In response to the decision by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, North Atlantic Division, to continue processing the King William Reservoir project permit application, VMRC #93-0902, in King William County, proposed by the City of Newport News on behalf of the Regional Raw Water Study Group, this is to provide notification that the Virginia Marine Resources Commission has resumed its review of those components of the project that will require authorization from the Commission pursuant to Chapter 12 of Title 28.2 of the Code of Virginia.
Based on information contained in the Final Environmental Impact Statement and recently updated Project Overview
and revised drawings provided by the City of Newport News as part of their application for permit the Commission must issue a permit for the installation of the intake structure in the Mattaponi River near Scotland Landing as well as the water distribution lines under Cohoke Creek downstream of Route 632 and the Pamunkey River at Cousiac Marsh and the discharge structure in Beaverdam Creek upstream of Interstate 64 in New Kent County. The Commission has been informed by the City that there will be no outfall structure on the banks of the Pamunkey River as previously proposed and the City has proposed to employ directional drilling to install the Cohoke crossing as is planned for the crossing under the Pamunkey River. In addition, the intake pipeline from the shoreline into the Mattaponi will be installed using microtunneling technology. As described there will be no disturbance of the shoreline and only the intake assembly will require any work in the river bottom. Furthermore, the City has indicated the previously proposed pier and boathouse associated with the intake structure are not needed. The dam for the reservoir itself is authorized by statute pursuant to Section 28.2-1203 of the Code of Virginia and will not require a permit from the Marine Resources Commission.
Please be advise that comments will be accepted until this matter is considered by the full Commission. At this time, however, a date has not been set for the Commission hearing. Commission agendas are posted on the Virginia Marine Resources Commission Web site prior to the meeting date. You may check this site for any scheduled hearing date.
Send written comments to: Tony Watkinson, Virginia Marine Resources Commission, Habitat Management Division, 2600 Washington Avenue, 3rd Floor, Newport News, Virginia 23607, or to
twatkinson@mrc.state.va.us
