AlexRenew Completes Tunnel Project   Read more
	Open for Public Comment: Water Quality Assessment Integrated Report  Read more
	MS4 Milestone: Virginia Issues All Phase I Permits   Read more
	Virtual Education Series & Interest Survey! Read more
	Become a Virginia Environmental Excellence Program Sustainability Partner Today  Read more
	New Particulate Pollution Air Quality Index  Read more

Alexandria Renew Completes Tunnel Project

On a recent sunny spring Saturday, visitors to the Alexandria waterfront came across an unusual sight. A large, worm-like machine sat on the banks of the Potomac River. This structure was not an art project, or a marketing ploy for Dune. Instead, it was Hazel, the tunnel-boring machine on display to celebrate the completion of the AlexRenew tunnel, a key component in modernizing Alexandria’s sewage and stormwater systems. 

Currently, Alexandria operates on a combined sewer system (CSS). A CSS is outdated infrastructure that provides both sewage and stormwater services to urban areas. During rain events, overflows of combined sewage can occur into the Potomac River, Hunting Creek, and Hooff’s Run. To prevent millions of gallons of combined sewage from polluting these waterways, AlexRenew is undertaking the largest infrastructure project in Alexandria’s history, called RiverRenew. 

Part of this project involves the construction of the Waterfront Tunnel – a two-mile long sewer tunnel over 100 feet below ground. The tunnel will store the combined flows. On March 22, AlexRenew completed the tunnel-boring process. In early April, DEQ Director Mike Rolband joined over 1,000 community members at an open house to celebrate the completion. It was one big step toward making Alexandria’s sewage system more environmentally friendly and its waterways cleaner and healthier. 

DEQ has recently released the Draft 2024 305(b)/303(d) Water Quality Assessment (Integrated Report) for public comment. The Integrated Report combines both the Clean Water Act sections 305(b) Water Quality Assessment and the 303(d) Report on Impaired Waters. Both are required by the Federal Clean Water Act and the Virginia Water Quality Monitoring Information and Restoration Act. The report will be available for download throughout the public comment period, which will end May 22, 2024.  

As required by EPA’s 2022-2032 Vision for Clean Water Act Section 303(d) Program, the 2024 Integrated Report also includes an update to the 303(d) Program Prioritization Framework, which describes long-term planning priorities for water quality restoration. Sections 6.1 and 6.2 outline DEQ’s priorities and approach to the 303(d) Program. Section 6.1 and Appendix 8 includes a listing of impaired waters prioritized for Total Maximum Daily Load or Advance Restoration Plan development through 2026.  

Written comments on the Draft Integrated Report can be sent to:  

Sandra Mueller 
Virginia DEQ, Office of Water Monitoring and Assessment
P.O. Box 1105
Richmond, Virginia 23218 
deqecology@deq.virginia.gov 
 
Please include your name, mailing address, telephone number, and e-mail address.

MS4 Milestone: Virginia Issues All Phase I Permits  

In Vol. 3, No. 2, we provided an update on the progress that Virginia has made regarding Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Phase I permits. At this year’s Environment Virginia Symposium, DEQ announced that Virginia is the only state program to have reissued all of its Chesapeake Bay Phase I MS4 permits. This is a major milestone for the Chesapeake Bay. There are currently 26 Phase I MS4s within EPA Region III. Virginia has issued all 11 of its MS4 Phase I permits, EPA has issued all 11 of the District of Columbia’s MS4 Phase I permits, Maryland has one remaining permit pending issuance, Delaware has one that is currently expired, and Pennsylvania has two that are expired. Virginia is proud of this accomplishment and looks forward to additional milestone achievements that will improve the health of the Chesapeake Bay.  

Virginia has achieved 80% of its Chesapeake Bay 2009-2025 reduction goal for nitrogen, 62% for phosphorus, and 100% for sediment. Additionally, in the 2023 progress report just released by EPA, Virginia is on track to meet its WIP III goal for phosphorus by 2025. Virginia is participating in the Beyond 2025 steering committee to determine the most practicable timeline to meet the remaining portion of the nitrogen goal. This is a testament to the work done by all sectors, including the agriculture industry which has used historic BMP cost-share funding to deliver record nitrogen reductions. Virginia is committed to continuing its Chesapeake Bay restoration efforts up to and beyond 2025.

Virtual Education Series & Interest Survey!  

Throughout this year, DEQ is hosting a webinar series to share information about programs and resources available across the Commonwealth. Featured topics include water quality, air quality, a general DEQ overview, a deep dive into tools and resources, and pollution prevention. These webinars are designed for a general audience and will be free and open to the public. Please visit the Education Series webpage to learn more about future webinars. 
 
Are there other topics you are interested in learning about from DEQ that you don't see listed? We want to hear from you!  

Feel free to share the opportunity with your networks. 

Become a Virginia Environmental Excellence Program Sustainability Partner Today 

Do you have a sustainability program and want to be recognized for your efforts? Share your environmental efforts and stand out as a leader in your industry. The Virginia Environmental Excellence Program’s (VEEP) Sustainability Partners track is designed to encourage large organizations, in both the private and public sector across Virginia, to make environmental sustainability part of their culture through leadership, innovation, and continual improvement. VEEP Sustainability Partners applications and participation are on a calendar year basis and the application period for 2024 is open now through May 15, 2024. Applications and instructions are available on DEQ’s Office of Pollution Prevention VEEP Sustainability Partners website.  

Organizations must demonstrate measurable and verifiable conservation efforts, leading to direct and indirect improvements in energy usage, water usage, waste generation, and other environmental benefits.  

VEEP Sustainability Partners Program:  

• Aimed at organizations with a culture of sustainability and community involvement (one application per organization). 
• Encourages continual, measurable reductions.  
• No DEQ site visit.  
• Public recognition.  
• Access to VEEP resources and networking.  
• No regulatory incentives are provided for VEEP Sustainability Partners.  

Want to know more about the benefits of joining, and the application process? Watch our short video explainer! 

New Particulate Pollution Air Quality Index

You may soon notice some changes to the Air Quality Index (AQI). The AQI is a standardized color-coded scale used to describe health concerns associated with common pollutants such as ground-level ozone and PM2.5 (particulate pollution smaller than 2.5 microns in diameter). The AQI can range from 0 to 500. An AQI from 0-50 is green, for good air quality, whereas an AQI above 300 is maroon, meaning that air quality is hazardous. When the AQI is above 100 (orange or worse), air quality is unhealthy: first for sensitive groups of people, then for everyone as the values increase.  

On May 6, the AQI changed for PM2.5 such that the breakpoint between green (good) and yellow (moderate) air quality has become more stringent. The Moderate category now begins when fine particle pollution concentrations reach 9 micrograms per cubic meter of air (the level of the updated annual air quality standard). Previously, the Moderate category began at 12 micrograms per cubic meter. EPA implemented this change to increase public health protection, consistent with evolving scientific understanding of the impacts of PM2.5 pollution. As a result of this, you may see air quality reach the yellow (moderate) AQI more frequently than in the past.  

Don’t forget to sign up for air quality forecasts and alerts!