Virginia DEQ
Home MenuDEQ News Vol. 3 No. 11
Nov. 14, 2024
|
|
Register Today: Virginia Water Protection Permit Compliance & Enforcement Webinar |
|
|
DEQ Streamlines Virginia Water Protection Permit Guidance Memorandum |
|
|
Preliminary Screening Form Requirements for Virginia Water Protection Permit Applications |
|
|
How to Avoid Stormwater Plan Review DelaysRead more |
| |
Get Involved with DEQ's Comprehensive Climate Action Plan |
|
|
Drought Watch Advisory Expanded to 38 Counties |
|
|
Applications Now Open for 2025 Governor's Environmental Excellence Awards |
Register Today: Virginia Water Protection Permit Compliance and Enforcement Webinar
DEQ’s six-part Wetlands Permitting Training was such a hit that we are excited to announce our “holiday special” episode on Virginia Water Protection (VWP) permit compliance and enforcement. This special episode is designed for applicants, permittees, consultants, construction inspectors, and those interested in broadening their knowledge of the VWP compliance program.
The webinar will be on Dec. 11 at 1 p.m. and will be recorded. Register for this session here.
This webinar will cover proactive steps to identify and prevent permit violations, review regulatory responses to incidents, and share resources for developing effective corrective action plans. We will also dive into the enforcement process for noncompliance and review the financial implications of permit noncompliance. Participants will gain an understanding of the preventative measures, levels of regulatory response, and effective corrective action plans associated with VWP permit compliance; the relationship between the VWP program and the enforcement program and how the enforcement process operates; and review a Civil Charge Worksheet to fully understand the financial implications of noncompliance.
While not a prerequisite, we recommend attendees review Webinars 1, 2, 3, and 6 to refresh themselves on the details of topics mentioned in this webinar. The six-part webinar series can be found on the DEQ wetlands page.
DEQ Streamlines Virginia Water Protection Permit Guidance Memorandum
The Virginia Water Protection (VWP) Permit Program Manual Supplemental Guidance memorandum is now available for public comment. This memo serves to replace Guidance Memorandum GM19-2003, saving approximately 172 pages of text and supporting the Commonwealth’s government transparency efforts. While it informs the Manual’s instructions, this guidance is a separate source of program information and background. It also does not address processes and activities unique to surface water withdrawals (9VAC25-210 Part V). Instead, the new guidance will establish program-related decisions that have been made on various topics over time and assist staff and the public with better understanding of VWP permit program processes. This guidance memorandum will be updated on an as-needed basis.
Preliminary Screening Form Requirements for Virginia Water Protection Permit Applications
To submit a complete Virginia Water Protection (VWP) permit application, applicants can use a Preliminary Screening Form (PSF) instead of an Approved Jurisdictional Determination, but only if it meets certain requirements under 9VAC25-210-80.B.1.h. The PSF must include documentation from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Natural Resources Conservation Service, or DEQ confirming jurisdictional surface water boundaries and, if applicable, wetlands data sheets.
The PSF must also provide a description of the proposed impacts on surface waters, including details about wetland types (e.g., emergent, scrub-shrub, or forested) and the total area affected (in square feet and acres). For stream impacts, applicants must specify the length, width, and area affected, and include any required mitigation plans. Impacts to open water areas should be clearly identified and quantified.
A map showing the boundaries of all affected surface waters must also be included, with the areas classified according to DEQ regulations. The information required for a VWP application and for a 22-SPGP application can be submitted together, but all required details must be included for DEQ to make a permitting decision. Note that a PSF cannot replace the federal or state application for a VWP permit or 22-SPGP coverage. Learn more about VWP application requirements on our permit webpage.
How to Avoid Stormwater Plan Review Delays
DEQ has recently identified several instances where applicants have submitted erosion and/or stormwater management plans to an incorrect email address and DEQ did not actually receive the plans. Unfortunately, DEQ’s file sharing service, VITAShare, does not generate "bounce back" emails or provide a notification when an incorrect email is used for a submittal. Currently, all plan submissions must be sent through VITAShare; DEQ is unable to accept submissions from any other filesharing services at this time. When submitting, please ensure the email in the recipient section of the VITAShare transaction is PlanReview@deq.virginia.gov or SWPlanreviewers@deq.virginia.gov.
If you do not have a VITAShare guest account or your account has expired, please contact one of the above-referenced emails and DEQ staff will assist with setting up a guest account.
To avoid any potential plan review delays, if you have not received any notifications from DEQ or VITAShare confirming plan receipt within two business days, DEQ recommends that applicants follow up with an email to request confirmation that DEQ received the submission. Please contact the Plan Review Manager, Chantz Ballard, at Chantz.Ballard@deq.virginia.gov or the plan review team at PlanReview@deq.virginia.gov with any questions regarding plan submissions, resubmissions, or technical assistance.
Get Involved with DEQ's Comprehensive Climate Action Plan
To continue DEQ’s efforts in providing accurate groundwater and drought monitoring in Virginia, staff recently installed new monitoring equipment and activated real-time transmission of groundwater-level data at Lake Anna State Park. This equipment was installed in a previously construction observation well by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and will provide hourly data to USGS databases.
The new equipment will allow for continuous monitoring and real-time telemetry. The equipment includes a pressure transducer to measure the groundwater level in the well, as well as pole-mounted components, including an antenna, a solar panel, and a locking enclosure that houses a battery and a data-collection platform.
The system measures the groundwater level every 15 minutes and uploads the data every hour to USGS databases. Provisional data is available to the public immediately via the National Water Information System. DEQ staff will routinely analyze and approve the data to maintain high quality, in accordance with USGS standards. Once the station has collected 10 years of continuous water-level data, it will become eligible for inclusion in the national Climate Response Network (CRN) of monitoring wells that support study of the long-term relationship between precipitation and groundwater. CRN wells also provide key information to support drought monitoring in Virginia.
Drought Watch Advisory Expanded to 38 Counties
DEQ, in coordination with the Virginia Drought Monitoring Task Force, has expanded the drought watch advisory to now include 38 counties. A drought watch advisory is intended to help Virginians prepare for a potential drought. The past thirty days have seen below-normal precipitation levels and above-average temperatures over the entirety of the Commonwealth. Read our press release for more information.
Applications Now Open for 2025 Governor's Environmental Excellence Awards
The Governor’s Environmental Excellence Awards recognize successful and innovative efforts that improve Virginia’s environment. The awards program is run annually by DEQ in partnership with the Department of Conservation and Recreation. There are five broad categories of awards: Environmental & Sustainability Program, Environmental & Sustainability Project, Land Conservation, Green Commonwealth, and implementation of the Virginia Outdoors Plan. Please note that each category has its own application.
Applications are now being accepted for the 2025 Governor's Environmental Excellence Awards. Applications must be received by 5 p.m. on Dec. 12. Winners will be announced at the 35th Annual Environment Virginia Symposium in April 2025.
Governor’s Environmental Excellence Award Categories:
- Environmental & Sustainability Program: Recognizes organizations or facilities that can document the success of their sustainability program which broadly addresses many aspects of environmental sustainability.
- Environmental & Sustainability Project: Recognizes activities directed at a single goal to improve the environment beyond what is required by regulation.
- Green Commonwealth: Recognizes activities that support Executive Order 17, Recognizing the Value of Recycling and Waste Reduction, through activities that promote at least one of the following: recognizing the value of recyclable material, making Virginia home to new clean technologies, or preventing food waste.
- Land Conservation: Recognizes exemplary land conservation work within the commonwealth supporting ConserveVirginia's efforts.
- Virginia Outdoors Plan Implementation: Recognizes outdoor recreation accomplishments meeting the Virginia Outdoors Plan goals and objectives.
To be considered, each applicant must have a record of sustained compliance. For more information, visit our webpage.
Hiring Soon! 2025 DEQ Petroleum Remediation Contracts
Does your company provide environmental investigation, remediation, and emergency response services for petroleum spills and releases? DEQ is looking to hire you! The DEQ Storage Tank Program manages a set of state-lead contracts for petroleum-related emergencies and cleaning up petroleum contamination. In early 2025, the program will be awarding new contracts across Virginia. More information will be available this winter on DEQ’s Petroleum Tanks webpage and on eVA. For questions, please contact James Barnett at 804-659-1296 or james.barnett@deq.virginia.gov.
DEQ Staff Elected to Officer Positions of National Organizations
DEQ Land Division Director Kathryn Perszyk and DEQ Air and Renewable Energy Division Director Michael Dowd were recently elected to officer roles at the Association of State & Territorial Solid Waste Management Officials (ASTSWMO) and the National Council on Electricity Policy (NCEP), respectively.
At its annual meeting, ASTSWMO elected Perszyk as Vice President of the ASTSWMO Board. Previously, Perszyk served a three-year term as the Materials Management Subcommittee Chair. Perszyk will sit on the ASTSWMO Board for an additional three years. The first year, she will serve the role of Vice President. The second year, she will serve as President of the board. In her final year, Perszyk will serve as immediate Past President. Due to her election, Virginia has been selected to host the Spring 2027 ASTSWMO Mid-Year Meeting. ASTSWMO’s mission is to enhance and promote effective State and Territorial waste management programs and to affect relevant national policies for waste and materials management, environmentally sustainable practices, and environmental restoration. ASTSWMO represents all 50 states, five territories, and Washington D.C.
Dowd was the first non-state public utility commissioner to be elected as Vice Chair for NCEP. NCEP is affiliated with National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC). It serves as a forum for collaboration around grid-related issues at state, regional, and national levels and offers an opportunity for state electricity decisionmakers to examine new technologies, policies, regulations, and markets that impact state resources and the electric power system. NCEP includes over 200 representatives from public utility commissions, air and environmental regulatory agencies, state energy offices, governors’ staffs, state legislatures, and consumer advocates. Congratulations to both Kathryn Perszyk and Michael Dowd!