Clean the Bay Day 2024 Read more
	NEW Version of Virginia Unified Risk Assessment Model Read more
	NEW! Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit Writers’ Manual Read more
	Virginia Stormwater Management Handbook Update   Read more
	Comprehensive White Paper on Best Management Practices for Utility Scale Solar Projects (USS) Released by Virginia Tech Read more
	Healthcare Facility Webinar Series on Hazardous and Regulated Medical Waste Read more
	Install Agricultural Best Management Practices with DEQ’s AgBMP Loan Program Read more
	Chesapeake Bay Oyster Reef Restoration on Track to Meet 2025 Read more
	Clean Water Act Funding Applications Now Open Read more
	Stream Identification Training Leading to VSWD Certification  Read more
	Register Today for Part Two of DEQ’s Education Series! Read more
	Wetlands Permitting Specialist Exam Read more

Clean the Bay Day 2024

This annual event, dating back to 1989, has united over 165,500 volunteers who have collectively removed an astonishing 7.18 million pounds of debris from more than 8,250 miles of shoreline within the Chesapeake Bay watershed. It's a testament to the power of community and collective action in preserving our natural resources.

NEW Version of Virginia Unified Risk Assessment Model

This includes updates to EPA Regional Screening Levels (RSLs) through May 2024 and to Virginia 9VAC25-260-140 Criteria for Surface Water through May 2024. Also included are: EPA's Final PFAS National Primary Drinking Water Regulation, establishing MCLs for Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) issued April 25, 2024, exposure pathway distinctions between soluble and insoluble Chromium(III), and EPA Updated Soil Lead Guidance issued Jan. 17, 2024.

More information can be found on the EPA RSL What's New website. Updated screening table files for Resource Conservation and Recovery Act and Virginia Voluntary Remediation Program are available for download in the Risk Assessment Section of our website and reflect all updates. VURAM3.3.0 supersedes and replaces all previous versions.

Please contact April Ni’Mary for VURAM support. For site-specific questions, please reach out to your DEQ Office of Remediation Programs (ORP) remediation project manager. For all other comments or questions please contact the ORP Director, Brett Fisher.

NEW! Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit Writers’ Manual  

On May 30, DEQ rolled out the updated Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (VPDES) Permit Writers’ Manual Manual. Updates to the Manual include current references to relevant laws and regulations, internal policies, and procedures. The digital Manual contains links to templates, laws and regulations, guidance memorandums, and other sections of the Manual itself for ease of use. This update also included the development of municipal and industrial permit and fact sheet templates. These revisions and new streamlined approach will provide an up-to-date reference resource to permit writers and ensure overall consistency in VPDES Individual Permits throughout the Commonwealth.

Virginia Stormwater Management Handbook Update  

Starting July 1, DEQ will begin accepting applications, plans, specifications, and other submissions developed using the Virginia Stormwater Management Handbook (VSMH) Version 1.0 and Virginia Runoff Reduction Method (VRRM) Version 4.1, concurrent with the effective date of the Virginia Erosion and Stormwater Management Regulation. As a reminder, there is a one-year transition period to allow plans submitted between July 1, 2024, and June 30, 2025, to use either the existing handbooks and guidance, or the VSMH Version 1.0 and VRRM Version 4.1.
 
Stormwater and erosion control stakeholders across all Virginia sectors and industries are learning together. By June 13, approximately 3,000 people were trained on the modernized Handbook. Based on popular demand, DEQ is offering a full two-day webinar for both the inspector and plan reviewer classes. Register below:
 
Register for Handbook Overview for Inspectors (July 1-2)
Register for Handbook Overview for Plan Reviewers / Designers (July 9-10)
 
More Information:

• DEQ Continuing Education to find classes like the SWM Handbook training near you.
• DEQ Guidance Memo or DEQ News Vol. 3 No. 2 for details on SWM Handbook changes
• DEQ Stormwater - Construction for resources on the SWM Program.
  

Comprehensive White Paper on Best Management Practices for Utility Scale Solar Projects (USS) Released by Virginia Tech 

On May 12, Virginia Tech researchers and collaborators released a comprehensive white paper on recommended practices for managing soil on utility scale solar (USS) projects. Implementation of these practices will minimize sediment losses, manage and reduce stormwater impacts, and return these lands to productive uses following site decommissioning. Although the positions expressed in this paper are intended to be supplementary to existing and developing regulatory requirements, developers of USS projects are encouraged to review and consider these best practices. This white paper enhances the previously released Jan. 13 summary position paper by providing more extensive underlying technical analysis and references.

Healthcare Facility Webinar Series on Hazardous and Regulated Medical Waste

DEQ will be offering a series of webinars for hospitals and other health care facilities to assist in complying with the hazardous waste regulations. This weekly series will cover five topics, including: 

• July 22 at 12 p.m.: Part 1 - Defining the problem! What's Broken? 
• July 29 at 12 p.m.: Part 2 - Understanding the baseline regulations for accurately identifying and managing the hazardous wastes that most hospitals generate   
• Aug. 5 at 12 p.m.: Part 3 - Understanding the regulations for complying with the Hazardous Waste Pharmaceuticals rule  
• Aug. 12 at 12 p.m.: Part 4 – Understanding the changes to the Virginia Regulated Medical (RMW) regulations  
• Aug. 19 at 12 p.m.: Part 5 – To the Future and Back! Best management practices and dos and don'ts for managing hazardous waste effectively in hospitals  

Register ONCE and you will be signed up for all five sessions. If you miss or are not interested in a session, the recording will be posted on the DEQ Hazardous Waste webpage for your future reference. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. For more information, contact Lisa Ellis at (804) 912-7366.

Install Agricultural Best Management Practices with DEQ’s AgBMP Loan Program 

Did you know that DEQ offers a 0% interest loan program for agricultural producers installing water quality improving best management practices (BMPs) on their farms? This AgBMP Loan Program is one financing option provided from the Virginia Clean Water State Revolving Loan Fund (VCWRLF). The Virginia Resources Authority (VRA) performs the credit reviews, underwrites the loans, makes the loan reimbursement deposits, and collects loan re-payments.

This loan program was re-established on July 1, 2019, to assist the Commonwealth in meeting its nonpoint source pollution goals within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Implementation Plan. The loan program helps producers who are participating in state and federal conservation cost-share and/or financial assistance programs to obtain a loan to pay for the installation of eligible BMP’s and then the conservation partner’s pay their portion of the project directly back to VRA to be applied to the loan balance. Any remaining balance is amortized up to 10 years based on the life span of the individual BMP, and there is no interest charged! There are even some instances where a producer may qualify without participating in these other funding programs.  In 2021, an AgBMP Loan project in the Middle River watershed received an EPA PISCES award for “Excellence in System Partnerships”. This project is a prime example of conservation partnerships working together to get agricultural BMP’s installed to help improve the water quality of the Commonwealth.

Chesapeake Bay Oyster Reef Restoration on Track to Meet 2025

Clean Water Act Funding Applications Now Open 

On June 7, DEQ opened applications for nonpoint source implementation projects with up to $1.5 million available in Clean Water Act Section 319(h) grant funding. Awards are typically in the range of $75,000 to $300,000 per agreement for up to three years. Local governments, planning district commissions, Soil and Water Conservation Districts, regional commissions, non-profits, and state agencies are eligible to apply. The application deadline is Aug. 30. and a webinar for interested applicants is on July 17 – register here. 

Stream Identification Training Leading to VSWD Certification 

DEQ is pleased to offer DEQ Stream Identification training on July 9 in Glen Allen and July 30 in Woodbridge., DEQ is again able to offer these trainings for free, but spots are limited and future trainings may not be free. This training includes a field trip.

Register now for Stream ID Training in ELMS.

Completing DEQ Stream ID training is one of two parts leading to a Virginia State Waters Delineator (VSWD) certification. The second is to pass the Professional Wetland Delineator (PWD) exam through DPOR. You do not need to be certified as a PWD to attend DEQ Stream ID training, you can complete both parts in any order.

The VSWD certification is recommended for anyone who must accurately identify both wetlands and streams on their sites for project planning, project impact avoidance and minimization analyses, and compensatory mitigation planning. DEQ will prioritize State Surface Waters Delineation (SSWD) reviews submitted by VSWDs ahead of other SSWD requests. Our goal is to increase the efficiency of Virginia Water Protection (VWP) permit issuances by acknowledging the professional expertise of a VSWD certified individual.

More Information

• Detailed Instructions on Obtaining a VSWD (you can attend Stream ID without being a PWD)
• Educational Webinar Series on the VWP Permitting Program
• Information on the Virginia Water Protection (VWP) Permit Program

Register Today for Part Two of DEQ’s Education Series! 

DEQ invites you to a webinar education series designed to help community members across the Commonwealth learn more about DEQ programs and resources. Featured topics include water quality, air quality, a general DEQ overview, a deep dive into tools and resources, and pollution prevention. 

On July 2 at 6:30 p.m., the second webinar will feature an overview of DEQ’s ambient air quality program. Webinar participants will learn about monitoring regional outdoor air quality different types of air monitoring devices, what DEQ does with air monitoring data, and how to find out more about the air quality where you live and work in Virginia.     

Register now for the upcoming webinar. The webinar will be recorded and shared with all registrants – so make sure to register even if you can’t watch it live. You can find out more information about upcoming webinars in the series on DEQ’s Education Series webpage.

Wetlands Permitting Specialist Exam

This exam is provided as a mechanism for professionals to document and display their professional competence in Wetlands Permitting; after passing you will receive a certificate of completion on your transcript. The online exam consists of 40 questions and requires 80% pass-rate. It is available in DEQ's Environmental Learning Management System (ELMS) - register an account or login and search for Wetlands Permitting Exam. Please watch the VWP Permitting Webinar Series to prepare for this exam.