Northern Virginia's Air Quality Has Improved Read more
	Find Your Permit Path with DEQ's New Permit Key Read more
	DEQ and USACE Clarify Eligibility of Managed Pine Plantations as Wetland Mitigation Sites Read more
	New Emergency Generator Regulations for National Defense Read more
	Manage Your Freedom of Information Act Requests with NextRequest  Read more
	Congratulations to the 2025 Governor's Environmental Excellence Awards Winners! Read more
	Ozone Forecast Season Begins Read more
	DEQ Educational Series: Chesapeake Bay Protection and Restoration Read more
	2025 Citizen Water Quality Monitoring Grantees Announced Read more
	DEQ Summer 2025 Internship Program Starts Soon!  Read more

Northern Virginia's Air Quality Has Improved

On April 4, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) officially determined that the Washington, DC-Maryland-Virginia ozone (smog) nonattainment area has attained the 2015 ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS), and that the area has clean data under the EPA’s Clean Data Policy (90 FR 14730). Because the area is now meeting national standards for air quality, the obligation to submit certain attainment planning requirements is suspended for as long as the area continues to attain the 2015 ozone NAAQS. Under the Clean Air Act, the determination paves the way for the creation of a plan to maintain air quality and formally redesignate the area to attainment for the federal standard.

Find Your Permit Path with DEQ's New Permit Key

As part of the agency’s efforts to continue to deliver improved customer service, DEQ is excited to announce the completion of its Permit Key – a decision guide to help potential applicants determine what permits and/or approvals are required from DEQ for their respective projects. The document is indexed to allow for easy navigation, and linked to external resources to help users understand important decision points and direct them to DEQ support staff and application documentation. The document will also serve as a resource to outline programmatic and regulatory requirements for initial permits and approval suitability determinations, and thus help foster improved process transparency.

DEQ is in the process of developing a Grant and Loan Key with a similar purpose of helping project proponents determine available funding sources, based on project eligibility, and approval review keys to map approval review processes, so stay tuned. 

Join DEQ for an overview of DEQ's Permit Key in a May 22 webinar from 10-11 a.m. The DEQ Permit Key serves to direct potential applicants through DEQ's decision making process in determining the applicability of respective permits, registrations, or other approval actions as based on the nature of a proposed activity. 

DEQ and USACE Clarify Eligibility of Managed Pine Plantations as Wetland Mitigation Sites

A new option has become available to those seeking compensatory mitigation sites. In a March 27 jointly-signed letter, DEQ and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Norfolk District (USACE) clarified that actively managed pine plantations of single species loblolly pine are eligible for inclusion as compensatory mitigation sites for wetland restoration or creation, if they meet all other regulatory requirements. This letter reverses a long-held position of DEQ and USACE that prevented the disturbance of all forested ecosystems in pursuit of new mitigation banks and sites developed as compensation for impacts to Waters of the U.S. and State Waters, including wetlands. These pine plantations may be considered to have limited ecological functions and values compared to other forested ecosystems, due to intensive land management activities that limit plant species diversity and remove historic hydrology. Therefore, DEQ and USACE will receive and review proposals for wetland restoration or creation on these pine plantations, while continuing to discourage wetland restoration or creation on other current mature forested lands.

New Emergency Generator Regulations for National Defense

On March 23, Governor Youngkin signed into law exemptions to allow emergency generators used for national defense to operate up to 50 hours a year in non-emergency situations. The law, 2025 Acts of Assembly Chapter 344 (SB1407), requires DEQ to revise 9VAC5-80 and 9VAC5-540 to allow emergency generators that have been certified by the Department of Defense or a branch of the armed services as being mission-critical and essential to the defense of the United States, whether or not the generator is located on a military installation. SB1407 became effective upon the Governor’s signature.

Under the law’s language, DEQ will promulgate regulations implementing the law by the end of April. In the meantime, DEQ is contacting military installations and private defense-related facilities for certifications for emergency generators that may fall under the law. For emergency generators located on military installations, the certifications must come from the base commander. For generators at private facilities, the certifications must come from an appropriate Department of Defense or military official. In all cases, however, the certifications must meet the requirements of DEQ’s certification rules at 9VAC5-20-230. If you have questions, please contact DEQ Air and Renewable Energy Division Director Mike Dowd at michael.dowd@deq.virginia.gov.

Manage Your Freedom of Information Act Requests with NextRequest

DEQ is excited to announce that the NextRequest Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Portal is now live! This portal makes submitting FOIA requests and accessing FOIA records easier and more streamlined. Additionally, online payments for FOIA requests are now available through the portal. Please visit DEQ’s FOIA Page for additional information.

Congratulations to the 2025 Governor's Environmental Excellence Awards Winners!

On April 8, Governor Youngkin recognized the 11 winners and three honorable mention recipients of the 2025 Governor’s Environmental Excellence Awards at the Environment Virginia Symposium held at the Virginia Military Institute. The awards recognize a broad range of efforts that improve Virginia’s environment including projects that reduce environmental impacts, programs that protect the environment and encourage sustainability, efforts to conserve land, and projects that demonstrate exemplary implementation of the Virginia Outdoors Plan. The awards are sponsored by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality and the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation.

Congratulations to our winners: Department of Defense; Hampton Roads Sanitation District; Naval Weapons Station Yorktown; Arlington County Department of Environmental Services; Department of Corrections State Farm Correctional Complex; Giles County; Historic Germanna; The Mariners’ Museum and Park; Arlington County Solid Waste Bureau; Fairfax County Park Authority Farmers Market Program; Marstel-Day with Partners New River Land Trust and The Nature Conservancy; Henrico Department of Public Works, Environmental Services Division, Vector Surveillance and Control; Rappahannock Regional Solid Waste Management Board; and What About the Turtles.

Ozone Forecast Season Begins

Virginia’s ozone forecasting season began Monday, April 14. DEQ monitors air quality at dozens of locations throughout the state and provides air quality forecasts to help Virginians enjoy clean air. Ozone, a colorless gas that forms when chemicals in the atmosphere react on hot, sunny days, is most often caused by vehicle exhaust, power plants, industrial emissions, and solvents.

By checking the air quality forecast, people who may be at risk of health effects due to poor air quality such as children, the elderly, and those with respiratory or heart issues, can reschedule outdoor activities until air quality improves.

Sign up for DEQ’s air quality forecasts and visit DEQ's website for real-time air quality information and forecasts. Both forecasts and alerts are customized to regions of the state. Northern Virginia residents should sign up for air quality forecasts through Enviroflash.

DEQ Educational Series: Chesapeake Bay Protection and Restoration

The Chesapeake Bay is where the fresh waters of the Potomac, Rappahannock, York, and James Rivers (along with other tributaries, creeks, and streams) meet the ocean to create the largest estuary in the U.S. These brackish waters are home to unique plant and animal communities, and the Bay was once the most productive estuary in the country. However, chronic water quality issues in the Bay have negatively impacted these aquatic resources, fueling the creation of a multi-state effort to preserve the Chesapeake Bay. With a watershed that extends into six different states and the District of Columbia, the historic, cultural, and economic importance of the Bay cannot be understated – and Virginia has a large role to play in its recovery.   

Join us for a free webinar on Tuesday, June 10, from 6:30-8 p.m., to learn about the activities DEQ engages in to protect and restore the Chesapeake Bay. During the presentation, DEQ staff will discuss the Commonwealth’s participation in the Chesapeake Bay Program, how the agency implements monitoring activities, and the activities DEQ regulates under the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act. Each of these efforts relies on the support and engagement of all stakeholders in Virginia – this means you! Use the link below to register for this virtual presentation and learn more about how we can protect the Bay together.  

Click this link to register for the Chesapeake Bay webinar

DEQ's Citizen Water Quality Monitoring Grant program is a competitive process that provides funding for groups and individuals to monitor the quality of Virginia’s waters. The grant can be used in a variety of ways, including purchasing water quality monitoring equipment, training citizen volunteers, lab analysis costs, and promoting stream monitoring efforts in locations where DEQ is not currently collecting water quality samples.

We are pleased to announce the 18 recipients of the 2025 Citizen Water Quality Monitoring Grants: Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay; Izaak Walton League of America (Virginia Save Our Streams); Lake Anna Civic Association; Potomac Riverkeeper Network; Smith Mountain Lake Association; Arlington Regional Master Naturalists; Clean Valley Council (Roanoke River Project); County of Chesterfield, Virginia (Chesterfield WaterTrends); James River Association; Nansemond River Preservation Alliance; New River Conservancy; Rivanna Conservation Alliance; St. Anne’s-Belfield School; The Mariners’ Museum and Park; Virginia Master Naturalists Historic Southside Chapter; Virginia Master Naturalists Peninsula Chapter; Dan River Basin Association; Friends of the Middle River

DEQ Summer 2025 Internship Program Starts Soon! 

Each year, DEQ offers a dynamic internship program aimed at providing students with valuable hands-on experience in environmental conservation and policy. This year, the program has seen unprecedented interest, with a record-breaking 290 applications submitted. In response to the growing demand, DEQ is selecting 23 exceptional interns to join the team, including five returning interns from last year's program who have demonstrated their commitment and skills.

These selected interns will have the chance to work alongside environmental experts, engaging in a variety of projects focused on air quality, water conservation, environmental policy, and more. The internship experience is designed to offer insight into the work of DEQ while fostering the next generation of environmental leaders.

In addition to the core internship positions, DEQ is also offering 15 specialized internships focused on water quality monitoring. These roles will take interns across Virginia, providing them with the opportunity to contribute directly to the preservation and improvement of the Commonwealth's water resources.

This year's program promises to be one of the most exciting yet, with an impressive mix of returning talent and new faces ready to make a difference. DEQ is proud to provide these opportunities and looks forward to welcoming a new class of interns who will play a crucial role in shaping Virginia's environmental future. If you are interested in hearing about the 2026 internship program, please sign up at here.