Vol. 21, No. 7 September 26, 2013

    In This Issue:
    Pre-Application Consultation Recommended for Land Use Approvals
    Flugtag Recap: WSSI Takes 2nd Place in People's Choice Award
    Wood Turtle Surveys
    Waterless Urinals: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
    DCR Cost Share Programs for Agricultural BMPs

 

Pre-Application Consultation Strongly Recommended for Projects Requiring Land Use Approvals
With the restoration of some sense of stability in the residential home building market, many developers are once again filing land use (i.e. rezoning, special exception, etc.) applications with local governments. Given that these applications typically require public hearings and the review of a planning commission as well as elected officials, approvals often take a year or longer to receive. Considering the amount of time and effort that must be invested in these approvals, it is important that impacts to waters of the United States (WOUS) proposed with the resultant land plan are capable of receiving authorization from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE), Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC). The best way to insure that your land plan can receive approval from these agencies is to coordinate with them early in the process through pre-application consultation and ideally obtain permits from them prior to receipt of local approval of your land plan.

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Flugtag Recap: WSSI Overcomes Last Minute Repairs to Fly 40' and Take 2nd Place in People's Choice Award
As announced in Field Notes Vol. 21, No. 5 and No. 7, WSSI participated in the first-ever National Red Bull Flugtag at National Harbor on Saturday, September 21.

Our fearless flight crew had the deck stacked against them when a gust of wind lifted and snapped the 28' dragonfly wing on the craft - just two hours before the first launch. However, the determined team was able to employ some true "field engineering" and brace the structure enough to launch pilot Jess Campo ±40 feet into the Potomac River. (Click here to see the video)

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Endangered and Threatened Species Alert: Surveys for the State-Threatened Wood Turtle are Underway
If you are planning to develop property in Northern Virginia that has a clear, moderate to fast-flowing perennial stream and a relatively undisturbed floodplain¹, you may need a survey for the wood turtle (Glyptemys insculpta) this winter - or your wetlands permitting may be delayed up to a year!

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Waterless Urinals: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
In recent years, waterless urinals have become a go-to solution for water conservation and "green" restrooms. And why not? On average, it is estimated that a waterless urinal saves 20,000 to 45,000 gallons of water each year1. Proponents claim additional advantages of lower costs, lower maintenance, and a more hygienic restroom environment. Waterless urinals also provide a cost effective means to obtain Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) credits - up to 10 percent of the points required for a LEED silver rated building2. When Wetland Studies and Solutions, Inc. (WSSI) constructed the first LEED gold certified facility in Virginia (2005), we incorporated waterless urinals in our men's restrooms. Eight years later, we have had mixed results and are considering switching to the use of conventional urinals using water from our cistern that currently just serves our toilets.

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DCR Cost Share Programs for Agricultural BMPs
In Field Notes Vol. 21, No. 6, we described the unfortunate scene of cows accessing the river vs. having a protected, and reforested, 100 ft buffer with watering troughs – something we have witnessed on our annual Shenandoah River canoe trip dating back to 2009. We have since learned that DCR is currently offering a 100% cost-sharing for eligible livestock exclusion practices in FY2014 through the Virginia Agricultural BMP Cost Share (VACS) Program. Thus, there has never been a better time to take advantage of state funding to help improve water quality and improve the health of your livestock.

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About Wetland Studies and Solutions, Inc. (WSSI):

WSSI is the leading provider of natural and cultural resource consulting services in Northern Virginia. The firm has worked on a total of over 2,500 sites, comprising 200,000 acres, and has created hundreds of acres of wetlands and restored miles of streams. Our team of 80+ engineers, scientists, archeologists, ecosystem technicians, GIS/survey/compliance and technology/training specialists, and administrative staff yield a unique combination of disciplines focused on wetlands and water resources and provide creative solutions for integrating the constraints of economics and land plan requirements with local, state, and federal environmental regulations. For more information about WSSI, visit our Web site at www.wetlandstudies.com.