Virginia’s Phase II Watershed Improvement Plan was submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on March 30, 2012, as discussed here and here. The formal public comment period on the plan will conclude on May 31.

This week, I had the pleasure of attending the 23rd Annual Environment Virginia Symposium, hosted by the VMI Center for Leadership and Ethics. As in years past, the symposium was topical, thought-provoking, and included a wealth of information on a variety of environmental topics.

On March 30, 2012, Virginia submitted its final Phase II Chesapeake Bay Watershed Implementation Plan (WIP) to officials at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Submission of the Final Plan follows a draft Phase II WIP previously submitted on December 15, 2011.

While social issues may have grabbed the headlines during 2012 Session of the Virginia General Assembly, some significant changes were also made on the environmental front – particularly with regard to stormwater regulation. In fact, once signed into law, these changes will alter the process through which water quality regulations are administered in Virginia at [...]

Last week, Virginia submitted its 2012-2013 Chesapeake Bay Milestones to the Environmental Protection Agency. They will be available shortly on the Virginia Bay TMDL website at http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/vabaytmdl/index.shtml. The milestones were required by EPA to gauge the effectiveness of Virginia’s initial efforts in implementing strategies intended to meet the pollution load requirements established for the Chesapeake [...]

It may not have the same bling as five golden rings, but to EPA, Virginia’s draft Phase II Watershed Implementation Plan (“WIP”) should be just what it wanted. In accordance with EPA’s designated schedule, Virginia presented the agency with its Draft Plan on December 15, 2011.