DEQ coordinates the Commonwealth's response to environmental planning documents for proposed state and federal projects.

Environmental impact review staff distribute documents to state agencies, planning districts and localities for consideration and comment. State review of environmental planning documents identifies environmental impacts early in the project planning process and often identifies alternatives that may reduce or eliminate environmental impacts. Once all comments are taken into consideration, a single state response is created by DEQ.

The Office of Environmental impact Review, or OEIR, reviews the following types of projects:

State Projects:

• Environmental Impact Reports for major state projects
• State Corporation Commission environmental reports
• Virginia Department of Aviation environmental reports
• Environmental Impact Assessments for drilling in Tidewater
• Exploration and extraction of minerals on state-owned uplands

Federal Projects:

• National Environmental Policy Act documents
• Federal consistency reviews in accordance with the Coastal Zone Management Act