Summary: On September 15, 2020, the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) published a notice in the Federal Register announcing that it is proposing to reissue the Nationwide Permits and associated general conditions and definitions with some modifications, and is proposing to issue five new Nationwide Permits (three of which are derived from NWP12 and two of which would authorize certain categories of mariculture activities) – collectively referred to as the 2020 Nationwide Permits (NWPs). The 2017 Nationwide Permits are expected to expire on March 18, 2022 unless a change to that date occurs per the USACE public notice. The 2020 Nationwide Permits will not become effective until all federal administrative steps are completed, which DEQ expects to be later this year or early 2021. Additionally, on September 30, 2020, the Norfolk District of the USACE public noticed its proposed 2020 Nationwide Permit Regional Conditions.
Purpose of this notice: Pursuant to Virginia Water Protection (VWP) Permit Regulation 9VAC25-210-130, the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), under the authority of the State Water Control Board (Board), is giving notice of its tentative Section 401 Water Quality Certification decisions in Table 1 (see information below) . DEQ may only issue its final Section 401 Certification decisions after having advertised and accepted public comment for 30 days on its intent to grant certification, grant certification with conditions, deny certification, or waive certification. Therefore, this notice is requesting public comment beginning October 27, 2020.
How to comment: Comments shall include the full name, address and telephone number of the person commenting and be received by DEQ by 11:59 p.m. on November 30, 2020. Only those comments received within this period will be considered by DEQ. DEQ accepts written comments by the following methods: 1) hand-delivery to Department of Environmental Quality, Office of Wetlands & Stream Protection, 1111 East Main Street, Suite 1400, Richmond, Virginia 23219; 2) e-mail vwppublicnotices@deq.virginia.gov; 3) fax 804-698-4178; or 4) postal mail to Department of Environmental Quality, Office of Wetlands & Stream Protection, P.O. Box 1105, Richmond, Virginia 23218.
For a copy of Table 1 please go to: https://www.deq.virginia.gov/Portals/0/DEQ/Water/WetlandsStreams/Public%20Notices/DEQ%20PN-2020%20NWP%20Cert.pdf?ver=2020-10-28-081217-860
| Name / Title: | Dave Davis / Office of Wetlands & Stream Protection |
| Address: |
1111 East Main Street, Suite 1400 P.O. Box 1105 Richmond, 23218 |
| Email Address: | dave.davis@deq.virginia.gov |
| Telephone: | (804)698-4105 FAX: ()- TDD: ()- |