Moored barges sought on river

CHARLES CITY, Va. (AP)| In Charles City County, historic plantations, recreational boating and a wildlife refuge coexist along the James River as it meanders past Hopewell.

Now a company is asking to moor barges near the plantations and the refuge, sparking widespread opposition from environmental and preservation groups and government agencies.

The application is from Vulcan Materials Co., a large producer of crushed stone, sand and gravel. The Birmingham, Ala., company has applied to the Virginia Marine Resources Commission and the Army Corps of Engineers for a mooring site near Shirley and Upper Shirley plantations.

The plantations have joined in opposition the James River Association, the Virginia Department of Historic Resources and the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.

The refuge includes a bald eagle nest, and the river is a breeding area for Atlantic sturgeon.

“It’s contemptible that Vulcan would pursue this application,” said Tayloe M. Dameron, who owns Upper Shirley Plantation and lives there. “This is one of the few recreational boating areas that is not marred by industrialization left on the James River.”

The Charles City County Board of Supervisors also formally opposes the mooring, which would be near the southern end of Presquile National Wildlife Refuge.

Tom Carroll, a spokesman for Vulcan Materials, said a company review of five or six sites found this one to be the most practical. The decision was based on cost, safety and environmental impact.

Vulcan is committed to maintaining what Mr. Carroll called an environmentally friendly track record.

The company moves products by barge from several production plants, including in Chester and the Petersburg area, to destinations in the Tidewater area. Barges reduce truck traffic, Mr. Carroll said.

Vulcan is proposing to move its Henrico County mooring south down the James.

“The James River has been a river of commerce for centuries,” Mr. Carroll told the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

Opponents are seeking a public hearing before a decision is made on the mooring.