RD34 - Annual Report on the Virginia Water Quality Improvement Fund Point Source Pollution Control

  • Published: 2004
  • Author: Department of Conservation and Recreation and Department of Environmental Quality
  • Enabling Authority: Code of Virginia - § 10.1-2134

Executive Summary:
This is the seventh submission to the Governor and the General Assembly in response to the statutory requirement (see Appendix A) under ?10.1-2134 of the Virginia Water Quality Improvement Act of 1997 (Virginia Code, Chapter 21.1 of Title 10.1) for an annual report on the implementation of the Virginia Water Quality Improvement Fund (WQIF). The DEQ Director is responsible for reporting annually on the point source component of the WQIF.

The report contains a review of program activities, which have continued implementation of the WQIF in Virginia, through calendar year 2003. This includes an update of ongoing projects from 1997 through the grant applications processed for FY 2000 funding, which was the last year that a request for proposals was issued.

As specifically required by ?10.1-2134 of the Act, this report also lists the recipients and amounts of grants awarded from the WQIF, the specific and measurable reductions in nutrient loads to state waters anticipated once each funded project is constructed and placed into operation, and projections for the amount of continued funding required for the upcoming fiscal year under all fully executed grant agreements. Highlights contained in this report are:

1. In the six years since its inception, the WQIF has provided grant money for twenty-five projects, which (when fully implemented) will result in the estimated annual point source reduction of 13.7 million pounds of nitrogen and 240,000 pounds of phosphorus to the waters of the Commonwealth.

2. To date, approximately $98.8 million for point source projects has been obligated through signed grant agreements, while $92.8 million in funding has been made available through appropriations and interest earned. Thus, a shortfall of approximately $6 million exists for the current grant obligations.

3. The Commonwealth has been unable to solicit any new, cooperative point source projects since fiscal year 2000, due to a lack of appropriations for the WQIF. The amount of funds needed to fully implement the current Tributary Strategy Point Source Actions is approximately $119 million. Revisions to the Tributary Strategies, scheduled for completion in April 2004, are likely to result in much higher costs to meet Virginia's commitment for nutrient reduction in the Bay restoration effort.

4. Of the nineteen projects now operating their nutrient reduction systems, eighteen have met or are exceeding the performance requirements of their WQIF grant agreements.

This annual report, as well as the updated status of the WQIF, is available online from DEQ via the Chesapeake Bay Program link ( http://www.deq.state.va.us/bay/wqifdown.html) , and the General Assembly Reports link ( http://www.deq.state.va.us/regulations/reports.html.)