DEQ has announced $19 million in awards for nine innovative projects as part of the Pay-For-Outcomes Nonpoint Source Pollution Reduction grant program. Nonpoint pollution does not come from one place like a pipe but instead comes from many different, widely distributed sources such as urban areas and agricultural fields. Nonpoint sources are the largest manageable sources of pollution entering the Chesapeake Bay. This pilot program provides payments based on the amount of pollution directly removed or prevented from entering the Bay.

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. 

DEQ has developed checklists to assist in the development of Environmental Impact Reports and Federal Consistency Certifications. These checklists are provided as a tool when submitting these documents to DEQ for coordinated review. 

The Virginia Brownfields Restoration and Economic Redevelopment Assistance Fund (VBAF) is a Virginia Commonwealth funded incentive program that serves as a critical resource for communities across Virginia. The investment of these funds plays a key role in positioning sites for constructive reuse. The fund is collaboratively managed by the Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) and DEQ. To date over $21 million has been awarded via 267 grants.

On April 23, the EPA awarded DEQ and Berkeley Plantation the George F. Ames Performance and Innovation in the State Revolving Fund (SRF) Creating Environmental Success (PISCES) award. This award celebrates innovation demonstrated by Clean Water SRF programs and assistance recipients. With the PISCES award, EPA recognized DEQ and Berkeley Plantation's living shoreline project for its "Excellence in Creative Solutions” for its public/private funding partnerships.

Thanks to funding from the EPA’s Climate Pollution Reduction Grant, DEQ is working to reduce methane pollution in the Commonwealth through the creation of the Food Rescue and Composting Subaward Program. This program will offset the amount of food waste going into landfills by investing in edible food recovery and composting programs at colleges, universities, and state agencies. If you have feedback or information about ongoing efforts, barriers, and needs related to food rescue and composting activities in the Commonwealth, please complete this form. 

DEQ's Petroleum State-Lead Program will soon be issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the investigation and remediation of petroleum contaminated sites with the intent to award multiple term contracts. In early June, DEQ will be holding a mandatory pre-proposal conference at DEQ's Piedmont Regional Office. Vendors must attend the pre-proposal conference to be eligible to submit a proposal. For more information on the DEQ petroleum state-lead program, email james.barnett@deq.virginia.gov. For more information on the RFP or the pre-proposal conference, please email rebecca.m.taylor@deq.virginia.gov. 

In case you missed it, DEQ’s Brownfield Symposium was a great success! Held at the John Randolph Foundation in Hopewell on April 24, the one-day event highlighted Hopewell’s remarkable brownfield redevelopment journey.

DEQ staff attended the recent Hampton Roads Planning District Commission (HRPDC) meeting in Chesapeake, including a ribbon cutting ceremony to unveil the recently completed parking lot retrofit project. The project received funding from DEQ to remove the existing 53-space asphalt parking lot at the HRPDC's headquarters building and replace it with various stormwater best management practices (BMPs).

Congratulations to DEQ's Office of Permitting Assistance Manager, Dave Davis, for receiving the 2025 Distinguished Service Award from the National Association of Wetland Managers (NAWM). Dave has been a member of NAWM for over 25 years and served on the NAWM board for 11 years — four years as National Secretary-Treasurer, five years as National Chairperson, and two years as an Ex Officio board member. Prior to serving on the NAWM board, he was a member of the NAWM’s Applied Science Committee for three years.