Virginia participants win Bay excellence awards

Eight Virginia participants won Businesses for the Bay Excellence Awards in December.

Businesses for the Bay is a regional pollution prevention program that targets facilities in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. It is run collaboratively by the Chesapeake Bay Program, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia. DEQ’s Office of Pollution Prevention actively promotes Businesses for the Bay, which focuses its efforts on reductions of toxics, nutrients and sediments in supportof the efforts of the Chesapeake Bay Program. 

DEQ hosted the Businesses for the Bay annual meeting and awards ceremony at Westmoreland State Park on Nov. 8 in Virginia’s Northern Neck. Virginia participants were honored with a total of eight Businesses for the Bay Excellence Awards, more than half of all the awards presented. The winners recognized at the ceremony included the following participants:

• City of Charlottesville for Outstanding Achievement for Pollution Prevention (Local government facility)
• University of Virginia, Charlottesville, for Outstanding Achievement for Pollution Prevention (State government facility)
• York County School Division, Yorktown, for Outstanding Achievement for Pollution Prevention (Local government facility)
• Anheuser-Busch, Williamsburg, for Outstanding Achievement for Pollution Prevention (Large facility)
• Norfolk Naval Shipyard for Outstanding Achievement for Pollution Prevention (Federal government facility)
• Isle of Wight Family and Cosmetic Dentistry, Smithfield, for Outstanding Achievement for Pollution Prevention (Small facility)
• Virginia Regional Environmental Management System, Richmond, for Partner Organization of the Year
• Kristel Riddervold, Charlottesville, for  Mentor of the Year

Tom Griffin, Central Office

Governor establishes climate change commission

Governor Timothy M. Kaine established the Governor's Commission on Climate Change in December 2007 by signing Executive Order 59. The 32-person commission will prepare a plan for Virginia that identifies ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The plan is scheduled to be released in December. Additional information is available on the DEQ website.

Julia Wellman, Central Office

Water reuse regulation adopted

The State Water Control Board voted to adopt a regulation in December 2007 that will allow the reuse of treated wastewater or reclaimed water from municipal and industrial wastewater treatment facilities. The use of reclaimed water will conserve water supplies and reduce the discharge of wastewater to natural surface waters. The regulation may become effective early this year.

The regulation establishes requirements for treating and monitoring reclaimed water for reuse, the use of reclaimed water for purposes that do not require drinking water quality. These requirements are designed to protect the environment and public health. DEQ expects to complete the development of a suspended section this year that addresses how nutrient credits are determined in cases where reclaimed water with higher nutrient levels is used for irrigation.

Julia Wellman, Central Office

Environmental murals shown in memory of DEQ policy director

Murals painted by environmental educators are hanging in the General Assembly in memory of Kathy Frahm, who also contributed to this mural.

Five environmental murals are hanging on the fifth floor of the General Assembly Building in memory of Kathy Frahm. She was the DEQ policy director and passed away in September 2007. The environmental mural project was spearheaded by DEQ’s Virginia Office of Environmental Education as a community involvement technique. Environmental education has long been a program at DEQ but community involvement is a relatively new initiative. Although Kathy, as a new division director, had little prior experience in education or community involvement, she enthusiastically supported the program and its staff, offering many ideas and connections. The mural project shows how art can be incorporated into environmental education as a teaching tool for people of all ages. It is a way to engage the community and build teams. The first mural, Ecological Footprints Should Make a Good Impression, was painted by environmental educators across the Commonwealth who attended the 2005 Virginia Environmental Education Conference. Kathy helped paint that mural, and she is the reason that the office staff pursued the hanging of the murals in the General Assembly. The murals will remain in the building until March 21.

Ann Regn, Central Office

Environmental excellence program increases participation

DEQ welcomed 37 new facilities into the Virginia Environmental Excellence Program during 2007, bringing the total number of participants to 364. Facilities accepted into the program must demonstrate a commitment to environmental performance through the implementation of pollution prevention programs and compliance with environmental regulations. There are three types of participation options for interested facilities: Environmental Enterprise (E2), Exemplary Environmental Enterprise (E3) and Extraordinary Environmental Enterprise (E4). The new facilities represented an increase of two members in the E4 level, eight additional E3 members and 27 new E2 memberships beyond 2006 levels.

The Office of Pollution Prevention administers VEEP, reviewing ap­plications and renewals, performing site visits for E3 and E4 applications, conducting compliance reviews and coordinating recognition events. Other milestones for Pollution Prevention programs are included in the program’s 2007 annual report, which is available on the DEQ website.

Sharon Baxter, Central Office

Public comments requested on new Coastal GEMS

The Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program is pleased to announce that a second version of Coastal GEMS, an online management tool of coastal resources, is now available. During the summer and fall of 2007, Worldview Solutions and Virginia Commonwealth University helped the program upgrade and redesign Coastal GEMS, taking advantage of advances in technology and availability of new coastal data. 

This version of Coastal GEMS achieves the program’s vision of a “gateway” to Virginia's coastal resources. Please help test Coastal GEMS Version 2; your feedback over the next two months can directly affect the look and usability of the site. Provide your comments and suggestions (how you use GEMS and what works and what does not with the new design) to Kelly Price with the Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program.

Virginia Witmer, Central Office

Mercury symposium presentations available on the web

 The Virginia Mercury Symposium was held on Nov. 28 and 29 in Newport News. DEQ and the State Air Pollution Control Board hosted the symposium to raise awareness of mercury emissions, prevention and control techniques, transport and deposition, and health effects, and to assist in the Commonwealth’s assessment of the need for additional controls. The symposium reported interim results of the ongoing DEQ mercury study and featured presentations from nationally recognized experts on a number of subjects, including mercury deposition modeling, control technologies status, and ecological and public health impacts. Nearly 120 participants represented various stakeholders, including energy industries; pollution control vendors; manufacturing; watermen; environmental organizations; localities; academics; air, water, and waste board members; and state agencies. Symposium presentations are available on the DEQ website.

Rodney Sobin, Central Office

Biosolids program moves to DEQ

DEQ assumed regulatory oversight of all land application of treated sewage sludge, commonly referred to as biosolids, on Jan. 1. This action, which moves oversight of the Biosolids Use Regulations from the Virginia Department of Health to DEQ, was at the direction of the 2007 General Assembly.

DEQ’s Office of Land Application Programs within the Water Quality Division manages the biosolids program, as well as land application of industrial sludges, septage, livestock and poultry waste, and water reclamation and reuse. The Virginia Department of Health will continue to consult with DEQ and advise the public on health issues related to biosolids applications.

Neil Zahradka, Central Office

Briefing on proposed Wise County power plant draws public interest

The DEQ Southwest Regional Office held a public briefing in St. Paul on Dec. 10 to discuss the air quality permit application for a proposed Virginia City Hybrid Energy Center in Wise County. The Virginia City Hybrid Energy Center would be a coal, coal waste and biomass-fired electric generating facility having a gross output capacity of 668 megawatts.

DEQ staff answered individuals’ questions at information stations from 4 to 6 p.m. and began the formal briefing at 7 p.m. Approximately 100 to 150 citizens, representatives of local and national environmental groups, and community leaders attended the formal briefing. Individuals were able to hear answers to many of their questions regarding the plant’s expected emissions and emission controls, the draft air quality permit and the company’s application.

A public hearing on the draft permit is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Feb. 11 at the St. Paul High School Auditorium in St. Paul.

Rob Feagins, Southwest Regional Office