The special 30-day comment period authorized by the Virginia State Water Control Board to receive public input on input on the adequacy of the U.S. Corps of Engineers Nationwide Permit 12 in protecting streams and wetlands crossed by the Atlantic Coast Pipeline and the Mountain Valley Pipeline ends on May 30.  The Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has issued the following guidelines for the scope of requested comments:

The sole purpose of the written public comment period is for interested persons to submit technical comments and/or information for the MVP and ACP projects relevant to:

  1. the sufficiency of the Corps NWP 12 permit’s general and regional conditions, as they relate to specific, wetland or stream crossing(s);
  2. the sufficiency of the Corps NWP 12 permit authorization for each project, as related to specific, wetland or stream crossing(s); and/or
  3. the sufficiency of the Commonwealth’s § 401 water quality certification of NWP 12, as related to specific, wetland or stream crossing(s) 

Information and Instructions:

  1. All written comments submitted must include the name(s), mailing address(es) and telephone number(s) of the person(s) commenting.
  2. All written comments submitted must be to a specific wetland or stream crossing. Comments should reference exact wetlands and streams crossings by the identifiers found at the following address: http://www.deq.virginia.gov/PipelineUpdates.aspxor by providing other detailed identifying information such as latitude/longitude or road mile marker.
  3. Written comments may be submitted via hand-delivery to DEQ, 1111 East Main Street, Richmond, VA 23219; via postal mail to DEQ, P.O. Box 1105, Richmond, VA 23218; or via e-mail at the following email address(es) ONLY – emails and attachments sent to other email addresses or internet sites will not be considered:

All ABRA members are urged to file their own comments and encourage their members and constituencies to do so as well.  Wild Virginia has prepared an excellent guide to provide assistance: “Suggestions for Comments to DEQ Public Notice Impacts from Waterbody Crossings and Water Quality Standards,” available by clicking here.

May 30 Deadline for Comments on NWP 12 Review Approaches
Tagged on: