DEQ, an agency in the executive branch of government, reports to the Governor as an agency in the Natural and Historic Resources Secretariat. 

DEQ’s duties and responsibilities include implementing many of Virginia’s environmental statutes, including statutes related to controlling air pollution, the State Water Control Law, and the Virginia Waste Management Act. DEQ also issues many types of permits pursuant to authority that has been delegated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and those permits are also governed by federal statutes such as the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and the Resource and Conservation Recovery Act. DEQ also implements regulations adopted under the legal authorities of DEQ, the State Air Pollution Control Board, the State Water Control Board and the Virginia Waste Management Board.

State Statutes

As an agency in the executive branch of government, DEQ implements many of Virginia’s environmental statutes. You may often hear the term “statute” referred to as the “law” or “code.”  Statutes can only be created or changed through bills that are passed by Virginia’s General Assembly. Virginia's environmental statutes that are implemented by DEQ are available on the General Assembly's Legislative Information System under its Virginia State Law Portal.

Regulations

The regulatory development process, which can take up to two years to complete, includes several steps. In most cases, these steps are required under the Administrative Process Act. DEQ develops regulations for consideration by Virginia's citizen boards that cover a wide variety of air, water, and land protection issues. Unlike statutes, which can only be created or changed by the General Assembly, Virginia’s citizen boards have the authority to vote on and change regulations.

Regulations are intended to set forth the details to implement the Commonwealth's environmental laws. The adoption, change or repeal of any regulation is conducted in accordance with the Virginia Administrative Process Act and with the agency's public participation guidelines.

Notices are posted on the Virginia Regulatory Town Hall and all regulatory actions are published in the Virginia Register of Regulations.

Citizen Boards

Three boards – the State Air Pollution Control Board, the State Water Control Board and the Virginia Waste Management Board – composed of Virginia citizens appointed by the Governor, are responsible for adopting many of Virginia's environmental regulations under Title 9 of the Virginia Administrative Code. DEQ administers the regulations as approved by the Boards.

Guidance Documents

Guidance documents are developed by DEQ staff to provide information to staff or the public on how to interpret or implement statutes or the agency's rules or regulations. These guidance documents are posted on the Virginia Regulatory Town Hall. 

Reports to the General Assembly

At the request of the General Assembly, DEQ frequently produces reports that cover specific environmental topics. These reports are available on the Legislative Information System’s Reports to the General Assembly.