This project is located in Brunswick County, North Carolina and consisted of environmental assessments and permitting for an 2-mile subaqueous electrical distribution cable connecting Bald Head Island and Oak Island across the mouth of the Cape Fear River. ESI was responsible for all environmental aspects of this project; including CAMA AEC identification, Section 404 and coastal wetland determinations, cultural resource evaluation, Threatened and Endangered species habitat evaluations, and all environmental permitting including a CAMA Major Permit. Due to specific restrictions within the CAMA regulations the project was initially not allowable and a variance from the Coastal Resource Commission (CRC) was required for this project. The environmental documentation prepared by ESI resulted in approval of the variance request from the CRC. Specific tasks performed to successfully permit this project include:

• Seagrass assessment
• Cultural resource evaluation of Fort Caswell
• CAMA AEC review of the crossing
• Division of Coastal Management consultation regarding regulatory compliance
• Coastal Area Management Act (CAMA) permitting for the crossing
• Variance request to the Coastal Resource Commission