Migratory birds have a friend in James Taylor

James Taylor and his wife, Kim

When James Taylor performed at the Verizon Wireless Virginia Beach Amphitheater on May 22, he sang for the birds. A portion of the proceeds (about $200,000) from the concert will go to the Eastern Shore of Virginia Southern Tip Partnership to protect migratory bird stopover habitat on the southern tip of Virginia’s Eastern Shore.

The Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program at DEQ is a member of the partnership, which includes the Department of Conservation and Recreation, the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, Nature Conservancy and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Together they have protected and continue to manage more than 24,000 acres of land in the area. The southern tip of the Eastern Shore was documented as a important stopover habitat for migratory songbirds based on research funded by the coastal program in the early 1990s. Since then, several key properties have been acquired and protected, including recent purchases of almost 600 acres.

In April 2008, the partnership received the Governor's Gold Environmental Excellence Award at the Environment Virginia Conference for its land conservation work to conserve hundreds of acres of open space on the Eastern Shore. To read more about the land conservation efforts, visit the coastal program website.

James Taylor interview - Virginia-Pilot

Virginia Witmer and Laura McKay, Central Office

Two recipients given McCarthy award

The Gerald P. McCarthy Award for Leadership in Environmental Conflict Resolution was awarded to two recipients on June 5 at a ceremony in Charlottesville.

Kathy R. Frahm, who was policy director for DEQ when she passed away in September 2007, received the lifetime achievement award. Her parents, Richard and Joyce Frahm, accepted the award. Kathy was recognized for her commitment to collaboration in addressing environmental concerns at DEQ, with members of the General Assembly, and with individuals and organizations across Virginia.

Marjorie Mayfield Jackson, executive director of the Elizabeth River Project, was the 2008 recipient of the McCarthy award. She was honored for her work to organize and direct the long-term cleanup efforts on the Elizabeth River.

The award is sponsored by the Virginia Natural Resources Leadership Institute, which recognizes outstanding leaders who work to protect Virginia’s environment, support capacity building for collaborative problem solving in the Commonwealth, and are role models for the potential to bring stakeholders together to resolve environmental issues.

Bill Hayden, Central Office

First dental office joins environmental excellence program

(Left to right) DEQ Director Paylor poses with Dr. Perkinson, Gilly Roberts and Dr. Terry Dickinson, executive director of the Virginia Dental Association in May.

W. Baxter Perkinson Jr. DDS and Associates of Richmond became the first dental office to join the Virginia Environmental Excellence Program at DEQ in May.

The program encourages the voluntary implementation of environmental management systems and pollution prevention techniques at businesses around the Commonwealth.

Mr. Perkinson and his employees plan to take the following steps as a part of participating in the program:

• Reduce electricity consumption by 10 percent in 2010 as compared to 2007 by purchasing energy efficient office equipment and lighting fixtures, and using energy-reduction procedures.

• Convert x-ray processes to digital systems within the next year and a half, eliminating almost 900 gallons of processing fluid and 700 pounds of film annually.

• Commit to eliminating the use of mixtures or amalgams with mercury, except in cases where patient welfare will be compromised.

Sharon Baxter , Central Office

History video available on YouTube, website

A video on the history of environmental protection in Virginia is now available on the DEQ website and on YouTube. Journey in a Delightsome Land: Embracing Virginia’s Environment explores the relationship that Virginians have with the environment and highlights significant activities in the history of DEQ.

Julia Wellman, Central Office

Outreach events provide hands-on learning experience

Teresa Frazier demonstrates water sampling techniques for students participating in the Highland Dairy Conservation Farm Field Day.

Field day creates meaningful outdoor experience for sixth graders

The Highland Dairy Conservation Farm Field Day in Washington County included participation from the Southwest Regional Office’s Teresa Frazier. She spoke to 24 groups of sixth graders, totaling about 600 students, on May 14 and 15. Her tutorial covered how to collect a representative sample, measure dissolved oxygen and pH, and interpret the results for Hutton Creek. She also demonstrated the use of a homemade turbidity tube from the Holston Soil and Water Conservation District. Participating schools were Wallace Middle School, E. B. Stanley Middle School, Glade Spring Middle School and Damascus Middle School.

Teresa Frazier, Southwest Regional Office

The Piedmont Regional Office's Bill Shanabruch explains the importance of benthic macroinvertebrates during an Earth Day celebration at the Science Museum of Virginia.

DEQ and partners celebrate the Earth at museum event

DEQ helped organize an Earth Day Event at the Science Museum of Virginia in Richmond on April 26. Ten employees from both the central office and the Piedmont Regional Office, along with several family members, helped show more than 46 different hands-on demonstrations and exhibits for more than 350 children and their families. These included water sampling techniques, fish shocking equipment, a hands-on Enviroscape demonstration, macroinvertebrate identification, citizen monitoring, erosion and wave effects on beaches, and a rain barrel display. Also, 150 prizes were given to youth who participated in an environmental quiz game. This collaborative event, involving DEQ, the American Chemical Society, Science Museum of Virginia, the Gem and Mineral Society, John Tyler Community College, Longwood College and Hanover High School, was both very educational and highly successful.

Stuart Torbeck, Central Office