Virginia Water Control Board holds quarterly meeting

The Virginia State Water Control Board held its regular quarterly meeting online on Monday.

The Board approved amendments incorporating several provisions into the Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit regulations required for consistency with federal law. The Board also authorized the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to proceed with public participation for several other regulatory actions including, reissuance of permits for domestic sewage discharges, seafood processing and poultry wastes.

After consideration of substantial public input of 1,400 public comments, including additional remarks at the meeting from many of the commenters, the Board approved a permit to temporarily withdraw groundwater for the Chickahominy Power Plant in Charles City County with a number of conditions, including a permit term of seven years with no opportunity for renewal, monthly meter readings, periodic inspections, annual progress reporting and abandoning the well within 30 days of the permit expiring. The permit also requires the permittee to implement a mitigation plan if needed.

Two new watershed management plans, also known as Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs), were approved to address sediment in North Fork Catoctin Creek in Loudoun County and benthic impairments in the North Fork Rivanna River in Albemarle, Greene and Orange Counties. These TMDLs specify the maximum amount of pollution that a body of water can receive and still meet water quality standards. The next step is for DEQ to submit them to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for approval.

DEQ staff also provided an update on the progress of compliance reviews for localities regulated under the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act, reporting that 81 of 84 have been completed or are now under way. DEQ provides technical assistance and training for locality program staff, elected and appointed officials, as well as grant funding for local programs, to help protect water quality locally throughout Virginia’s Tidewater portion of the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

The next Board meeting is scheduled for Sept. 24. For more information about the Board or to view the presentations and meeting recording, visit www.DEQ.Virginia.gov.