The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Water Resources (DWR) has issued a Clean Water Act Section 401 water quality certification for the Mountain Valley Pipeline LLC Southgate Project (MVP Southgate).
DWR has determined, with the conditions imposed by the certification to protect water quality, that the proposal to build a 5.2-mile natural gas transmission pipeline in Rockingham County would meet state water quality standards. State standards include protection of the existing uses of waterways such as habitat for wildlife and aquatic species, primary and secondary recreation, agriculture and water supply.
The decision follows a comprehensive review of the MVP Southgate’s water quality certification application. DWR received more than 2,400 comments from the public during the comment period, and at a public hearing held on Aug. 12. A summary of the comments and the division’s responses can be found online in the hearing officer’s report.
As part of its application to build a 30-inch, high-pressure steel natural gas transmission pipeline through 5.2 miles of Rockingham County, MVP Southgate proposes to temporarily impact 720 linear feet of streams (approximately 1/7 of a mile) and 3 acres of wetlands during construction. The project also would lead to the permanent conversion of 3 acres of forested wetlands to wetlands dominated by shrubs and other plants, and permanent impacts to 52 linear feet of intermittent streams at locations where culverts would be placed in the water.
In reviewing the application, DWR evaluated if the proposed project avoided and minimized impacts to surface waters and wetlands to ensure the remaining waters will continue to support existing uses; if it would cause or contribute to water quality standard violations; and if the applicant provides for the replacement of existing uses through mitigation by offsetting construction impacts through restoration or preservation efforts elsewhere.
In issuing the certification, DWR has required MVP Southgate to:
- Provide an environmental inspector during all-instream activities and hold a pre-construction meeting to understand compliance with certification conditions;
- Narrow the construction corridor across wetlands and streams;
- Monitor areas temporarily impacted by the project in-line with the proposed restoration and monitoring plan;
- Restore areas temporarily affected during construction and replant them with native plants and use best management practices to avoid and minimize impacts to streams and wetlands;
- Identify all private wells within the limits of the area that will be disturbed by construction and equipment, and provide pre- and post-construction well testing on request for all private wells within 150 feet of the construction limits.
To avoid impacts to sensitive aquatic species, MVP must use “trenchless” water crossing techniques in areas where those species have been identified.
The total area of permanent losses to streams is below the threshold required by law for mitigation through the creation, restoration or enhancement of streams or wetlands elsewhere to offset unavoidable impacts. However, MVP Southgate will offset, or mitigate, 52 linear feet of stream impacts, and 3 acres of wetlands conversion.
DWR’s responses to comments can be found in the hearing officer’s report. The project file, including the certification, is also online.