Public comment period opens on wastewater discharge permit for Chincoteague hotel

CHINCOTEAGUE, Va. — The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality is accepting public comments on a draft environmental permit that would allow treated wastewater from a Chincoteague hotel to be discharged into a local waterway.

The draft permit, issued under the Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (VPDES) program, would authorize Bayside Hospitality, LLC to release treated sewage effluent from the Marina Bay Hotel & Suites into the Chincoteague Channel.

The public comment period runs from January 23 through February 23, 2026, according to a public notice issued by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality.

The permit application, identified as VA0091677, covers wastewater generated by hotel operations at the Marina Bay Hotel & Suites, located at 3801 Main Street in Chincoteague.

Under the proposal:

• Up to 0.012 million gallons per day of treated wastewater would be discharged
• The discharge point would be the Chincoteague Channel in Accomack County
• The receiving watershed includes the Chesapeake Bay, Atlantic Ocean, and Small Coastal basin
• Sludge generated during treatment would be pumped and hauled by a licensed septage hauler to Pocomoke City, Maryland for disposal

The draft permit would establish limits on pollutants to protect water quality, including restrictions on:

• Nutrients
• Solids
• Bacteria
• Inorganic and organic matter
• Physical and chemical properties of the discharge

DEQ officials state the permit conditions are designed to ensure compliance with Virginia water quality laws and regulations.

How to participate

Members of the public may submit written comments or request a public hearing during the comment period. Submissions may be made by:

• Hand delivery
• Email
• Fax
• Postal mail

All comments must be received by DEQ no later than 11:59 p.m. on February 23 for electronic submissions, or by close of business for mailed or hand-delivered comments.

Requests for a public hearing must include:

1. The reason a hearing is requested
2. A brief explanation of the requester’s interest and how it may be directly and adversely affected
3. Specific references to permit terms or conditions, with suggested revisions when possible

DEQ may hold a public hearing — and potentially open an additional comment period — if public response is significant and substantial issues relevant to the permit are identified.

Reviewing the permit

The draft permit and application materials may be reviewed by appointment at the DEQ Tidewater Regional Office or requested directly from the agency.

Public comment and document contact:

Julie K. Gilliam
DEQ Tidewater Regional Office
5636 Southern Blvd.
Virginia Beach, VA 23462
Phone: 757-374-6546
Email: julie.k.gilliam@deq.virginia.gov

DEQ officials encourage interested residents, property owners, and environmental stakeholders to review the materials and provide input before the close of the public comment period.

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Wayne Creed

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