West Central Regional Office, Roanoke
Community involvement summary
The West Central Regional Office has held a community meeting with the residents neighboring a closed Bedford city landfill. More than 50 people attended and discussed their concerns with DEQ regional and central office staff.
Workshops were held for Roanoke County building inspectors, and Roanoke and New River Valley Homebuilders Associations. The Virginia Water Protection Permit Program was explained to improve compliance through understanding and awareness.
Several meetings were held with DEQ staff and key members of communities located on or near Smith Mountain Lake to discuss issues raised at the 2004 open house. Those invited to the meetings included the Smith Mountain Lake Association Board; Tri-County Lake Administration Commission Board; county administrators for Bedford, Franklin and Pittsylvania counties; county Board of Supervisors members; American Electric Power; and the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation. Participants set priorities for their concerns, and the group decided to focus on sedimentation and debris in the lake. Another meeting was requested but has not been scheduled. In the meantime, the Smith Mountain Lake Association and DCR are involved in the planning of the next community meeting to be held at the regional office September 1, 2005.
A workshop was held for local government building and fire officials on solid waste and petroleum storage tanks. Regional staff shared information on petroleum storage tank systems and DEQ regulatory policies and interpretations. The workshop also helped building officials understand regulations related to construction and demolition activities, which often generate vegetative waste and debris.
Regional staff sponsored a community meeting in Washington Park in the Gainesboro neighborhood of Roanoke. Residents are concerned about water quality in Lick Run and cite a former landfill as a primary source of impact on the stream quality. City officials were invited for the discussion. DEQ staff shared information with the participants, and the group agreed to have another meeting to develop an action plan.
Outreach efforts for “total maximum daily loads” continue throughout the region. A TMDL is the amount of pollution a water body can assimilate and still meet state water quality standards. New River, upper James River and Roanoke River roundtable groups and tributary strategies groups continue to meet regularly, with DEQ staff leadership and participation. The Virginia Roanoke River Basin Advisory Committee will meet several times this year.
DEQ plans to partner with local groups to celebrate World Monitoring Day and help the Girl Scouts with their “Get with the Land/Watershed” program in October.
Operation Clean Sweep is aimed at identifying and disposing of waste tire piles. Communities are involved in these efforts throughout the region.
Educational efforts continue with local schools, colleges and universities. DEQ staff serve as presenters, science fair judges, workshop leaders and guest panel experts. The staff also helps the Governor’s School. The regional office will participate and lead workshops for a science teachers conference in November.
An environmental stewardship forum was held with farmers and homeowners, focusing on concentrated animal feeding operations and stream water quality.