Virginia Department of Environmental Quality

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Virginia Department of Environmental Quality DEQ protects & enhances Virginia's environment & promotes the health & well-being of its citizens.

DEQ uses social media to provide timely, relevant information on agency activities. All comments not pertaining to the content of the post will be removed. To submit other comments, please email [email protected]

Public notices are posted in local newspapers and at the Virginia Regulatory Town Hall at www.townhall.virginia.gov. Posts on social media are not considered official public comments or pollution reports. Public comments must be submitted through the Virginia Regulatory Town Hall, or as described in the applicable public notice. Pollution reports must be submitted at http://deq.virginia.gov/Programs/PollutionResponsePreparedness/PollutionReportingForm.aspx. During emergencies, updates will be posted on Twitter (), and www.deq.virginia.gov. If you are witnessing an environmental incident that may lead to an imminent threat to human health or the environment, you should immediately report it to the Virginia Department of Emergency Management at 800-468-8892, and if you are in imminent danger, call 911.

Due to variable rainfall and continued dryness, DEQ and the Drought Monitoring Task Force have recommended the following...
23/10/2026

Due to variable rainfall and continued dryness, DEQ and the Drought Monitoring Task Force have recommended the following drought update:

· An escalation from drought watch to drought warning in the Southeast Virginia drought evaluation region.

· A de-escalation from drought warning to drought watch in Shenandoah and Upper James drought evaluation regions.

· A de-escalation from drought watch to no advisory in the New River drought evaluation region.

All other advisories were maintained.
Read more in our full news release below 👇

EDIT: Localities of the Upper James drought evaluation region are: Alleghany, Bath, Botetourt, Craig, Highland, and Rockbridge counties and the cities of Buena Vista, Covington, and Lexington

DEQ is providing an opportunity for public comment on the draft, revised guidance used in the enforcement program throug...
09/10/2026

DEQ is providing an opportunity for public comment on the draft, revised guidance used in the enforcement program through Nov. 9. The draft, revised Chapter 4 – Civil Charges and Civil Penalties of DEQ’s Enforcement Manual addresses how DEQ calculates appropriate civil charges/civil penalties in administrative enforcement actions.

To learn more about the changes and to comment, visit https://www.deq.virginia.gov/news-info/shortcuts/enforcement/informal-comment-period-for-draft-revisions-to-chapter-4-civil-charges-and-civil-penalties

DEQ and the Drought Monitoring Task Force have lifted the drought watch in three counties in Southwest Virginia. All oth...
09/10/2026

DEQ and the Drought Monitoring Task Force have lifted the drought watch in three counties in Southwest Virginia. All other drought advisories have been maintained.

Read more in our latest news release 👇

The latest in the world of DEQ: 🏭 - Microsoft Agrees to pay $2.5 Million for Environmental Violations⚖ - Environmental J...
05/10/2026

The latest in the world of DEQ:
🏭 - Microsoft Agrees to pay $2.5 Million for Environmental Violations
⚖ - Environmental Justice Guidance Draft Released
🗑 - New Guidance for Elevated Temperature Landfills
🍕 - Virginia Cracks Down on Food Waste

Read all about these stories and more in our latest newsletter below 👇

Due to sustained rains, DEQ and the Drought Monitoring Task Force have de-escalated 16 counties and 7 cities in the Nort...
02/10/2026

Due to sustained rains, DEQ and the Drought Monitoring Task Force have de-escalated 16 counties and 7 cities in the Northern Virginia, Northern Piedmont, and Shenandoah drought evaluation regions from a drought warning to a drought watch.

All other advisories were maintained.
Read more in our full news release below 👇

02/10/2026

The Carver Food Enterprise Center (CFEC) prevents food waste while helping to build a more resilient local food system in Culpepper County.

Through job training programs and volunteer events, CFEC turns excess, and sometimes “ugly”, produce into nutritious meals that feed their community. Thanks to a grant from Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, CFEC is scaling up their work.

Visit the link below to learn more about how you can support food waste prevention in your community 👇

01/10/2026

Compost your food scraps to support circular economies and prevent methane emissions. Composting turns organic waste into a nutrient rich soil amendment that can be used in home gardens, in landscaping, or on farms. Separating out your food scraps can help you better understand what foods typically go to waste in your home.

In Virginia, some localities provide access to food scraps drop off locations. Visit DEQ’s Crack Down on Food Waste webpage in the comments to learn more about composting opportunities near you! 👇

Did you know that nearly 50% of all food waste happens at the consumer level? Produce can spoil quicker than expected. L...
30/09/2026

Did you know that nearly 50% of all food waste happens at the consumer level?

Produce can spoil quicker than expected. Leftovers get lost in the back of the fridge. Food waste is an unfortunate, yet common occurrence in most kitchens. Small changes to your food habits can have a big impact on waste!

Visit our Crack Down on Food Waste webpage to learn more about food management tips and resources that can save you money and crack down on food waste! 👇

29/09/2026

Virginia’s Crack Down on Food Waste campaign was designed by Harriet Ramasamy, a senior at the College of William & Mary.

Harriet’s friendly peanut logo was selected as the winner of DEQ’s Student Design Competition, which gave Virginia college students the opportunity to design the statewide education campaign.

Learn more about Harriet, her design, and how to prevent food waste at the link below👇

Address

VA

Opening Hours

Monday 08:00 - 17:00
Tuesday 08:00 - 17:00
Wednesday 08:00 - 17:00
Thursday 08:00 - 17:00
Friday 08:00 - 17:00

Telephone

+18046984000

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