The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Norfolk District (Corps), in collaboration with the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (VDEQ) and The Nature Conservancy (TNC), announces the completion of the Virginia Aquatic Resources Trust Fund (Program or Fund) 2012 Annual Report (Report).
The Fund is an in-lieu fee program established to provide compensatory mitigation for permitted wetland and stream impacts in Virginia. The Fund is administered by TNC in accordance with a Program Instrument approved on July 14, 2011 by the Corps and the VDEQ. The Program Instrument details the establishment and operational procedures for the Fund and supersedes and replaces the Virginia Aquatic Resources Trust Fund Program MOU, dated December 18, 2003 (2003 Amendment), which had in turn amended the Virginia Wetlands Restoration Trust Fund Program Memorandum of Understanding dated Aug. 18, 1995 (1995 MOU).
The Report serves as the required annual reporting of the status and activities of the Fund through Dec. 31, 2012. The report includes a summary of the permitted impacts and liabilities; associated mitigation payments; and the projects and credits proposed, constructed/implemented, and released to mitigate those impacts. This report provides information on the history of the Fund (1995-2012) and details specific activity conducted by the Program in 2012.
The completed Fund 2012 Annual Report is enclosed with this notice. If you have any questions please contact Anna Lawston at 540-937-4197 or via email at anna.r.lawston@usace.army.mil or Jeanne Richardson at 434-384-0182 or via email at jeanne.c.richardson@usace.army.mil by the close of business on Aug. 9, 2013.
FOR THE DISTRICT COMMANDER:
William T. Walker
Chief, Regulatory Branch