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Virginia Port Authority Christens First Craney Island Mitigation Project

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The Virginia Port Authority (VPA) and its partners on June 25 officially opened phase I of the region's newest park, Paradise Creek Park as the first step in a multimillion-dollar environmental mitigation plan tied to the eastward expansion of Craney Island.

Paradise Creek and similar projects under development are the backbone of the VPA’s $60 million compensatory environmental mitigation plan that was specifically designed to offset the effects of developing the eastward expansion. The VPA has collaborated with the Elizabeth River Project (ERP), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality and other state and federal agencies on the plan for many years.

The development of Paradise Creek Park was a joint effort of the City of Portsmouth, ERP and VPA that started in 2004. The $4.3 million project took two years to complete and entailed the reclamation of 29 acres of forest and the creation of 11 acres of wetlands. Among other positive environmental effects, the park will help restore wildlife habitat and reduce pollution.

"This property and park are the anchors of a restoration plan that will return 411-acres of the Southern Branch of the Elizabeth River to a fishable and swimmable state," said Heather Wood, the VPA’s director of environmental affairs. "ERP and VPA wanted a marquis site that would provide public access to what will be a restored section of river and create educational and recreational opportunities for the Craddock neighborhood and all the citizens of Portsmouth."

The first phase of the Craney Island project encompasses building a 600-acre landmass and then constructing a large container cargo terminal in stages atop that land. The first phase of the terminal is scheduled to open in the 2025-2028 timeframe.
 

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