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Governor's Management Scorecard

Environmental and Historic Stewardship Criteria

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Environmental Impact Review

The DEQ Office of Environmental Impact Review (OEIR) coordinates the Commonwealth's response to environmental documents for proposed state and federal projects. The environmental impact review staff distributes documents to appropriate state agencies, planning districts and localities for their review and comment. Upon review and analysis of all comments, the staff prepares a single state response to the proposed action. OEIR operates under the following review authorities:

  • State environmental impact reports, Virginia Code sections 10.1-1188 through 10.1-1192; Procedure for Environmental Impact Review of Major State Facilities, DEQ, 1998 (implementing sections 10.1-1188-1192); Virginia Code section 10.1-1183.
  • Federal environmental assessments and impact statements, Virginia Code section 10.1-1183.9; the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (PL 91-190), section 102(2)(C); Title 40, Code of Federal Regulations, parts 1500-1508 (implementing NEPA section 102(2)(C)).
  • Federal consistency determinations/certifications: Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972, as amended (16 USC sections 1451-1465); Title 15, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 930 (“Federal Consistency Regulations” implementing the Coastal Zone Management Act, section 307(c), relative to federal consistency with approved state coastal zone management programs; Virginia Code section 10.1-1183.
  • Environmental documents on airport projects subject to licensing by the Department of Aviation: Virginia Code section 5.1-7; Virginia Code section 10.1-1183.
  • Electric power generating projects and power line projects in conjunction with the licensing process of the State Corporation Commission: Virginia Code section 56-46.1.
  • Oil and gas drilling proposals in the Tidewater region: Virginia Code section 62.1-195.1.
  • Mineral mining activities on state-owned lands: Virginia Code section 2.1-512.1.
  • Intergovernmental review: Federal  Executive Order 12372
  • Impacts of state projects on important farmlands as part of EIR review: Virginia Code section 3.1-18.8.

Description of Measure: Successful completion of project reviews within legally mandated time frames.

Scorecard Data Sources

  • OEIR-maintained project tracking database.
  • Weekly project status reporting to the Director of Environmental Enhancement.  Report information is included in DEQ's weekly report to the Office of the Governor.
  • Office of Secretary of Administration monitoring of OEIR review submissions under State EIR Law.
  • Annual Performance Indicator reporting to NOAA under federal CZMA.
  • Semi-annual Section B reporting to NOAA under federal CZMA.
  • Annual DEQ reporting to the SCC for power generation and power line application reviews.
  • Annual reporting of agricultural land impacts to the Department of Agriculture.

Contact information

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