLE permits. DCM has submitted an application to RBS for funding of the proposal.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christina Coger, State Environmental Coordinator, USDA Rural Development, 231-486-2510, Christina.Coger@usda.gov or Julie Pratt, Senior Project Professional, Environmental Consulting Solutions, 586-424-7355, JPratt@environmentalconsultingsolutions.com.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: DCM proposes to construct a new ~22,350 square foot industrial building that will serve to combine all meat processing steps under one roof, including the slaughtering of livestock (cattle, hogs, goats, and sheep), processing and butchering, smoking and brining of ready-to-eat value-added products, distribution, e-commerce and public retail. The parcel with proposed development is currently vacant, with no buildings or structures. It is a former farm field, currently overgrown with tall grasses/vegetation. Proposed development will include vegetation clearing, wetlands mitigation, limited tree clearing as needed, excavating and grading. The actual area of ground disturbance is less than 8 acres of land situated at 789 Hogan Road in Manchester.
Environmental Consulting Solutions (ECS), an environmental consultant, prepared an environmental assessment for RBS that describes the project, assesses the proposed project’s environmental impacts, and summarizes as applicable any mitigation measures used to minimize environmental effects. If implemented, the proposed project will impact wetlands. Approximately 20,070 square feet (0.46 acres) of wetlands on the northwest corner of the parcel will be converted for onsite stormwater detention. An additional approximately 4,600 square feet (0.11 acres) of wetlands will be impacted on the east portion of the property. This area is a wetland connector which will be maintained by a culvert to be constructed under the proposed driveway. Wetlands mitigation will be through the purchase of EGLE Land Bank Mitigation Credits and acquiring necessary EGLE permits. RBS has conducted an independent evaluation of the environmental assessment and believes that it accurately assesses the impacts of the proposed project. No significant impacts are expected as a result of the construction of the project.
Questions and comments should be sent to the USDA Rural Development contact included in this notice. Comments and questions will be accepted on the environmental assessment until January 16, 2025.
Any final action by RBS related to the proposed project will be subject to, and contingent upon, compliance with all relevant Federal environmental laws and regulations and completion of environmental review procedures as prescribed by 7 CFR Part 1970, Environmental Policies and Procedures.
A general location map of the proposal is shown below.
Dated: Jan 2, 2025
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