Dominion fined for June fish kill

The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has reported that it has fined Dominion Power a total of $23,658.01 as a result of an accidental fish kill during the week of June 18 to June 22. 

The fish kill was in an area known as the Lake Gaston Water Fowl Management Area on the northwest end of the lake, by Route 1, close to what is known as the steel bridge.

The DEQ concluded its report on the fish kill and found that Dominion was operating with the appropriate permits at the time of the accident.

At the time Dominion Power was fulfilling part of one of the requirements directed by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission re-licensing.

In that order Dominion was required to “construct a water control structure(s) adjacent to Lake Gaston to provide waterfowl habitat.”

Dominion indicated to DEQ that officials there did not know so many fish were still in that part of the lake. 

The report concluded that 6,544 fish were killed. Of that number 74 were grass carp. At the time of the occurrence there was a discrepancy over the number of fish killed.

In an effort to obtain the number killed the Observer was given numbers ranging from 3,000 up to 20,000. Dominion officials stated 4,400 as the number killed.

After investigating the fish kill with the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, DEQ charged Dominion $4,861.96 for the investigation and $5,323.79 to replace the fish that were killed. 

Subsequent to that time the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries has notified DEQ and Dominion that there was a miscalculation in the cost to replace the fish. The actual cost is $18,796.05.

Dominion has already paid the original fine, but it was unclear whether or not the additional cost has been paid. 

According to Virginia DEQ Public Affairs Director, Bill Hayden this was a significant fish kill, and the charge to Dominion was significant as well.  The DEQ expects that the grass carp killed will be replaced. 

The DEQ has informed Dominion that if it conducts this type of activity again, it should discuss it with DEQ beforehand to avoid any actions that could lead to a fish kill, Hayden wrote to the Observer.

The example he provided stated that if this had been done earlier in the year, with cooler water temperature and more water oxygen, the fish may not have died.

DEQ also told Dominion that it should have informed DEQ of the fish kill sooner than it did. Virginia requires notification of a fish kill within 24 hours.

Dominion did leave a voice mail for DEQ within 24 hours, but it was actually several days before DEQ received the information.

According to Dan Genest, a Dominion Power spokesman, work crews from the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, USFWS and Ducks Unlimited had completed a cofferdam to lower the water to work on developing the required wetland area.

They had shocked more than 10,000 fish and moved them into the main lake.

After thinking they had removed most of the fish they started to drawdown the water level.  The number of fish left in the area surprised them.

The cost of establishing the wetlands is paid by Dominion and the other agencies and organizations working on the area. Dominion will contribute $1 for each $1.50 the others donate. Dominion’s contribution will be capped at $100,000 or the cost of the project, which ever is lower..