DEQ NEWS
Aug. 31, 2026 Vol. 5, No. 7
Accelerating Permit Review with Artificial Intelligence
DEQ is excited to announce the new Permit Review System (PRS), an artificial intelligence tool to check administrative and technical completeness to accelerate permit application review. PRS is live as of Aug. 31.
DEQ staff uses the PRS to review applications to ensure completeness and technical sufficiency, but its use is two-fold — PRS is also publicly available for applicant use when preparing submissions.
Improved applications mean quicker permit decisions by DEQ staff — meeting a major agency goal of further reducing permit application processing times. The use of PRS is free to applicants from now until Oct. 31. After the trial period, there will be a cost to use the system on a per-review basis. Use of the system by applicants is optional, however the cost will be well-worth the reduced processing times. Details concerning PRS pricing will be provided in a future DEQ News article.
The first permit program available in the PRS is the Virginia Water Protection Permit Program which regulates impacts to state surface waters and wetlands. DEQ is working to add additional programs with completeness reviews for Construction Stormwater Plans and Air New Source Review permits for data centers. Stay tuned for additional programs in the PRS.
You can check out a video sneak peek of PRS now. For more information, visit DEQ’s PRS webpage.
Southwest Virginia No Longer in Drought
Due to sustained precipitation over several weeks, the Drought Monitoring Task Force (DMTF) has lifted the drought watch advisory in the Big Sandy drought evaluation region which includes Buchanan, Dickenson, Lee, Russell, Scott, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington, and Wise counties, and the cities of Bristol and Norton. This is the first time since April 16 that any drought evaluation region in Virginia has returned to normal status with no drought watch or warning, indicated in green on the map.
Sustained rain has prevented drought conditions from worsening; however, drought continues in many parts of Virginia, especially in the Roanoke River drought evaluation region which has received less rainfall than other areas of the Commonwealth. All other drought advisories have been maintained.
The full Aug. 27 drought update and more information about the ongoing drought can be found on DEQ's Drought webpage.
DEQAct - New Foundations
In addition to the new PRS, DEQ is committed to technological initiatives that will change how DEQ and its customers do business. DEQAct, DEQ's future ePermitting and eCompliance program, will be launching starting in early 2027. The initiative will begin with the construction stormwater program to ensure completeness of data, transparency with applicants, and timeliness of submittal review. Other program areas will be added to DEQAct further into the future.
DEQAct will feature the following improvements:
Mobile Inspection Capability – compliance inspectors will conduct digital compliance inspections that will fully integrate the inspection and its results to DEQAct.
Giving Applicants Back Their Business – DEQAct will give applicants the control to manage their own accounts, update information, and decide who can submit applications on their behalf. This shift puts routine administrative tasks back into the hands of the permittees. Empowered permittees, combined with a modern digital application system, significantly reduces agency workload and allows DEQ staff to focus on core environmental protection work.
You can view a sneak peek of DEQAct on the DEQ Youtube page.
Stormwater and Plastic Pollution Workshop
The Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program at DEQ is co-hosting a workshop with Clean Virginia Waterways for stormwater and litter prevention professionals to better understand management of plastic pollution in stormwater.
The workshop will be a combination of presentations, and breakout sessions featuring the Secretary of Natural & Historic Resources, David Bulova; DEQ’s Chief Policy Advisor, Fernando Pasquel; and Virginia Sea Grant Fellow, Zane Ruzicka. Other participating organizations are the James River Association, Surfrider Foundation South Jersey Chapter, and Clean Virginia Waterways. Topics that will be discussed include plastic pellet best management practices, microplastics in construction stormwater, and the cost of plastic pollution on localities.
The workshop will be hosted on Tuesday, Sept. 8 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Pocahontas State Park in Chesterfield, Virginia. For more information, including an agenda and a link to register, visit the Clean Virginia Waterways workshop webpage.
New FAQ on Wetland Mitigation Using Pine Plantations
On July 31, DEQ and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Norfolk District (USACE) finalized an FAQ companion document to the memo regarding Mitigation using Pine Plantations. Regulators expect that the FAQ may evolve over time, therefore DEQ encourages the regulated community to check back for regular updates.
In the original memo, released in March 2025, DEQ and 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 the long-held position of the agencies of avoiding disturbance to all forested ecosystems when creating new mitigation banks. These pine plantations may have experienced intensive land management activities that limit plant species diversity and remove historic hydrology. While DEQ and USACE will accept proposals for wetland restoration or creation on pine plantations, both agencies will continue to discourage wetland restoration or creation on mature, forested lands.
You can view the memo and FAQ as well as find more information on the DEQ Compensatory Mitigation webpage.
Alexandria RiverRenew Update
RiverRenew, Alexandria’s combined sewer overflow project managed by AlexRenew, officially became operational on June 29. Since then, the system has prevented 43 million gallons of combined sewage from entering the Potomac River and its tributaries. In the process, the system also captured approximately 2.8 tons of trash and debris that would have otherwise ended up in the Commonwealth’s waterways. These milestones reflect the strength of the engineering behind the project and its immediate, measurable impact on protecting regional water quality.
Brownfields Grants Provide Local Assistance
Brownfields are properties that are dilapidated, possibly contaminated, and require extra care for restoration. DEQ’s Brownfields team is wrapping up a successful $2 million U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Community-Wide Assessment Grant for States and Tribes (CWAGST) awarded in 2022. Through this grant initiative, DEQ partnered with 12 communities and assessed 38 properties where environmental uncertainty limited investment and revitalization.
The grant funded environmental site assessments, asbestos-containing material and lead-based paint surveys, and reuse planning activities. Twelve of the properties assessed also secured Virginia Brownfields Restoration and Economic Redevelopment Assistance Fund grants totaling $1,444,500 for additional environmental assessments, reuse planning, and environmental cleanups.
This program funding helped community leaders better understand potential challenges and opportunities associated with brownfield redevelopment, which ultimately inform local economic development decision making. Communities gained clearer insight into site conditions and improved access to technical and financial resources that support brownfields redevelopment efforts.
Building on the momentum of the successful 2022 grant, DEQ recently received a second $2 million CWAGST award in 2026 to continue restoration efforts in more communities across the Commonwealth. This new funding will expand technical assistance, increase the number of properties evaluated, and support planning activities that help localities turn underutilized sites into community assets. Virginia DEQ’s Brownfields program remains committed to supporting community revitalization, protecting environmental quality, and ensuring local partners have the tools needed to advance realistic, achievable, and sustainable Brownfields redevelopment throughout the Commonwealth. For more information, you can visit the DEQ Brownfields webpage.
Environmental Justice Town Halls: Recap
In late July and early August, DEQ hosted two in-person and one virtual town hall to receive suggestions from the public on updating the draft Environmental Justice in the Permitting Process Guidance. More than 275 people attended the three events, either in-person or virtually, and 88 people provided suggestions during the town halls and via email. DEQ appreciates everyone’s time and effort in joining the town halls and offering their valuable input on this important topic. The Office of Environmental Justice considered all suggestions.
The updated draft guidance will be posted on the Virginia Regulatory Town Hall and the Environmental Justice Permitting Guidance webpage as soon as it is available. On that page you can also access the presentation slides for each town hall, meeting transcripts and recordings, the fact sheet that was shared during the town halls, as well as information about additional upcoming opportunities for public input on the draft guidance.
Sign up to receive email updates from DEQ’s Office of Environmental Justice, including updates on the draft guidance.
"Environmentally Speaking" Toastmasters Club Celebrates Second Anniversary
Working at a state agency often means stepping into the public spotlight, whether it’s presenting at meetings, speaking at public hearings, or leading informational sessions. However, public speaking doesn’t come naturally to everyone. Even the most experienced professionals have their speeches written by others or rely on scripts.
As an agency committed to clear, consistent, and impactful communication, DEQ found a natural fit in Toastmasters, a friendly, structured, and engaging program designed to help people grow as speakers and leaders. In January 2025, DEQ launched its Toastmasters club.
DEQ’s Toastmasters club, fittingly named Environmentally Speaking, meets monthly for a mix of prepared speeches, impromptu speaking challenges, and supportive feedback. These gatherings offer members a chance to practice in a low‑pressure environment where everyone is working toward the same goal: becoming more confident, polished communicators.
Outside of meetings, members continue to develop their skills through Toastmasters Pathways, the self‑paced learning tracks that guide participants in areas like storytelling, leadership, presentation mastery, and strategic communication. Each Pathway allows members to progress at their own speed while building real‑world skills they can bring back to their roles at DEQ.
“Toastmasters isn’t just a place to practice public speaking in front of an amazingly supportive group of people,” said Ashley Unger, club member and DEQ Training and Development Coordinator. “It’s a community of lifelong learners who are committed to improving themselves and willing to be vulnerable and open to feedback each session. I’ve truly enjoyed getting to know everyone in the group who come from different areas of expertise, and I appreciate the space it has given me to grow as a presenter.”
Although the DEQ club is limited to staff only, you can learn more about Toastmasters and find a club to join by visiting their website.