August 15, 2017 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:
We recently received an application from Dominion for an Endangered Species Act Section 10(a)(1)(B) Incidental Take Permit for activities associated with their Chesterfield Power Station along the James River in Chesterfield, Virginia.
We are considering issuing a 10-year permit to the applicant that would authorize take of endangered Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus) from the Chesapeake Bay Distinct Population Segment (DPS) incidental to the withdrawal of cooling water from the James River and sampling required by the Clean Water Act.
Dominion’s application for an Incidental Take Permit, their draft habitat conservation plan, and our draft environmental assessment are all available at Regulations.gov for public review and comment.
Comments are due on September 13, 2017.