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Wetlands Permitting
(Natural Resource Permitting)

Permits are required from a variety of federal, state, and local agencies prior to impacting natural resources such as wetlands or waters of the U.S. These agencies include the following in Virginia:

• United States Army Corps of Engineers (COE)

  • U.S. Army COE Nationwide & Regional Permit
  • Rivers and Harbors Act Section 10 Permit
  • Clean Water Act Section 404 Individual Permit
    

• Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ)

  • Clean Water Act Section 401 Individual Water Quality Certification
  • State General Water Protection Permit
    

• Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC)

  • State Bottom Encroachment Permit
        (addressed along with JPA)
    

• Local Wetlands Board (Chesapeake Wetlands Board/Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area Board)

  • Local Wetlands Board Permit
    

The permit process typically begins with a clear determination of the type and amount of habitat within a project area. Once impacts to these habitats have been assessed, a pre-application meeting is typically recommended to reveal any significant concerns that the regulatory agencies may have regarding the proposed impacts. The information gained in the pre-application meeting allows a project application to consider revising the project to address regulatory concerns before the final permit application has been submitted.

In addition to the variety of permit applications, completion of the following may facilitate the process:

• Joint Permit Applications

• Pre-Construction Notifications

• Requests for confirmation of no permits required.

Wetlands Mitigation