Staying regional to conclude this installment. The Louisa County Board of Supervisors got an update this Monday on the efforts of the James River Water Authority to secure a final permit to proceed with a plan to build a waterline between the James and Zion Crossroads for an urban water supply. One site for an intake is seriously contested by the Monacan Indian Nation because it on a major historical site called Rassawek. Archeological work has been conducted on a nearby site.
“[GAI Consultants] who are the Authority’s current archeology consultant is very close to finalizing a phase one archeology report on alternative 1C and they are doing that in conjunction with Gray & Pape who are the Monacan’s selected archeologist so that’s a good team effort and that report is finished,” said Louisa County Administrator Christian Goodwin.
If the Monacans agree, the JRWA will apply for a permit for that location from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as well as the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality.
“The attorney for the Monacan Indian Nation attended last week’s JRWA meeting and voiced the Monacan’s intent to continue supporting the project if the conditions are met, and those conditions being that we worked with their archeologist Gray & Pape and that no evidence of burials were found and that appears to be the route we are proceeding upon right now,” Goodwin said.
The JRWA is next scheduled to meet on March 9.
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