Water Quality Permits and Natural Resource Coordination
Some Enhancement projects, such as trails and landscaping, may require state and/or federal water quality permits because they will impact streams, waterbodies, or wetlands. Other projects, such as restoration of Historic Train Depots, may not. It depends on the type of project and the related impacts. The appropriate state or federal agency will make a determination if permits are required for your Enhancement project in consultation with you.
Once you’ve coordinated with the appropriate regulatory agencies, document this in the Water Quality Permits & Natural Resources Due Diligence form. This form documents that the Sponsor has coordinated with all necessary agencies and obtained any required permits. This completed form is necessary for VDOT to authorize the Enhancement project’s construction. The VDOT District Environmental Manager can provide you with guidance regarding completion of this form.
If permits are necessary, the Sponsor must comply with any permit conditions. These are environmental commitments and the Sponsor is required to implement them. Once the Sponsor has implemented the environmental commitment(s), documentation to that effect must be forwarded to the VDOT Enhancement Project Coordinator, with a copy to the VDOT District Environmental Manager.
The Sponsor is responsible for providing approved erosion & sedimentation controls during construction, as well as having an on-site inspector with Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation E&S control inspector certification.
The US Army Corps of Engineers, Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, Virginia Marine Resource Commission, and the Tennessee Valley Authority (only applicable in portions of Southwest VA) are some of the agencies you may need to coordinate your project with.
Construction Monitoring
VDOT may monitor Enhancement projects during construction, as per policy, to ensure any environmental commitments identified have been implemented (such as permit requirements, cultural resource commitments, erosion and sedimentation controls, etc.).
Forms:
Water Quality Permits & Natural Resources Due Diligence (EQ-555) – must be completed by Sponsor and submitted to VDOTGuidance:
- VDOT District Environmental Manager Contacts
- State/Federal Agency links
- Enhancement Sponsor Checklist
- Virginia Erosion & Sedimentation Control – DCR’s E&S direction
- Virginia Stormwater Management– DCR’s stormwater direction
- Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act
- Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System – VPDES permits
- Natural Heritage Resource Database – VA Department of Conservation & Recreation’s Natural Heritage Division. Threatened & Endangered plants & animals
- Virginia Department of Game & Inland Fisheries – consult VDGIF office in your project area for Threatened & Endangered species information
- Virginia Marine Resource Commission – environmental permits administered by VMRC
- Virginia Department of Environmental Quality – Water Division
- Army Corps of Engineers - find your Army COE District
- PS&E Reevaluation – completed by VDOT Environmental Manager prior to Enhancement project authorization for construction. Agency coordination allows this to be completed.
- Environmental Certification – completed by VDOT Environmental Manager prior to Enhancement project authorization for construction. Agency coordination allows this to be completed.
Related links:
- FHWA Enhancement Website – guidance information
