Waste disposal and management sites

TO: All County Administrators, City Managers and Town Managers

FROM: Karen Jackson Sismour, Director, Waste Division

DATE: April 28, 2005

The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality has launched a 5-Step Plan to help Virginia residents and local governments obtain information about sites that may have been used for waste disposal in the past. The plan focuses on improving communication and the availability of information on the DEQ web site.

In support of this initiative, DEQ has assembled a web page for the 5-Step Plan (http://www.deq.virginia.gov/waste/disposal.html) to assist localities in identifying known and/or potential past disposal sites that may be present in their region. Step 1 includes lists of available information on current and past waste disposal sites that were operating prior to 1988. Please be advised that these lists will be updated and modified as new information becomes available. The lists include on-line search capability http://www.deq.virginia.gov/waste/disposal9.html for information pertaining to RCRA notifiers (generators, transporters and facilities for haza rdous waste), permitted Solid Waste Management Facilities, and incidents or complaints reported to Virginia DEQ (PREP Data). The search may be based upon county, city or zip code. These web-based searches are a valuable planning tool. Localities are encouraged to use this information to supplement their own reco rds when evaluating potential housing developments or applicable rezoning requests.

Steps 2-5 contain information on current partnering with localities, homeowner advice, frequently asked questions, and DEQ’s Site Assessment Program. The March 11, 2005 press release is located at the bottom of the page.

DEQ is committed to ensuring that the informational needs of localities and property owners are met in a timely and efficient manner. For additional information, please contact the Regional Waste Compliance Manager. Contact information for the Waste Compliance Managers has been posted on the 5-Step Plan website.