Virginia Law

A. Except in compliance with a VWP permit, unless the activity is otherwise exempted or excluded, no person shall dredge, fill, or discharge any pollutant into, or adjacent to surface waters; withdraw surface water; otherwise alter the physical, chemical, or biological properties of state waters regulated under this chapter and make them detrimental to the public health, to animal or aquatic life, or to the uses of such waters for domestic or industrial consumption, for recreation, or for other uses; excavate in wetlands; or on or after October 1, 2001, conduct the following activities in a wetland:

1. New activities to cause draining that significantly alters or degrades existing wetland acreage or functions;

2. Filling or dumping;

3. Permanent flooding or impounding; or

4. New activities that cause significant alteration or degradation of existing wetland acreage or functions.

B. No VWP permit shall be issued:

1. Where the proposed activity or the terms or conditions of the VWP permit do not comply with state law or regulations including § 10.1-1408.5 of the Code of Virginia;

2. For the discharge of any radiological, chemical, or biological warfare agent or high level radioactive material into surface waters.

C. An individual VWP permit shall be required for impacts to state waters for the construction of any natural gas transmission pipeline greater than 36 inches inside diameter pursuant to a certificate of public convenience and necessity under § 7c of the federal Natural Gas Act (15 USC § 717f(c)). For purposes of this subsection:

1. Each wetland and stream crossing shall be considered as a single and complete project; however, only one individual VWP permit addressing all such crossings shall be required for any such pipeline. Notwithstanding the requirement for only one such individual permit addressing all such crossings, individual review of each proposed water body crossing with an upstream drainage area of five square miles or greater shall be performed.

2. All pipelines shall be constructed in a manner that minimizes temporary and permanent impacts to state waters and protects water quality to the maximum extent practicable, including by the use of applicable best management practices that the department determines to be necessary to protect water quality.

3. The department shall assess an administrative charge to any applicant for such project to cover the direct costs of services rendered associated with its responsibilities pursuant to this subsection. This administrative charge shall be in addition to any fee assessed pursuant to § 62.1-44.15:6 of the Code of Virginia and as provided in 9VAC25-20.