South West Regional Office, Abingdon
Community involvement summary
The Southwest Regional Office is concentrating on environmental education and outreach. A sixth-grade Science Institute was offered for teachers to help them teach school science standards. Sixteen participated and received training from Project WET, Aquatic Wild, Project Learning Tree and other well-known environmental education programs. An environmental education position was created and filled to continue and build upon these efforts. Teacher training will be offered as well as individualized classroom programs in all DEQ-regulated areas.
DEQ staff provides technical advice to watershed groups that have been meeting in Pound River, Clinch River, Beaver Creek, Guest River and Bluestone River. The Upper Tennessee Roundtable meets twice a year with DEQ staff leadership and participation. The Annual Big Sandy Conference was held with the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, the Kentucky Department of Environmental Protection and the Big Sandy Watershed Coalition. Clinch River Day was held in June with the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, the Natural Resource Conservation Service and the community. Earth Day was celebrated with Greendale Elementary School and the Coalition for Jobs and the Environment. The Appalachian Regional Reforestation initiative and the Washington County Office on Youth collaborated with DEQ to sponsor Arbor Day celebrations in April.
Total maximum daily load” public outreach meetings are planned for Pawpaw Creek, Knox Creek, Chestnut Creek, Laurel Fork, Stock Creek, and North Fork Holston River. A TMDL is the amount of pollution a water body can assimilate and still meet state water quality standards.
The regional office also is collaborating with the Mount Rogers Planning District Commission on a comprehensive sewer study involving localities and the Virginia Department of Health.
A major new source review workshop is planned for all regulated air sources and a workshop for paint and body shops will focus on the promulgation of pending federal air quality regulations.