King William Reservoir (VA)

SELC has been the legal powerhouse behind the effort to stop a proposed dam and impoundment in King William County that would result in the single largest loss of wetlands in the mid-Atlantic as permitted by regulators in more than a quarter century. A prime example of SELC’s staying power to protect the environment in the face of powerful development interests, this complicated issue involves three separate permits and has lasted almost 15 years.

The city of Newport News, in conjunction with several other localities, wants to build the 1,500-acre reservoir, some 50 miles away, to meet future demand in the fast-growing Hampton Roads region. The King William reservoir would destroy more than 400 acres of wetlands, as well as 21 miles of free-flowing streams, and harm the economy and heritage of Native American tribes residing in the Mattaponi and Pamunkey river watersheds in King William County.

But numerous independent studies have shown that the projected water demand for the region is less than half what Newport News has claimed. A review by a private consultant in 2005 showed that regional demand had remained relatively flat since 1990. Reasonable alternatives such as conservation, water reuse and desalinization are better suited to meet the region's true projected demand.

In and Out of Court
On behalf of our partners groups fighting the project, SELC has sued federal and state agencies, and submitted countless legal and administrative documents to make our case. We are currently in federal court pursuing lawsuits against the Army Corps of Engineers for granting the project’s federal permit, and the Environmental Protection Agency for failing to veto the permit.  The case is ongoing.