In September of 2016, a tip came in that there had been some environmental damage at the property located at 2281 Old Neck Road in Exmore. The Northampton Wetlands Board, expecting a routine violation, were instead shocked to find one of the worst environmental events in recent history. The property, owned by Benjamin Mathai of Manassas, Virginia had been clear cut from the back property to the point, destroying and disturbing not only tidal wetlands, but a large swath of the state’s Resource Protection Area. Grasses and dirt were removed using heavy construction equipment, and a large mass of old, historic loblolly pines were cut down. This work was done without a permit.
After a thorough investigation, it was determined that the property was impacted by unauthorized clearing activity using manual labor, chain saws and moving equipment and created disturbances to all three environmental sensitive regions-tidal wetlands, non-tidal wetlands and the Chesapeake Bay Resource Protection Area (CCPA buffer). The disturbance can be characterized by felled old growth loblolly pines, and soil disturbance with tractor tracks and tree dragging. Unwanted debris such as limbs and felled trees covered and impacted the growth of sensitive vegetation and soils. The affected areas are in the supratidal zone (the area above the spring high tide line). Vegetation that was removed consisted mainly of American beach grass, salt marsh hay, salt bush and some phragmities. [Read more…]