May Environmental Update

1. Citizen Boards.  

The Air Pollution Control Board will next meet on June 22. 

The State Water Control Board meeting scheduled for March 30 has been rescheduled for May 17.  The Board’s meetings are typically held at the General Assembly Building.  Due to ongoing construction the May 17 meeting will be held at DEQ’s Piedmont Regional Office (4949-A Cox Road, Glen Allen, VA 23060).  The agenda has not changed from the scheduled March meeting and the primary topic of interest to VAA members is the incorporation of EPA’s Electronic Reporting Rule into the VPDES and VSMP regulations.  The Board will also consider the adoption of Bylaws.

The Waste Management Board has not set any future meeting dates.

The Board of Game and Inland Fisheries will meet next on May 24. 

DEQ is hosting a series of training programs on VPDES Permit Recordkeeping and Reporting requirements, and General VPDES Nutrient Permit Reporting.  Each training program costs $37.50.  The programs will be held in each regional office.  Following are the dates, times and locations for the two programs:  

VPDES Permit Recording Keeping & Reporting - May 18, 8:30 to12:30, Tidewater Regional Office and June 20, 8:30 to12:30, Blue Ridge Regional Office

General Nutrient Permit & Reporting - May 18, 1:30 to 4:30 Tidewater Regional Office andJune 20, 1:30 to 4:30, Blue Ridge Regional Office

 

3. New Guidance.  

DEQ has not issued new guidance since our last update. 

4. DEQ Issues Toxics Release Inventory for 2015.  DEQ recently released the Toxic Release Inventory for 2015.  

The report highlights releases in Virginia, both by industrial sector and by individual facility.  VAA members subject to TRI reporting obligations may want to review how the reporting is reflected in the report, which can be found here.

5. DEQ to Hold Public Meeting on New River PCB Study.  

DEQ will host a public information meeting on May 10, 2017, at 6 p.m. to share the results from a water quality study related to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the New River watershed.  VAA members discharging to the New River may be affected, and the outcome of this process may establish precedent for other waterways in Virginia that are impaired for PCBs.  During the May 10 meeting, DEQ will present an overview of the New River PCB TMDL project, the modeling efforts, and future implementation strategies. DEQ will also present the draft TMDL report, which outlines sources and their relative contribution to PCB loads in the New River watershed. 

DEQ is also accepting public comments on the PCB study through June 9, 2017.  More information is available here. 

1. EPCRA TRI Reporting.  Members subject to TRI reporting to DEQ and EPA are reminded of the upcoming July 1 reporting deadline.  More information is available on DEQ’s TRI page.