Bristol Landfill Enforcement Update | |
On Jan. 13, 2023, Attorney General Jason Miyares filed a complaint against the City of Bristol on behalf of DEQ, the Virginia Waste Management Board, and the Virginia Air Pollution Control Board seeking injunctive relief and civil penalties for violating the Commonwealth’s environmental laws and regulations at the Bristol landfill. On Jan. 28, a Consent Decree was filed to resolve the Commonwealth’s civil claims. Public comments will be accepted on this action until Feb. 27. | |
Enforcement Action for Greene County Unpermitted Landfill | |
On behalf of DEQ, the Office of the Attorney General brought action against Kenneth R. Collier, Sr. in the Circuit Court of Greene County for operation of an unpermitted landfill. In Aug. 2021, a Summary Judgment found Collier in violation of the Virginia Waste Management Act and the State Water Control Law. In a Jan.10, 2023 hearing, the Court ordered Collier to immediately cease engaging in any operation of a landfill, any land-disturbing activities, or any discharge of industrial stormwater unless and until he obtains the appropriate permits from DEQ. He must immediately remove all waste, properly transport all waste, dispose of all waste at an appropriately permitted facility, undertake groundwater monitoring, undertake site closure and remediation, and pay a civil penalty of $250,000.
"DEQ is grateful for the assistance from the Office of the Attorney General in securing this result as it promotes the understanding that the common good lies in environmental compliance and stewardship, and that noncompliance is more costly than compliance," said DEQ Director Michael Rolband.
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Virginia Land and Energy Navigator Released | |
The Virginia Land and Energy Navigator (VaLEN) is now available for public use. VaLEN brings together GIS information related to prime farm and forestland, conserved lands, brownfields and mined lands, transmission lines, and other topics to support land use planning and decision-making at the local level. VaLEN enables users to cross reference GIS layers with multiple themes and has a zoom feature that allows users to look at the highest resolution available, up to parcel scale. | |
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Webinar for Citizen Water Quality Monitor Data Submission | |
The Virginia Data Explorer already shows citizen monitoring data collected at more than 700 locations by more than 300 volunteers. | |
Virginia's volunteer citizen monitoring groups assist DEQ in efforts to report and protect water quality conditions. Data collected is used in DEQ's biennial Water Quality Assessment Integrated Report (IR). Organizations that collected water quality data from Jan. 1, 2017 – Dec. 31, 2022, must submit it to DEQ by March 6 for inclusion in the 2024 IR. The process for submitting data to DEQ is outlined on the Citizen Monitoring webpage. Notable this cycle, DEQ has released the Virginia Data Explorer (VDE), a collaboration between DEQ and the Chesapeake Monitoring Cooperative, to submit the water quality data. On Feb. 7 from 5:30-7 p.m., DEQ will hold a webinar to provide an overview of the VDE and the process for submitting water quality monitoring data. Register for the webinar here. | |
Webinar to Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Funding | |
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is hosting a webinar on Feb. 9 at noon about funding opportunities to help communities improve water and wastewater infrastructure. During this webinar, EPA and state officials will share information about State Revolving Funds (SRFs) and technical assistance opportunities. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will invest $43.4 billion through SRFs, including the Virginia Clean Water State Revolving Loan Fund, which will begin accepting applications this summer. Register for the webinar here. | |
Northern Long-Eared Bat Endangerment Listing Delayed | |
The final endangered species listing for the northern long-eared bat has been delayed, and will now take effect on March 31, 2023, instead of Jan. 30, 2023, as previously announced. The listing officially changes the legal status of the northern long-eared bat from threatened to endangered. As a result of this listing, projects that have the potential to impact suitable habitat (forested areas with trees measuring three or more inches in diameter) must coordinate with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. | |
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Changes to Aerosol Can Management Requirements | | |
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Spent aerosol cans generated by businesses, government facilities, schools, and religious organizations may now be handled as universal waste (UW) instead of hazardous waste—as long as they do not contain hazardous waste. UW aerosol cans can be punctured, drained, and recycled if done so using equipment specifically designed to do so, and such punctured cans must be appropriately labeled and recycled. For more information about these requirements, visit the Universal Waste webpage. | |
CO2 Budget Trading Program Comment Period Now Open | |
As required by Executive Order 9, the State Air Pollution Control Board is considering the repeal of the CO2 Budget Trading Program, which enables Virginia to participate in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). The Board is seeking comments on the proposal, costs and benefits of the proposal, effects of the proposal on farm and forest land preservation and impacts of the proposal on small businesses. Comments will be accepted until March 31. Comments may be submitted to DEQ in writing or orally at a public hearing, to be held in the Third Floor Conference Room at the Bank of America Building, 1111 E Main Street in Richmond at 2 p.m. on March 16, 2023. View the full public notice on Town Hall. | |
NOAA Honors Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program | |
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On the 50th anniversary of the passage of the Coastal Zone Management Act, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) congratulated Governor Youngkin on the successes of Virginia's Coastal Zone Management (CZM) Program. DEQ serves as the lead agency for the Virginia CZM network of state agencies and coastal localities.
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Since its inception, Virginia CZM has financed 36 land acquisition projects (3,800 acres and $10 million in funds) and 37 public access construction projects ($1.2 million in funds). These projects have saved and restored critical migratory bird and wildlife habitat and increased Virginia's coastal resilience. The program continues to be a leader in other important areas. Since 1999, it has initiated and invested over $5 million in oyster, eelgrass, and bay scallop restoration. In fact, the 9,000+ acres of restored eelgrass on Virginia's Eastern Shore are the largest eelgrass restoration on the planet. The program also developed the East Coast's first marine debris reduction plan and launched the nation's first regional ocean data portal. Since 2000, Virginia CZM has invested over $64 million in federal dollars and $51 million in state and local matching funds for almost 1,000 state and local projects. | |
To conserve the Lower Chickahominy River watershed, Virginia CZM invested in a multi-year collaborative stakeholder engagement process to identify opportunities for cultural resource protection, land management, and environmentally-friendly business development. | |
Public Participation Opportunities | |
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Visit the DEQ website for comment opportunities on pending enforcement orders and permit actions. The following regulatory actions are available for public comment:
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Notice of Intended Regulatory Action for 9VAC25-192 Virginia Pollution Abatement (VPA) Regulation and General Permit for Animal Feeding Operations and Animal Waste Management (comment by March 31)
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Repeal CO2 Budget Trading Program (comment by March 31)
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Are you committed to protecting human health and the environment? Apply for a job at DEQ. Some open positions currently open are:
- VPDES POTW and Industrial Waste Water Treatment Compliance Coordinator (Richmond, open until filled)
- Accounts Payable Technician (Richmond, closes 2/20)
- Communications Coordinator (Richmond; closes 2/10)
- Stormwater Plan Reviewer (Woodbridge; closes 2/10)
- Stormwater Inspector (Virginia Beach, closes 2/17)
- Air Permit Writers (Harrisonburg and Virginia Beach; closes 2/10; Abingdon closes 2/17)
- Construction Stormwater Specialist (Harrisonburg; closes 2/10)
- Data Coordinator (Richmond; closes 2/10)
- Ombudsman (Richmond; closes 2/10)
- Water Permit Writer (Woodbridge, closes 2/17)
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