Virginia DEQ
Home MenuDEQ News Vol. 4 No. 6
June 24, 2025
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Drought Watch Advisory Lifted for Remaining Virginia Counties |
Find Funding with DEQ's New
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Upcoming Amendments to the Virginia Erosion and Stormwater Management Program Regulation |
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Prepare for Upcoming EPS Ban |
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Sign Up for Virginia Stormwater Management Handbook Training Course |
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DEQ Celebrates Major Clean Water Financing Milestones |
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Register Today for Virginia Environmental Excellence Program Workshop |
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Still Time to Provide Feedback on DEQ's Comprehensive Climate Action Plan |
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Virginia Department of Health Issues Updated Harmful Algal Bloom Guidance |
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Help Prevent Clogging the Permit Process |
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Quarantine Zone Expanded for Imported Fire Ant |
Drought Watch Advisory Lifted for Remaining Virginia Counties
For the first time in a year, Virginia is drought-free!
Due to recent precipitation across the state, DEQ, in coordination with the Virginia Drought Monitoring Task Force, has lifted drought advisories for 12 counties in Virginia. As a result, no counties remain under a drought watch or warning advisory.
Drought watch advisories have been lifted for the following regions:
- Northern Virginia: Arlington, Fairfax, Fauquier, Loudoun, and Prince William counties
- Shenandoah: Augusta, Clarke, Frederick, Page, Rockingham, Shenandoah, and Warren counties
Several factors have contributed to the lifting of advisories. The past two weeks have brought plentiful rainfall over the entirety of the Commonwealth, further improving soil moisture and surface water flows. Improvements in groundwater levels have also been observed throughout the state; however, below normal levels persist in parts of the Eastern Shore, Northern Virginia, Roanoke and Shenandoah Regions. Storage volumes at all major water supply reservoirs remain at normal levels.
The Drought Monitoring Task Force will continue to closely monitor drought indicators. Although Virginia is drought-free, Virginians are encouraged to protect water supplies by minimizing water use, monitoring drought conditions, and detecting and repairing leaks.
See the current drought status on the DEQ website.
Find Funding with DEQ's New Grants and Loans Key
As part of the agency’s efforts to continue to deliver improved customer service, DEQ has released its Grants and Loans Key – a decision guide to help applicants identify potential funding sources and eligibility for their respective projects. The Grants and Loans key links to external resources to help users understand decision points and direct them to DEQ support staff and application documents.
Prepare for Upcoming Phase Out of EPS Ban
Expanded Polystyrene, or EPS foam, is often used in food packaging and takeout containers. It is very lightweight, does not biodegrade, and is frequently seen as litter. In the water, animals can mistake toxic foam pieces for food. As a result of these issues, the Virginia General Assembly passed legislation to phase out EPS foam use in food establishments such as restaurants, food trucks, and cafeterias.
Many establishments are already switching to EPS-free packaging materials such as fiberboard and aluminum foil. All Virginia establishments will need to do so soon. By July 1, 2025, food establishments with 20 or more locations in the Commonwealth must stop using EPS containers, and by July 1, 2026, all remaining food establishments must comply.
By law, a locality may grant an exemption to a food vendor if they can demonstrate that compliance with the new requirement would impose undue economic hardship on the food vendor. For more information, visit DEQ’s foam-free resources webpage or send an email to VA-landr@deq.virginia.gov.
Upcoming Amendments to the Virginia Erosion and Stormwater Management Regulation
The Virginia Erosion and Stormwater Management Act (VESMA) and Virginia Erosion and Stormwater Management (VESM) Regulation have been effective since July 1, 2024. VESMA combined erosion and sediment control and stormwater management requirements into one program for localities that administer a Virginia Erosion and Stormwater Management Program, for DEQ, and for entities with approved standards and specifications. Likewise, the VESM Regulation replaced the Virginia Stormwater Management Regulation, the Erosion and Sediment Control Regulations; and the Erosion and Sediment Control and Stormwater Certification Regulations.
To help with the transition to the VESMA and VESM Regulation, DEQ made significant updates to its guidance for erosion and sediment control and stormwater management by issuing the Virginia Stormwater Management Handbook, Version 1.1, and Virginia Runoff Reduction Method (VRRM), Version 4.1. Both were effective and available for use when the VESMA and VESM Regulation went into effect. However, to give localities and the public time to transition to the new specifications in the Handbook and the method for determining compliance with water quality requirements using VRRM 4.1, DEQ accepted plans and specifications developed using older guidance for one year from the effective date of the VESMA and VESM Regulation until July 1, 2025.
On July 1, 2025, amendments to the VESM Regulation will make VRRM 4.1 and the Handbook sources for determining compliance with the revised threshold for the total phosphorus load of new development projects and specifications for best management practices (BMPs). As amended, 9VAC25-875-580 will state: “For plans submitted on or after July 1, 2025, the total phosphorus load of new development projects shall not exceed 0.26 pounds per acre per year, as calculated pursuant to 9VAC25-875-590.” 9VAC25-875-590 will specify VRRM 4.1 and include a URL for the online version of the Handbook, which replaces the BMPs from 2011 that had been listed.
Information about the amendments to the VESM Regulation is available at the Virginia Regulatory Town Hall.
Sign Up for Virginia Stormwater Management Handbook Training Course
The Virginia Stormwater Management Handbook is a dynamic and evolving resource that provides information on stormwater management, including erosion and sediment control, in Virginia. Each year, DEQ trains thousands of users on using the Handbook to improve the design, construction, and maintenance of stormwater infrastructure. Building on the foundational Handbook launch training, this class dives deeper into the online platform. Attendees will get hands-on experience navigating the interface, discovering new and updated SWM & ESC BMPs, and learning practical ways to apply this evolving resource in their work. Attendees will need to bring their own internet-enabled device to fully engage in real-time exercises and make the most of this dynamic learning experience, (6 contact hours, cost = $50).
- July 9, 2025 (Hampton)
- August 13, 2025 (Richmond)
For information on this course, and other stormwater & erosion continuing education classes, please visit: DEQ Continuing Education.
DEQ Celebrates Major Clean Water Financing Milestones
DEQ proudly announces significant clean water financing achievements to advance water quality improvements for all Virginians.
The Clean Water Financing and Assistance Program (CWFAP) administers critical funding programs including the Virginia Clean Water Revolving Loan Fund (VCWRLF), the Stormwater Local Assistance Fund (SLAF), the Water Quality Improvement Fund (WQIF), and the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Wastewater Funds. The CWFAP has been instrumental in supporting localities, organizations, and citizens in securing flexible funding solutions that protect and enhance the Commonwealth’s waterways.
Overcoming New Challenges
On top of awarding hundreds of millions of dollars each year, CWFAP also provided an additional $900 million in infrastructure dollars and $150 million in Water Quality Improvement Fund dollars. In 2022, CWFAP was tasked with implementing the EPA Clean Watersheds Need Survey (occurs every 10 years) and the first ever Commonwealth Wastewater Infrastructure Needs Assessment. With the increase in funding came a nine-fold increase in number of projects and a six-fold increase in number of disbursements processed.
CWFAP weathered the storm, and in 2024 and 2025, CWFAP has been able to rebalance program functions and achieve new success stories, demonstrating its commitment to DEQ’s mission and vision.
2025 Accomplishments Highlighted:
- Eliminated the SLAF grant agreement and disbursement backlogs and on track to eliminate the WQIF grant agreement backlog
- Completed all 2025 SLAF grant agreements
- Reduced disbursement request processing times to an impressive average of 18 days
- Achieved a 200% increase in SLAF and WQIF Needs Assessment survey responses
Building a Cleaner Water Future
These milestones underscore CWFAP’s continuing dedication to cultivating partnerships and delivering effective solutions so that every community in Virginia benefits from access to clean, safe water. By tackling obstacles head-on, and embracing continuous improvement, the program is setting a new standard for transparency, efficiency, and impact.
For more information about the Clean Water Financing and Assistance Program, or to learn how your community can benefit from these funding opportunities, visit DEQ's webpage.
Register Today for Virginia Environmental Excellence Program Workshop
Join DEQ for a free workshop about developing and strengthening a successful Environmental Management System (EMS) and pollution prevention program. The Virginia Environmental Excellence Program (VEEP) encourages and assists facilities and organizations that have strong environmental records to go above and beyond their legal requirements. The program has over 450 members that are committed to reducing their environmental impacts.
On July 15, businesses from around Central Virginia will gather for a day of learning and networking. Attendees will hear about creating programs that encourage employee buy-in, re-energizing their EMS, energy efficiency, waste reduction, and how to find pollution prevention opportunities. The purpose of this workshop is to bring together facilities that want to develop or improve their EMS and pollution prevention programs.
Piedmont Region VEEP Workshop at Brightpoint Community College July 15 from
8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Nicholas Center 13101 Route 1 Chester, Virginia 23831-5316
Email veep@deq.virginia.gov if you have specific questions you would like to see addressed during the workshop.
Still Time to Provide Feedback on DEQ's Comprehensive Climate Action Plan
DEQ is still developing a statewide Comprehensive Climate Action Plan and wants your input on potential ways to reduce climate pollution across the state. Find out what this means for you and your community, and share your thoughts through DEQ’s community survey before the survey closes at 5 p.m. on Aug. 8.
Feedback will help DEQ shape a plan that reflects the priorities of Virginia’s communities. For more information, please visit the CPRG webpage or email our team at CPRG@deq.virginia.gov.
Virginia Department of Health Issues Updated Harmful Algal Bloom Guidance
On May 22, the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) updated the Guidance for Cyanobacteria Bloom Recreational Advisory Management. Under the revised guidance, harmful algal bloom advisory decisions in fresh waters will now be based solely on the concentration of blue-green algae toxins found in the water. In the past, advisories in fresh waters were issued based on blue-green algae concentrations (known as cell counts) as well as related toxin concentrations. Issuing advisories based on toxin concentrations will increase certainty. Now, when an advisory is issued by VDH, it will mean that there is a substantial public health risk from harmful algal bloom toxins.
DEQ provides water monitoring to support VDH's decision-making process on issuing advisories. Responding to harmful algal blooms has been and will continue to be a priority for DEQ's monitoring teams. The changes to VDH’s advisory process will not reduce the amount or accuracy of DEQ's harmful algal bloom monitoring response. DEQ will continue to concentrate monitoring efforts in areas with high recreation and known blooms, will investigate potential algal blooms more extensively, and will collect more samples during each investigation. DEQ's increased sampling will result in more comprehensive investigations, with sampling occurring both in areas that are representative of larger water body segments and in areas where blooms are more dense and where toxins may exist. These changes will increase the agency's ability to focus sampling efforts and ensure that VDH has the data needed to declare advisories when toxins are present in the water.
For more information, please see the harmful algal blooms one-pager posted to the VDH website.
Help Prevent Clogging the Permit Process
DEQ has made significant progress in improving its permitting process, thanks to revolutionary platforms such as the Permitting Enhancement and Evaluation Platform. However, there is always room for improvement. An area that can always be improved upon is the submittal of complete and accurate permit applications.
When incomplete or incorrect applications are submitted to DEQ, the delays abound. The permit process has to pause every time discrepancies are flagged or applications do not meet existing requirements. Some applicants erroneously believe that a rushed application submittal, even if incomplete or inaccurate, is better than waiting to make sure it was submitted correctly in the first place. That simply isn’t true.
In an effort to continue improving the permitting process, DEQ will keep upgrading and enhancing its training programs for permittees and the regulated community. In return, DEQ hopes to see higher rates of correctly submitted permit applications, thereby reducing the cholesterol-like jams that clog up the permitting process.
Quarantine Zone Expanded for Imported Fire Ant
Note: this article is directly from the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
On May 27, the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) expanded the areas regulated for imported fire ant in the Virginia Imported Fire Ant Quarantine for Enforcement of the Virginia Pest Law (Quarantine) to include the counties of Chesterfield, Lee, Nottoway, Pittsylvania, Prince George, and Surry and the independent cities of Colonial Heights, Danville, Hopewell, and Petersburg.
In 1989, the first imported fire ant infestation was detected in the Commonwealth of Virginia. To date, all imported fire ant infestations appear to have been introduced into Virginia on nursery stock or other plant products from infested areas or by natural spread from nearby infested areas. With assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the VDACS Office of Plant Industry Services attempts to eradicate each fire ant occurrence outside of the regulated area. However, when the imported fire ant is established in an area, the infested localities are then included in the Quarantine and VDACS will no longer treat infestations within the quarantined area, concentrating instead on new infestations that may appear outside the quarantine area.
In 2009, a Quarantine was established in Virginia and included much of southeast Virginia. Since that time, the imported fire ant has spread and the Quarantine expanded in 2019, again in 2022, and most recently in 2025. The quarantine now covers 18 counties and 15 independent cities across the state.
- Virginia Quarantine Map (pdf)
Imported fire ant mounds are typically found in warm, sunny locations such as landscape beds, lawns, around trees and shrubs, along sidewalk cracks and against buildings. If disturbed, these ants are generally aggressive and can inflict painful stings.
If you suspect a fire ant infestation within the quarantine area, please use caution and contact your local Virginia Cooperative Extension office for treatment recommendations. If you suspect a fire ant infestation outside of the quarantine area, please report the sighting to VDACS using the Invasive Species Reporting Tool.