Virginia Law

A. VWP individual permits may be modified in whole or in part, revoked and reissued, extended, transferred, or terminated only as authorized by this section.

B. VWP permits may be modified upon the request of the permittee or upon department initiative when any of the following developments occur:

1. When new information becomes available about the project or activity covered by the VWP permit, including project additions or alterations, that was not available at VWP permit issuance and would have justified the application of different VWP permit conditions at the time of VWP permit issuance;

2. When a change is made in the promulgated standards or regulations on which the VWP permit was based;

3. When changes occur that are subject to "reopener clauses" in the VWP permit; or

4. When developments applicable to surface water withdrawals as specified in 9VAC25-210-380 occur.

C. A request for a modification, except those addressed in subsection E of this section, shall include the applicable informational requirements of 9VAC25-210-80 B, updated to reflect the proposed changes to the project. The department may request additional information as necessary to review and prepare a draft permit. If the department tentatively decides to modify a permit, it shall prepare a draft permit incorporating the proposed changes in accordance with 9VAC25-210-120 and process the draft permit in accordance with 9VAC25-210-140 through 9VAC25-210-170.

D. During the drafting and authorization of a permit modification under this section, only those conditions to be modified shall be addressed with preparing a draft modified permit. VWP permit terms and conditions of the existing permit shall remain in full force and effect during the modification of the permit.

E. Upon request of the permittee, or upon department initiative with the consent of the permittee, minor modifications may be made in the VWP permit without following the public involvement procedures contained in 9VAC25-210-140, 9VAC25-210-160, or 9VAC25-210-170. Any request for a minor modification shall be in writing and shall contain the facts or reasons supporting the request. The department may request additional information as necessary to review a request for minor modification. The department, at its discretion, may require that the changes proposed under a minor modification to be processed as a modification in accordance with subsections B and C of this section. For VWP permits, a minor modification may only be processed to:

1. Correct typographical errors.

2. Require monitoring and reporting by the permittee at a different frequency than required in the VWP permit, based on new information justifying the change in conditions.

3. Change a compliance date provided it will not result in a net loss of wetland acreage or of functions in all surface waters.

4. Allow for a change in permittee provided that a written agreement containing a specific date for transfer of VWP permit responsibility, authorization, and liability from the current to the new permittee has been submitted to the department. A VWP permit shall be transferred only if the VWP permit has been modified to reflect the transfer, has been revoked and reissued to the new permittee, or has been automatically transferred. Any individual VWP permit shall be automatically transferred to a new permittee if the current permittee:

a. Notifies the department of the proposed transfer of the permit and provides a written agreement between the current and proposed permittees containing the date of transfer of VWP permit responsibility, authorization, and liability to the new permittee; and

b. The department does not within 15 days notify the current and new permittees of its intent to modify the VWP permit.

5. Change project plans or uses that do not result in a change to permitted project impacts other than allowable by subdivisions 6 and 7 of this subsection.

6. Reduce wetland or stream impacts. Compensatory mitigation requirements may be modified in relation to the adjusted impacts, provided that the adjusted compensatory mitigation meets the initial compensatory mitigation goals. The Department of Environmental Quality shall not be responsible for ensuring refunds for mitigation bank credit purchases or in-lieu fee program credit purchases.

7. Authorize additional impacts to surface waters that are proposed prior to impacting the additional areas. Proposed additional impacts shall meet the following requirements:

a. The proposed additional impacts are located within the project boundary as depicted in the application for permit issuance, or are located in areas of directly related off-site work.

b. The permittee has provided sufficient documentation that the department may reasonably determine that the additional impacts will not impact federal or state listed threatened or endangered species or designated critical habitat, or result in a taking of threatened or endangered species. The department recommends that the permittee verify that the project will not impact any proposed threatened or endangered species or proposed critical habitat.

c. The cumulative, additional permanent wetland or open water impacts for one or more minor modifications do not exceed one-quarter of an acre (0.25 acre or 10,890 square feet).

d. The cumulative, additional permanent stream impacts for one or more minor modifications do not exceed 100 linear feet.

e. Documentation is provided demonstrating that the proposed surface water impacts have been avoided to the maximum extent practicable in accordance with the informational requirements of 9VAC25-210-80 B 1 g.

f. Compensatory mitigation for the proposed impacts, if required, meets the requirements of § 62.1-44.15:23 of the Code of Virginia, 9VAC25-210-80 B 1 m, and 9VAC25-210-116. Prior to a minor modification approval, DEQ may require submission of a compensatory mitigation plan for the additional impacts.

g. Where such additional impacts are temporary, and prior to initiating the impacts, the permittee provides a written statement to the department that the area to be temporarily impacted will be restored to its preconstruction elevations and contours with topsoil from the impact area where practicable, such that the previous acreage and functions are restored. The proposed temporary impacts shall be deemed approved if DEQ does not respond within 10 days of receipt of the request for authorization to temporarily impact additional surface waters.

8. Substitute a specific, DEQ-approved mitigation bank or in-lieu fee program with another DEQ-approved mitigation bank or in-lieu fee program, or substitute all or a portion of the prior authorized permittee-responsible compensatory mitigation with a purchase of mitigation credits in accordance with § 62.1-44.15:23 of the Code of Virginia and 9VAC25-210-116 C from a DEQ-approved mitigation bank or in-lieu fee program. The amount of credits proposed to be purchased shall be sufficient to meet the compensatory mitigation requirement for which the compensatory mitigation is proposed to replace.

9. Allow for extension of the expiration date of the VWP permit. Any permittee with an effective VWP permit for an activity that is expected to continue after the expiration date of the VWP permit, without any change in the activity authorized by the VWP permit other than as may be allowed under this section, shall submit written notification requesting an extension. The permittee must file the request 90 days prior to the expiration date of the VWP permit. VWP permit modifications shall not be used to extend the term of a VWP permit beyond 15 years from the date of original issuance.

10. Activities or development applicable to surface water withdrawals as specified in 9VAC25-210-380 B.

F. After notice and opportunity for a formal hearing pursuant to § 2.2-4020 of the Code of Virginia, a VWP permit can be terminated for cause. Reasons for termination for cause are as follows:

1. Noncompliance by the permittee with any condition of the VWP permit;

2. The permittee's failure in the application or during the VWP permit process to disclose fully all relevant facts or the permittee's misrepresentation of any relevant facts at any time;

3. The permittee's violation of a special or judicial order;

4. A determination by the department that the permitted activity endangers human health or the environment and can be regulated to acceptable levels by VWP permit modification or termination;

5. A change in any condition that requires either a temporary or permanent reduction or elimination of any activity controlled by the VWP permit; or

6. A determination that the permitted activity has ceased and that the compensation for unavoidable adverse impacts has been successfully completed.

G. The department may terminate the permit without cause when the permittee is no longer a legal entity due to death, dissolution, or when a company is no longer authorized to conduct business in the Commonwealth. The termination shall be effective 30 days after notice of the proposed termination is sent to the last known address of the permittee or registered agent, unless the permittee objects within that time. If the permittee does object during that period, the department shall follow the applicable procedures for termination under § 62.1-44.15:25 of the Code of Virginia and 9VAC25-230.

H. A VWP permit may be terminated by consent, as initiated by the permittee. The permittee shall submit a request for termination by consent within 30 days of completing or canceling all permitted activities and all required compensatory mitigation requirements. When submitted for project completion, the request for termination by consent shall constitute a notice of project completion. The director may accept this termination on behalf of the department. The permittee shall submit the following information:

1. Name, mailing address, and telephone number;

2. Name and location of the activity;

3. The VWP permit number; and

4. One of the following certifications:

a. For project completion: "I certify under penalty of law that all activities and any required compensatory mitigation authorized by a VWP permit have been completed. I understand that by submitting this notice of termination that I am no longer authorized to perform activities in surface waters in accordance with the VWP permit, and that performing activities in surface waters is unlawful where the activity is not authorized by a VWP permit, unless otherwise excluded from obtaining a permit. I also understand that the submittal of this notice does not release me from liability for any violations of this VWP permit."

b. For project cancellation: "I certify under penalty of law that the activities and any required compensatory mitigation authorized by this VWP permit will not occur. I understand that by submitting this notice of termination that I am no longer authorized to perform activities in surface waters in accordance with the VWP permit, and that performing activities in surface waters is unlawful where the activity is not authorized by a VWP permit, unless otherwise excluded from obtaining a permit. I also understand that the submittal of this notice does not release me from liability for any violations of this VWP permit, nor does it allow me to resume the permitted activities without reapplication and issuance of another permit."

c. For events beyond permittee control, the permittee shall provide a detailed explanation of the events, to be approved by DEQ, and the following certification statement: "I certify under penalty of law that the activities or the required compensatory mitigation authorized by this VWP permit have changed as the result of events beyond my control (see attached). I understand that by submitting this notice of termination that I am no longer authorized to perform activities in surface waters in accordance with the VWP permit, and that performing activities in surface waters is unlawful where the activity is not authorized by a VWP permit, unless otherwise excluded from obtaining a permit. I also understand that the submittal of this notice does not release me from liability for any violations of this VWP permit, nor does it allow me to resume the permitted activities without reapplication and issuance of another permit.