Virginia Regulatory Town Hall
Agency
Department of Environmental Quality
Board
Department of Environmental Quality

General Notice
Section 309 Coastal Zone Enhancement Program - Draft Assessment and Strategy Public Comment Period
Date Posted: 11/28/2010
Expiration Date: 1/3/2011
Submitted to Registrar for publication: NO
No comment forum defined for this notice.

 

The Virginia CZM Program just completed an assessment of nine coastal management, or “enhancement” areas under the Coastal Zone Management Act (Section 309) Coastal Zone Enhancement Program. The assessment evaluated changes, progress, needs and emerging issues in public access, coastal hazards, ocean resources, wetlands, marine debris, cumulative and secondary impacts of growth and development (CSI), special area management planning (SAMP), energy and government facility siting and aquaculture. In February, 2010 Virginia CZM’s “Coastal Policy Team” identified three priority areas: Ocean Resources, CSI and SAMP. Strategies have been developed under each of these issue areas to be conducted each year between October 2011 and September 2016. 
 
Ocean Resources
Through this strategy the Virginia CZM Program will develop a marine spatial plan for the waters off Virginia’s coast in concert with the Mid-Atlantic Regional Council on the Ocean (MARCO) and the “regional planning body” to be set up by the new National Ocean Council as recommended by the July 19, 2010 Final Recommendations of the Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force. The plan will engage stakeholders to develop a plan that maximizes the economic and ecological value of Virginia’s Atlantic Ocean area taking into account competing spatial demands for offshore energy development, habitat protection, fishing, transportation, national security, etc. The strategy also includes creation of a Virginia marine debris plan, including analysis and prioritization of key marine debris issues.
 
Cumulative and Secondary Impacts (CSI) of Coastal Growth & Development
This strategy concentrates on land use planning, water quality, shoreline management, and retention of working waterfronts. Projects for land use planning and water quality involve defining or expanding decision-support tools and providing technical assistance to best equip local governments to address various land use decisions including policies for alternative onsite sewage systems and adaptation measures for Bay TMDL requirements. Shoreline management projects will build upon successes attained through the previous 309 funding cycle by providing support for development of local shoreline management plans. In addition, funds in the first year will be targeted at implementing the recommendations of a study mandated by the Virginia General Assembly outlining ways to streamline the regulatory process and promote living shoreline management. For working waterfronts, the strategy aims to develop a Working Waterfronts plan for Virginia including a consensus definition of working waterfronts among stakeholders in Virginia, define the infrastructure necessary to sustain working waterfronts and develop policy tools to facilitate working waterfront preservation.
 
Special Area Management Planning
This strategy includes continuing marine spatial planning efforts on the Seaside of Virginia’s Eastern Shore. It proposes to develop a management plan for the Seaside’s barrier island lagoon system which may lead to a new approach for managing state-owned submerged lands by the Marine Resources Commission. The goal is to maximize the economic and ecological value of the Seaside waters by identifying the most suitable places for public fishing and shell fishing, shellfish cultivation, conservation, habitat restoration (of oyster reefs and eelgrass) and recreation within a dynamic ecosystem where storms and the “rollover” of barrier islands frequently change suitability for these uses.
 
Projects of Special Merit
Projects of special merit are new to the coastal zone enhancement grants program for this 5 year cycle. Beginning in 2012 competitive funds of up to $200,000 will be offered for each project selected. Proposed in this funding cycle are three projects supporting shoreline management and five supporting ocean resources management.
 
A draft of the Virginia Coastal Needs Assessment for 2011 – 2016 was submitted to NOAA on September 29, 2010 for review and approval, and will soon be available on the Virginia CZM Program website at http://www.deq.virginia.gov/coastal/assess.html.  
 
Public Comment Period
December 1, 2010 – January 3, 2011
 
You may submit comments electronically to the contact person below.  Contact Beth Polak at (804) 698-4260, Shep Moon at (804) 698-4527or Laura McKay at (804) 698-4323 for more information.
 
Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program Section 309
5-YEAR BUDGET SUMMARY BY STRATEGY
 

 
Oct 11 - Sep 12
Oct 12 - Sep 13
Oct 13 - Sep 14
Oct 14 - Sep 15
Oct 15 - Sep 16
 
 
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
 
 
FY 11
FY 12
FY 13
FY 14
FY 15
Total
Program Implementation: RPC's and
$0
$0
$30,000
$30,000
$30,000
$90,000
 2015 Assessment & Strategy
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Cumulative and Secondary Impacts
 
 
 
 
 
 
     Working Waterfront
$50,000
$50,000
$50,000
$50,000
$50,000
$250,000
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
     Shoreline Management
 
 
 
 
 
 
          Living Shoreline: State Policies
$30,000
$0
$0
$0
$0
$30,000
          Local Shoreline Management Plans
$150,000
$135,000
$135,000
$135,000
$135,000
$690,000
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
     Land & Water Quality Protection
 
 
 
 
 
 
          HR PDC: Urban & Transitional
$90,000
$90,000
$90,000
$0
$0
$270,000
          MP PDC: Rural
$50,000
$50,000
$50,000
$0
$0
$150,000
          Implementation of Pilot Projects
 
 
 
$137,400
$140,000
$277,400
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Special Area Management Planning
 
 
 
 
Name / Title: Beth Polak 
Address: 629 East Main Street
P.O. Box 1105
Richmond, 23218
Email Address: beth.polak@deq.virginia.gov
Telephone: (804)698-4260    FAX: ()-    TDD: ()-