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VMRC approves Transmix monopile on James River with $2-per-square-foot royalty
Summary
The Virginia Marine Resources Commission approved a request by Transmix to install a monopile along the James River serving 3302 Deepwater Road in Richmond with an encroachment royalty set at $2 per square foot; the project exceeded the agency's administrative threshold and was moved for commission action without public speakers present.
The Virginia Marine Resources Commission voted 8-0 July 22 to approve an application by Transmix (Kendall Morgan listed as applicant in the staff packet) to install a steel monopile along the James River serving 3302 Deepwater Road in the City of Richmond. Staff recommended approval with an encroachment royalty to be calculated at $2 per square foot for the monopile footprint.
Staff described the project as a 50-foot (vertical) steel boring monopile, 54-inch diameter pipe with a 66-inch diameter rock socket, intended to resist ice and flood forces on that stretch of river. Chief Owen presented the staff recommendation and noted that because recent legislation changed the administrative threshold for "page 2" projects, this application required full commission review because it exceeded the new $1,000,000 project cap.
Commission discussion was limited. Chief Owen confirmed the royalty sentence had been left out of an earlier draft but would be applied; no members of the public or applicant spoke at the meeting. Associate member Branson moved to approve the project with the royalty; Associate member Erskine seconded. The motion carried 8-0.
The approval authorizes the monopile installation with the staff-recommended royalty calculation; staff did not describe additional mitigation conditions beyond the royalty and the standard permit terms listed in the application materials. Because the permit exceeded the administrative threshold, it came to the full commission for a recorded vote.
Commissioners and staff indicated the design intent (deep rock socket, wide diameter) was to prevent the structure from washing downstream during floods or ice events. The commission recorded no public opposition at the meeting and no further follow-up items were specified by the board.
The permit and royalty calculation will be handled through standard permitting channels; staff will document the royalty footprint and compute the fee at $2 per square foot for the monopile footprint.
