DEQ administers the Virginia Water Protection (VWP) permit program, which follows state regulations and federal guidelines under the Clean Water Act. State law requires that a VWP Permit be obtained before disturbing a wetland or stream by clearing, filling, excavating, draining, or ditching. Applications can be made through the Joint Permit Application (JPA) process.
In April 2025, DEQ received a JPA for MVP's Southgate Amendment Project. Attachment A of the JPA included a VWP Permit Application.
- View all JPA documents and attachments submitted for MVP’s Southgate Amendment project on the Virginia Marine Resources Commission’s website.
A Public Notice of the Draft VWP Permit was published on Oct. 16, 2025.
- View the Public Notice on the Virginia Regulatory Town Hall website.
- View the Draft VWP Permit: scroll down to ‘Project Documents’ and click on the files below ‘DEQ’s Draft Virginia Water Protection (VWP) Individual Permit No. 25-0752,’ or click directly on the files below:
1. Draft Cover Page
2. Draft Special Conditions
3. Draft General Conditions
4. Attachments 1 and 2 - Construction Reporting Forms
5. Appendix A (Part 1) - Impact Maps - VA - Alignment
6. Appendix A (Part 2) - Impact Maps - VA - Access Roads
7. Appendix B - Time of Year Restrictions Table
25-0752_2025-10-15_PERM_Draft Permit Combined Sections
The Public Comment Period for the Draft VWP Permit was from Oct. 16, 2025, through Dec. 5, 2025. The Public Notice for the draft permit can be viewed here.
- All written public comments submitted to DEQ either electronically or by mail, within the Public Comment Period, and that were relevant to the tentative DEQ action, were considered by DEQ and included as part of the record.
A Public Hearing for the Southgate Amendment project’s Draft VWP Permit was held on Nov. 20, 2025, at the Olde Dominion Agricultural Complex Education and Conference Center, located at 19783 US Hwy. 29 in Chatham, Va. DEQ staff presided over the hearing, and a court reporter was present to document comments provided by the public and other meeting attendees on the draft permit.
Summary of Public Comments and Responses Document
After the Public Comment Period ended, but before issuing a final decision on the draft VWP Individual Permit for MVP's Southgate Amendment Project, DEQ published a summary of public comments received during the public comment period and public hearing for the aforementioned draft permit, as well as DEQ’s responses to the summarized comments (9VAC25-210-172).
Summary of Comments Public Hearing
DEQ held a Summary of Comments Public Hearing on Jan. 6, 2026, at the Olde Dominion Agricultural Complex Education and Conference Center located at 19783 US Hwy. 29, in Chatham, Va. The purpose of the hearing was to provide an opportunity for individuals who previously commented on the draft VWP Permit (either at a public hearing or in writing during the public comment period) to respond to the department’s public comment summary and responses. A Public Notice for this Summary of Comments Public Hearing was issued on Dec. 23, 2025.
Final VWP Permit
On Jan. 13, 2026, DEQ issued VWP individual Permit No. 25-0752 for MVP's Southgate Amendment Project.
- To view the final VWP Permit, please scroll down to the end of 'Project Documents,' and click on the files below the 'DEQ's Final Virginia Water Protection (VWP) Individual Permit No. 25-0752' subheading, or click on the files below:
MVP-SG_2026-01-13_Final VWP Individual Permit No. 25-0752
MVP-SG_2026-01-13_Final VWP Individual Permit No. 25-0752 - App. A_reduced size
S-B061
