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).

• View the summary and responses:  MVP-SG_Summ. of Comments_VWP Indv. Permit

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.

• View the Public Notice on the Virginia Regulatory Town Hall website, or by clicking on this link:  Virginia Regulatory Town Hall View Meeting.

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

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)

In June 2020, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity, authorizing MVP to construct and operate the Southgate Project. In February 2025, MVP submitted an abbreviated application to FERC, requesting the agency issue an order amending the certificate to allow MVP to construct and operate a modified version of the project, known as the Southgate Amendment Project. 

In May 2025, FERC issued a Notice of Scoping Period Requesting Comments on Environmental Issues for the Proposed Mountain Valley Pipeline Southgate Amendment Project and Notice of Scoping Session. DEQ submitted comments to FERC in June 2025. Following the scoping period, FERC developed an Environmental Assessment (EA) for the project. In December 2025, FERC issued an order amending the certification of public convenience and necessity for MVP's Southgate project.   

U.S Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) 

In April 2025, MVP submitted a Joint Permit Application (JPA), which included a request for a Department of the Army permit for the Southgate Amendment Project, under the provisions of Section 404 of the Clean Water Act.

• View the JPA on the Virginia Marine Resources Commission's website (once the webpage is up, scroll down and click on the 'Additional Docs' button to view the JPA documents).

In response, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) issued a Public Notice of the JPA submittal and solicited comments from the public and other interested entities.

On March 20, 2026, USACE issued a Section 404 Permit for the Southgate Amendment Project. 

Other State Entities

Through the aforementioned JPA, MVP also applied to the Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VRMC) and the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) for additional permits related to the Southgate Amendment Project. In November 2025, NCDEQ issued a Clean Water Act Section 401 Water Quality Certification for the project.

VWP Application

• MVP's VWP Permit Application (received by DEQ on April 18, 2025):

MVP-SG_JPA - 401 WQC Info and VWP Appl_1

MVP-SG_JPA - 401 WQC Info and VWP Appl_2 

View the entire Joint Permit Application (JPA) on the Virginia Marine Resource Commission’s website.

DEQ Correspondences

• DEQ's additional information request letter to MVP (issued by DEQ on May 1, 2025):

MVP-SG_2025-05-01_Addtl. info. request

• MVP's response to DEQ's additional information request (received by DEQ on May 30, 2025):

MVP-SG_2025-05-30_MVP info. request response_letter

MVP-SG_2025-05-30_MVP info. request response_spreadsheet

• DEQ's Reasonable Period of Time request & USACE's response (June 3, 2025):

MVP-SG_2025-06-03_RPT request

• DEQ's comment letter #2 to MVP (issued by DEQ on June 12, 2025):

MVP-SG_2025-06-12_Addtl. info. request

• DEQ's approval of MVP's Standards & Specifications (issued by DEQ on June 30, 2025):

MVP-SG_2025-06-30_DEQ approval - MVP Standards & Specifications

• DEQ's addendum to comment letter #2 to MVP (issued by DEQ on July 15, 2025):

MVP-SG_2025-07-15_DEQ Comment Letter 02

• MVP's responses to DEQ's comment letter #2 (received by DEQ on July 16, 2025; supplemented on July 25 and July 30, 2025):

MVP-SG_2025-07-16_MVP Response Letter_A

MVP-SG_2025-07-16_MVP Response Letter_B

MVP-SG_2025-07-16_MVP Response Letter_C

MVP-SG_2025-07-16_MVP Response Letter_Table A-1.Virginia Stream Impacts

MVP-SG_2025-07-16_MVP Response Letter_Table A-2.Virginia Wetland Impacts

MVP-SG_2025-07-16_MVP Response Letter_Table A-3.Virginia Stream Impacts Summary

MVP-SG_2025-07-16_MVP Response Letter_Table A-4.Virginia Wetland Impacts Summary

MVP-SG_2025-07-16_MVP Response Letter_Table 2.Stream Impacts

MVP-SG_2025-07-16_MVP Response Letter_Table 3.Wetland Impacts

MVP-SG_2025-07-16_MVP Response Letter_Table 4.Stream Impacts Summary

MVP-SG_2025-07-16_MVP Response Letter_Table 5.Wetland Impacts Summary

MVP-SG_2025-07-16_MVP Response Letter_Table 15.Wetland Mitigation

MVP-SG_2025-07-25_MVP Response Letter_Photo Log

MVP-SG_2025-07-30_MVP Response_Supplemental Email

MVP-SG_2025-07-30_MVP Response_Updated Alternatives Table

MVP-SG_2025-07-30_MVP Response_Revised Detail Maps.1-68

MVP-SG_2025-07-30_MVP Response_Revised Detail Maps.69-137

• DEQ's comment letter #3 to MVP (issued by DEQ on Aug. 1, 2025):

MVP-SG_2025-08-01_DEQ Comment Letter 03

• MVP's conceptual Permittee-Responsible Mitigation Plan (received by DEQ on July 23 and Aug. 8, 2025):

MVP-SG_2025-07-23_MVP conceptual PRM Plan - Update Letter

1_MVP-SG_2025-08-08_MVP conceptual PRM Plan_Submittal Letter

2_MVP-SG_2025-08-08_MVP conceptual PRM Plan_Snow Creek Mitigation Plan

3_MVP-SG_2025-08-08_MVP conceptual RMP Plan_Appendix A - Figures

4_MVP-SG_2025-08-08_MVP conceptual PRM Plan_Appendix B - Concept Design and Site Selection

5_MVP-SG_2025-08-08_MVP conceptual PRM Plan_Appendix C- CE Template 

6_MVP-SG_2025-08-08_ MVP conceptual RMP Plan_Appendix D - Wetlands and Species

7_MVP-SG_2025-08-08_MVP conceptual PRM Plan_Appendix E - Invasive Species

8_MVP-SG_2025-08-08_MVP conceptual PRM Plan_Appendix F - Long-Term Mgmt. Plan

• MVP's Virginia Wetlands & Other Aquatic Resources Maps (received by DEQ on Aug. 8, 2025):

MVP-SG_2025-08-08_VA Wetlands and Other Aquatic Resources Maps 1-77

MVP-SG_2025-08-08_VA Wetlands and Other Aquatic Resources Maps 78-156

• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Preliminary Jurisdictional Determination (PJD) for the Project Site (received by DEQ on Aug. 15, 2025):

1_MVP-SG_2025-08-15_USACE - Project Site PJD Letter

2_MVP-SG_2025-08-15_USACE - Project Site PJD Background Info

3_MVP-SG_2025-08-15_USACE - Project Site PJD Appeal Form

• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Preliminary Jurisdictional Determination (PJD) for the Permittee-Responsible Mitigation (PRM) Site (received by DEQ on Aug. 15, 2025):

1_MVP-SG_2025-08-15_USACE - PRM PJD Letter

2_MVP-SG_2025-08-15_USACE - PRM PJD Map

3_MVP-SG_2025-08-15_USACE - PRM PJD Background Info

4_MVP-SG_2025-08-15_USACE - PRM PJD Appeal Form

• DEQ's Permittee Responsible Mitigation (PRM) comment letter #1 (issued by DEQ on Aug. 20, 2025):

MVP-SG_2025-08-20_DEQ - PRM Comment Letter 01

• MVP's response to DEQ's addendum to comment letter #2 (received by DEQ on Aug. 22, 2025):

MVP-SG_2025-08-22_MVP Response - Comment Ltr. 2 Addendum

• MVP's Response to DEQ's Permittee Responsible Mitigation (PRM) comment letter #1 (received by DEQ on Sept. 4, 2025):

MVP-SG_2025-09-04_MVP Response - PRM Comment Letter 01

MVP-SG_2025-09-04_MVP Response - Table A-2. Virginia Wetland Impacts

MVP-SG_2025-09-04_MVP Response -Table A-4. Virginia Wetland Impacts Summary

MVP-SG_2025-09-04_MVP Response - Table 3. Wetland Impacts

MVP-SG_2025-09-04_MVP Response - Table 5. Wetland Impacts Summary

• DEQ’s Application Completeness Determination and Technical Questions (issued by DEQ on Sept. 22, 2025):

MVP-SG_2025-09-22_DEQ - Complete Application Det. and PRM Technical Comments

• MVP's response to DEQ's PRM Technical Comments and revised PRM Plan (received by DEQ on Oct. 2, Oct. 3, and Oct. 9, 2025):

MVP-SG_2025-10-02_MVP response - Revised PRM Letter

MVP-SG_2025-10-03_MVP response - Revised PRM Plan_ attach. 1 - redlined

MVP-SG_2025-10-03_MVP response - Revised PRM Plan_attach. 2 - clean

MVP-SG_2025-10-09_MVP response - PRM comment letter

Comments Submitted to DEQ by State Agencies

• Virginia Dept. of Health's Office of Drinking Water (received by DEQ on May 12, 2025): 

MVP-SG_2025-05-12_VDH-ODW comments

• Virginia Dept. of Conservation & Recreation (received by DEQ on June 3 and Sept. 25, 2025):

MVP-SG_2025-06-03_DCR comments

MVP-SG_2025-09-25_DCR comments - Snow Creek PRM

• Virginia Marine Resources Commission (received by DEQ on June 9, 2025):

MVP-SG_2025-06-09_VMRC comments

• Virginia Dept. of Wildlife Resources (received by DEQ on Sept. 5 and Sept. 26, 2025):

MVP-SG_2025-09-05_DWR comments - emails

MVP-SG_2025-09-05_DWR comments - TOYR Table

MVP-SG_2025-09-26_DWR comments - Snow Creek PRM

DEQ's Draft Virginia Water Protection (VWP) Individual Permit No. 25-0752

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

DEQ's Summary of Public Comments and DEQ Responses (issued by DEQ on Dec. 23, 2025)

MVP-SG_DEQ_Summ. of Comments_VWP Indv. Permit

DEQ's Final Virginia Water Protection (VWP) Individual Permit No. 25-0752 (issued by DEQ on Jan. 13, 2026)

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

• DEQ's Mitigation Plan Comment Letter (issued by DEQ on Jan. 14, 2026):

MVP-SG_2026-01-14_DEQ - Mitigation Plan Comment Letter

• MVP's Comprehensive Stream and Wetland Monitoring, Restoration, & Mitigation Framework (received by DEQ on Jan. 26, 2026):

MVP-SG_2026-01-26_MVP - Monitoring.Restoration.Mitigation Framework

• MVP's Snow Creek Mitigation Plan package (received by DEQ on Feb. 9, 2026):

MVP-SG_2026-02-09_MVP - Final Mitigation Plan Pkg - Snow Creek

• DEQ's Final Mitigation Plan Comment Letter (Feb. 26, 2026):

MVP-SG_2026-02-26_DEQ - Final Mitigation Plan Comment Letter

• MVP's response to DEQ's Comment Letter and revised Mitigation Plan (received by DEQ on March 5, 2026):

MVP-SG_2026-03-05_MVP - Response to DEQ Comment Letter

MVP-SG_2026-03-05_MVP - Snow Creek Mitigation Plan - Redline

MVP-SG_2026-03-05_MVP - Snow Creek Mitigation Plan - Clean 

• DEQ's Mitigation Framework Comment Letter (issued by DEQ on March 6, 2026):

MVP-SG_2026-03-06_DEQ - Mitigation Framework Comment Letter

• DEQ's edits for the Snow Creek Mitigation Plan (issued by DEQ on March 10, 2026)

MVP-SG_2026-03-10_DEQ - Edits for Snow Creek Mitigation Plan

• MVP's response to DEQ's Comment Letter and revised Mitigation Framework (received by DEQ on March 11, 2026):

MVP-SG_2026-03-11_MVP - Email transmittal - Revised Mitigation Framework

MVP-SG_2026-03-11_MVP - Response to DEQ comments - Mitigation Framework

MVP-SG_2026-03-11_MVP - Mitigation Framework - Redlines

MVP-SG_2026-03-11_MVP - Mitigation Framework - Revised 

• DEQ's concurrence with the revised Mitigation Framework (issued by DEQ on March 12, 2026):

MVP-SG_2026-03-12_DEQ - Email concurrence with Mitigation Framework 

• MVP's Snow Creek Mitigation Plan submittals (received by DEQ on March 12, 2026):

MVP-SG_2026-03-12_MVP - Email transmittal - Revised Snow Creek Mitigation Plan

MVP-SG_2026-03-12_MVP - Snow Creek Mitigation Plan_V6.Clean

MVP-SG_2026-03-12_MVP - Snow Creek Mitigation Plan_V6.Redline 

MVP-SG_2026-03-12_MVP - Snow Creek Mitigation Plan_V7.Final

• DEQ's concurrence with the revised Snow Creek Mitigation Plan (issued by DEQ on March 12, 2026):

 MVP-SG_2026-03-12_DEQ - Email concurrence with Snow Creek Mitigation Plan

• MVP's Snow Creek PRM Long-Term Management Plan (received by DEQ on 4/23/2026):

 MVP-SG_2026-04-23_MVP - Snow Creek PRM Exhibit F - Signed LTMP

• DEQ's email stating that Part 1, Section I, Item 3 of the Special Conditions is approved and complete (sent by DEQ on 5/11/2026):

MVP-SG_2026-05-11_DEQ - Special Conditions_Pt. 1 - Sec. I - Item 3  

• MVP's recorded Deed of Conservation Easement for the Snow Creek Mitigation Site (submitted to DEQ on 5/20/2026):

MVP-SG_2026-05-20_MVP - Recorded Deed of Conservation Easement_Snow Creek