South Central Regional Office, Lynchburg
Community involvement summary
The South Central Regional Office has focused on four community involvement priorities: an annual open house, satellite community meetings, DEQ public presence and pre-employment professional development.
Evening community involvement meetings are planned every two months with satellite locations throughout the region beginning with Lynchburg in July 2005, then Danville, Victoria, South Boston, Boydton and Farmville. These meetings will give residents the opportunity to express specific issues of environmental concern to DEQ staff.
The regional office will inform and promote awareness about DEQ agency role and responsibilities. Staff will promote environmental stewardship through sponsorship of booths at community events, presence at school events and classes, adopt-a-stream cleanups, and presentations to environmental, conservation and civic groups. Staff organized two table displays on DEQ community involvement and stream water quality at the Hillcats baseball diamond in July. Many families enjoyed the exhibits, and youth had direct contact with macro-invertebrates to assess water quality in local streams.
Regional staff will assist students at local schools and colleges to prepare for employment as environmental professionals. DEQ will offer internships, conduct mock interviews, participate in college career day panels and speak to classes as requested.
The regional water quality staff will periodically hold technical advisory committee meetings as well as public meetings during the development of “total maximum daily load” studies. A TMDL is the amount of pollution a water body can assimilate and still meet state water quality standards. Please visit www.deq.virginia.gov/tmdl for more information on TMDL development.