Virginia Coastal Program: 2004 Coastal Grant Project Description and Final Summary
Project Task:
FY 2004 Task 92
Grantee:
Virginia Department of Environmental Quality-Virginia Water Protection Permit Program
Project Title:
Nontidal Wetlands Protocol Implementation
Project Description as Proposed:
DEQ is in its third year of implementation of general permit authorizations for impacts to surface waters (wetlands and streams) that have minimal individual and cumulative environmental impacts. DEQ is in its second year of working with the Norfolk District Corps of Engineers (USACE) under their Section 404 Clean Water Act State Program General Permit (SPGP) to streamline the wetland permitting process and eliminate duplicative efforts on the part of USACE and DEQ. Implementation of the SPGP has required additional DEQ VWPP staff for permitting and compliance. Approximately 60% of these new permits are in the Coastal Zone, where most nontidal wetlands as well as new development activities are located. This project is to provide one FTE to work on nontidal wetland/stream permitting and compliance activities within the Tidewater Virginia localities covered by the DEQ Tidewater Regional Office. This individual will use the protocols and procedures being developed by the Virginia Institute of Marine Sciences under other grant tasks in the issuance of nontidal wetland general permits.
Federal Funding:
$68,734.00
Project Contact:
Bert Parolari - 757.518.2166: Bert.Parolari@deq.virginia.gov
Project Status:
Grant Closed
Final Product Received:
Project Summary Provided by Grantee:
The Tidewater Regional Office Virginia Water Protection Permit project manager employed under this grant task completed approximately 147 permit actions as follows: approximately 73 no permit required determinations (i.e. activity covered under a Corps NWP that DEQ has certified); 7 waivers, 36 general permits (including those currently in process), 11 individual permits, 20 notifications (impacts less than 1/10 acre of surface waters). These permit actions have resulted in impacts to approximately 12.3 acres of forested non-tidal wetlands, 2.74 acres of emergent non-tidal wetlands, .50 acres of tidal emergent wetlands, 2.65 acres of non-tidal scrub shrub wetlands, 535 l.f. of perennial stream and 254 l.f. of intermittent stream. The approximately 18.19 acres of wetland impacts were compensated for by purchasing wetland bank credits equivalent to approximately 18.19 acres of wetlands creation/restoration, contributions to the Virginia Aquatic Resources Trust Fund for the equivalent of 3.8 acres, creation/restoration of 3.2 acres and preservation of 145 acres. This compensation more than met the regulatory goal of no net loss to acreage or function through permitted impacts. Compensation for stream impacts is required on a one for one basis when feasible: approximately 515 l.f of stream impacts were compensated via purchase of stream bank credits, 118 l.f. of stream impacts were compensated via a contribution to the Virginia Aquatic Resources Trust Fund, and 216 l.f. were compensated through restoration/relocation.
The TRO project manager conducted approximately 6 pre-applicant site visits, 36 application site visits and 1 permit inspection. He also addressed approximately 4 compliance issues associated with these permits. Three compliance issues were settled without referring to enforcement, a fourth is currently being referred to enforcement. This level of field activity is consistent with our goal of preventing unpermitted impacts, assessing avoidance and minimization of impacts prior to permitting a project, and ensuring permit compliance once the permit is issued.
All activities took place within Virginia’s coastal zone localities.
Disclaimer: This project summary provides the federal dollars initially awarded to the grantee. Due to underexpenditure or reprogramming of grant funds, this figure may change. For more information on the allocation of coastal grant funds, please contact Laura McKay, Virginia Coastal Program Manager, at 804.698.4323 or email: Laura.McKay@deq.virginia.gov
A more detailed Scope of Work for this project is available. Please direct your request for a copy to Virginia.Witmer@deq.virginia.gov
