Source: http://www.mrc.virginia.gov/Regulations/fr395.shtm
Timestamp: 2017-10-24 11:18:22
Document Index: 440594592

Matched Legal Cases: ['§28', '§216', '§403', 'art 624', 'art 230', 'art 230']

CHAPTER: GENERAL PERMIT #6 FOR EMERGENCY SITUATIONS AND WATER QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS IN NON-TIDAL WATERWAYS
"GENERAL PERMIT #6 FOR Emergency Situations and Water Quality Improvement Projects in non-tidal waterways"
The purpose of this chapter is to provide a general permit for activities in or on state-owned subaqueous beds whereby property owners, project sponsors under the EWP program, and/or agencies or organizations under the approval of a property owner adjacent to non-tidal waterways are granted authority to install structures to stabilize watercourses and stream banks in emergency situations, to construct facilities or conduct activities resulting in waterway restoration, which are funded, designed or implemented by authorized agencies that improve water quality (including but not limited to restoration of natural flows, habitat modifications and habitat improvements), or to conduct public utility emergency response activities related to existing public utility infrastructures located in or on subaqueous beds.
Qualification under this general permit constitutes the Commission authorization required in accordance with §§28.2-1204 and 28.2-1207 of the Code of Virginia. This general permit shall not conflict with any other federal, state, or local permitting requirements or authorization governing the proposed activity.
"Bioengineered" means an applied science that combines structural, biological, and ecological concepts to construct living structures for erosion, sediment, and flood control.
"Emergency" means a situation in which a structure, facility or property is in imminent or potential danger following a flood event or natural disaster and by definition includes those situations which qualify for assistance as part of the Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Emergency Watershed Protection Program.
"Emergency Watershed Protection Program" or "EWP program" means the program administered by NRCS and the FS to assist sponsors, landowners and operators in implementing emergency recovery measures to relieve imminent hazards to life and property created by a natural disaster that causes a sudden impairment of a watershed. The authority for the EWP Program is given to NRCS in §216, P. L. 81-516, and §403 of Title IV of the Agriculture Credit Act of 1978, P. L. 95-334. Codified rules are set forth in 7 CFR Part 624. The FS is designated to administer the EWP program on National Forest System Lands.
"Exigency" means those situations that demand immediate action to avoid potential loss of life or property, including situations where a second event may occur shortly thereafter that could compound the impairment, cause new damage or the potential loss of life if action to remedy the situation is not taken immediately.
"FS" means the USDA Forest Service that is authorized to administer the EWP program on National Forest Service System Lands.
"NRCS" means the Natural Resources Conservation Service, which is the federal agency under the U.S. Department of Agriculture delegated to administer the Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) Program.
"Public Utility Emergency Response Activities" means activities to address the integrity of a utility structure or necessary repairs thereto in the event of imminent danger or risk of failure.
"Waterway or Stream Restoration" means those activities normally associated with natural channel design concepts including, but not limited to, in-stream rock and log grade structures, current deflecting structures, dam removal, channel re-alignment, filling of scour holes, and bank plantings that are also intended to improve water quality.
B. This general permit provides authorization for projects that are deemed necessary in an emergency, that will result in improved water quality in waterways with drainage areas greater than five square miles or flow rates greater than five cubic feet per second, or that are public utility emergency response activities.
C. Experience has shown that the types of projects covered by this general permit (i) are necessary in emergency situations or (ii) would improve water quality while improving habitat and result in only minor impact. In addition, these types or classes of projects would normally be expected to receive an individual Commission permit following the standard public interest review.
D. This general permit is valid only for projects which result in encroachments over state-owned submerged lands in non-tidal waterways.
4VAC20-395-40. Conditions and procedures for issuing general permits.
1.	Name, address and telephone number of the prospective permittee;
2.	Location of the proposed project, including vicinity map;
3.	Brief description of the proposed project or emergency repairs, including methods of work, and the project purpose;
4.	A plan view and cross section view of the proposed project or emergency repairs, including dimensions;
5.	Location, and design, if applicable, of the disposal area for any excavated material; and,
6.	A description of the location, extent, and type of wetlands and/or waters to be impacted by the proposed work.
C. An approved Local, State, Federal Joint Permit Application (Joint Permit Application) may be used for this notification. Otherwise, an abbreviated General Permit No. 6 Notification Form must be completed and filed in accordance with the instructions contained therein. The notification for EWP Projects shall include the damage survey report for each project site prepared by NRCS or the FS. Multiple sites in a county or city may be included in a single notification from the project sponsor for EWP projects in response to an emergency following a flood event or natural disaster. The notification shall be submitted to the Commission. The Commission will assign a processing number and forward copies to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Department of Environmental Quality for concurrent review. Copies will also be forwarded to the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, the Department of Conservation and Recreation, and the Department of Historic Resources.
D. If the proposed project does not satisfy the conditions of this general permit, or should the Commissioner determine that the environmental impacts and the natural resource issues are estimated to be more than minimal, the permittee will be notified and the proposed project will be processed for an individual Commission permit.
E. If the project qualifies for the general permit, the Commissioner will so notify the permittee within 30 days of receipt of all necessary information. In addition, the Commission's public notice requirement shall be waived and no other fees shall be required.
F. The general permit will apply for any of the following conditions:
1. The project is part of the Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) Program has met the conditions of the interagency Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) regarding EWP Program activities in Virginia in effect at the time, the project qualifies under the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nationwide Permit Program (33 CFR Part 230) or a Norfolk District Corps of Engineers Regional Permit, and qualifies for Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) 401 Certification. Projects that address exigency situations under the EWP Program may be initiated immediately upon submittal of notification to the Commission provided the damage survey report prepared by NRCS, and included with such notification, specifies the situation qualifies as an exigency. Only those actions reasonably necessary to address the exigency situation shall be conducted prior to receipt of notification from the Commissioner that the project qualifies for this general permit.
3. The project is for stream bank restoration, generally including bioengineered approaches and livestock crossings or for waterway or stream restorations that meets the following requirements:
a. The project has been designed, funded or implemented by one or more of the following agencies: Natural Resources Conservation Service, Department of Conservation and Recreation, Soil and Water Conservation District, Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, Department of Forestry, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service or U.S. Forest Service.
b. The project is conducted in accordance with the terms and conditions of the binding agreement, if applicable, between the landowner and the oversight agency indicated in subdivision 3.a of this subsection with such agreement including provisions for maintenance of the project; and
c. The project qualifies under the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nationwide Permit Program (33 CFR Part 230) or a Regional Permit authorized by the Norfolk District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and qualifies for Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) 401 Certification.
5. The project is for the replacement of a previously existing and previously serviceable structure or facility located on state-owned submerged land that has been damaged or lost due to a flood event or natural disaster.
G. Upon a determination that a proposed project could significantly impact water quality, aquatic resources or other properties, the Commissioner may determine that this general permit does not apply and require that an individual Marine Resources Commission permit be processed.
H. This general permit does not authorize any channelization; levee construction; or water withdrawal. This general permit does not authorize any projects that will impede the migration or other movements of aquatic life.
I. All proposals in non-tidal waterways that are (i) necessary in an emergency, or (ii) will result in improved water quality, or (iii) are for waterway or stream restoration activities or (iv) will facilitate emergency response activities related to existing public utility infrastructures that encroach in, on or over State-owned subaqueous land and which meet the criteria in sections F.1 through F. 5 above are hereby approved subject to the following conditions:
Local, State, Federal Joint Permit Application, NAO FM 1065/VMRC 30 300 (rev. 2008).