Virginia Department of Environmental Quality

There are many reasons why Virginia is #1 for business - and that includes DEQ's commitment to providing easy-to-follow information on environmental permitting. With DEQ's newly released "Environmental Permitting Guide for Economic Development in Virginia," you can find information on permit timelines, permit thresholds, and descriptions of which permits are applicable to your project. A copy of the interactive permitting guide can be found at https://lnkd.in/efXviTpy

We're excited to announce the 2024 Virginia Environmental Excellence Program (VEEP) Sustainability Partners! This track encourages large organizations in Virginia to integrate environmental sustainability into their culture through leadership and innovation. Partners must show measurable conservation efforts that enhance energy and water usage, waste reduction, and other environmental benefits. Welcome to our 2024 Sustainability Partners: • AlexRenew • City of Charlottesville • Fairfax County Government (Solid Waste Management Program) • Liebherr Group • Prince William County • Prince William Water • U.S. Army Fort Gregg-Adams • Wetland Studies and Solutions, Inc. (WSSI), a Davey Tree Company Learn more about VEEP: https://shorturl.at/enuQf

We don't want to spoil any fun this Fourth of July, but we want to remind you that fireworks create significant fine particle pollution (smoke), which can become excessive on the evening of July 4th and into July 5th. Hourly concentrations of smoke can exceed those seen during the wildfire smoke events in 2023! The source of smoke during fireworks is local and excessive concentrations are more likely to occur nearer fireworks, with lower levels farther away. Despite this, the extreme short-term exposure can still pose significant health risks. We recommend everyone be aware of the potential for poor air quality during fireworks. Even a few hours of exposure to firework smoke can have a significant impact on your health. You can always check the air quality forecast here: https://buff.ly/39BeML4 Stay safe and enjoy the celebrations!

The Chesapeake Bay Program Partnership’s Beyond 2025 Steering Committee wants to hear from YOU about the future of the Chesapeake Bay Program! Over the past year, the Chesapeake Bay Program Partnership’s Beyond 2025 Steering Committee has worked to draft recommendations for the future of the Bay. These recommendations highlight proposed next steps for meeting the goals identified in the 2014 Watershed Agreement and beyond. The current watershed agreement and Virginia’s Watershed Implementation Plans guide our work through 2025, but the direction of the Partnership is uncertain beyond that point; these draft recommendations include a recommendation that the Partnership reaffirm its commitment to meet the goals of the current Agreement, as well as seek expertise to review and revise the Program’s governance structure. That’s where you come in! There is an opportunity to provide feedback on the draft recommendations. The public feedback period runs from July 1 to August 30. All comments received will be reviewed, however you may not receive a direct response or follow-up to your submitted statement. Find out more about how you can make your input known by clicking here: https://lnkd.in/ejDB7hDg

Exciting times at DEQ as we kicked off our summer internship program last week! The interns explored various sites crucial to understanding our DEQ's mission. From visiting quarries to wastewater treatment plants and volunteering for an oyster shells recycling program, they gained hands-on experience for safeguarding our environment.

As we recognize and celebrate World Environment Day, the actions of Dr. Varun Dixit and Henrico Doctors’ Hospital are being heralded by a national organization. Last year, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality presented Henrico Doctors’ Hospital with a Governor’s Environmental Excellence Award at the Gold level for progress with recycling waste (diverting for that 200,000 lbs. of recyclables from the landfill) and conversion of the operating rooms to ‘low flow’ anesthesia. Now, The National Pollution Prevention Roundtable has awarded Dr. Dixit with the Ken Zarker Memorial P2 Champion Award for efforts converting 3 campuses of Henrico Doctors' Hospitals from traditional ‘high flow’ to ‘low flow’ anesthesia further enhancing a model of significant reduction in gas emissions. Concerned American hospitals produce about six million tons of annual gas emission waste – 30% generated by hospital operating rooms – expansion of the successful recycling and ‘low flow’ program has been a goal for Dr. Dixit. In addition to making these changes across the campuses, Dr. Dixit also conducted extensive educational sessions illustrating the work clinicians with the North American Partners in Anesthesia (NAPA) as to the benefits of adjusting to ‘low flow’ anesthesia in their practices – better serving the planet and patients!

Our most recent edition of DEQ News has arrived! Take a peek to learn about AlexRenew's recent tunnel completion, our water quality integrated report, MS4 milestones, and more: https://lnkd.in/ek6mij5z

The Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program at DEQ is thrilled to play a role in the preservation of what was one of the largest unprotected contiguous forest in the region. This acquisition of 1,900 acres in Southeast Virginia with Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation will protect some of the Commonwealth's most biodiverse habitat and more than 100 species of plants and animals that depend on it to survive.

As part of #EarthWeek, we continue to highlight various parts of Virginia's environment that we strive to preserve and protect. On today, #waterday, we want to extend the invitation for you to help. Do you want to ensure that a body of water that you care about is included in this year's DEQ water monitoring? Nominate it today! We are accepting water body nominations through April 30, 2024. https://lnkd.in/dkH54h58

For #EarthDay, DEQ and the Coastal Zone Management program were honored to attend a celebration at Virginia Institute of Marine Science acknowledging the restoration of York River's 200 acre oyster habitat. Virginia oysters are not only delicious, they provide a key component to water quality health and meeting restoration goals for the Chesapeake Bay Agreement. The York River was selected as one of Virginias’ five tributaries targeted for large-scale oyster restoration. The accomplishments in oyster restoration in the York River serve as a model for regional restoration efforts. By demonstrating the effectiveness of science-based management strategies, leveraging public-private partnerships, and using capital funding for nature-based infrastructure, Virginia has set a precedent for sustainable coastal conservation. This success underscores the importance of collaborative approaches in addressing complex environmental challenges and highlights the potential for replicating similar restoration models on a global scale. Moreover, the integration of nature-based solutions into infrastructure projects represents a forward-thinking approach to resilience planning, offering multiple benefits for both the environment and local communities. Attendees of the celebration got to add their contribution to the restored habitat by signing oyster shells, which were added to the growing oyster reef in the river. Oyster farmers from across Virginia also offered samples, displaying the diversity of oyster types from the Eastern Shore to the Lynnhaven River. Our thanks also extend to fellow agency partners: Virginia Marine Resources Commission, Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, Virginia Department of Health, Virginia Department of Health, and NOAA: National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration