In order for a proposal to be authorized to destroy wetlands and compensate for same in some prescribed manner, the three criteria listed below must be met. If the proposal cannot meet one or more of these criteria, the activity shall be denied, or must occur in areas apart from the wetlands. Should it satisfy all three criteria, however, compensation for the wetlands lost is required. Since the proposed activity should stand on its own merits in the permit approval process, compensation should not be used to justify permit issuance.
4 Va. Admin. Code § 20-390-40
Statutory Authority
§§ 28.2-103 and 28.2-1301 of the Code of Virginia.